Bipolar Junction Transistor

(BJT)
OUTLINE
• Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)
Structure
• Basic BJT Operation
• BJT Characteristics and Parameters
• The BJT as an Amplifier
• The BJT as a Switch
BJT- Construction and Symbol
• The BJT is constructed with three
doped semiconductor regions
separated by two p-n junctions.
• The three regions are called
emitter, base, and collector.
BJT-Operation
Biasing

Majority and minority carrier flow of a pnp transistor

 BJT-Operation
Majority and minority carrier flow

Notation and symbols used : (a) pnp transistor; (b) npn transistor
 BJT-Operation
Regions of Operation

active region - the base–emitter junction is

forward-biased, whereas the collector–base junction
is reverse-biased. (linear region)

cutoff region - the base–emitter and collector–base

junctions of a transistor are
both reverse-biased.

saturation region - the base–emitter and collector–

base junctions are forward-biased
 BJT-Operation
Common-Base Configuration

Input or driving point characteristics for a Output or collector characteristics for a

common-base silicon transistor amplifier common-base transistor amplifier.
 BJT-Operation

Alpha (α) - (CB amplification factor)

(0.90 to 0.998)
 BJT-Operation
Breakdown Region - a point where the curves take a
dramatic upswing as the applied voltage VCB
increases (avalanche effect).

V(BR)CBO - largest permissible base-to-collector voltage

BJT-Operation
Common-Emitter Configuration
most frequently encountered transistor configuration where the
emitter is common to both the input and output terminals (base and
collector)
BJT-Operation
Common-Emitter Configuration

Proper Biasing – for Linear Operation

BJT-Operation
Common-Emitter Configuration

Characteristics of a silicon transistor in the common-emitter configuration: (a) collector

characteristics; (b) base characteristics.
BJT-Operation
Common-Emitter Configuration

Beta (β) - (CE amplification factor)

BJT-Operation
Breakdown Region
BJT-Operation
Common-Collector Configuration
used primarily for impedance-matching purposes
since it has a high input impedance and low
output impedance, opposite to that of the
common-base and common-emitter configurations
References
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, Eleventh Edition
By: Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky

Electronic Devices, Electron Flow Version, Ninth Edition

By: Thomas L. Floyd