Pulse and Digital Circuits Venkata Rao K., Rama Sudha K. and Manmadha Rao G.

Chapter 6
Switching Characteristics of Devices

1.Calculate the output levels for the inputs 0 and –5 V to the circuit shown in Fig. 6p.1
and verify that the circuit is an inverter. Find the minimum value of h FE required. Neglect
the junction saturation voltages. Assume ideal diode.

Fig. 6p.1 The given transistor switch

Solution:
When v i = 0,
5.6 k
then VB = 5 V   0.725 V
5.6 k  33 k
Then Q is OFF,  V C = –15 V
D now conducts.
 v o = –5 V

Let v i = 10 V, Fig. 1.1.

33 k 5.6 kΩ
V B = 5 V 5   5  3.55 V
5.6 k  33 kΩ 5.6 kΩ  33 k
Then Q is ON  V C = 0 V
D OFF,  v o = 0 V

I1 = I2 + IB
IB = I1 – I2
5 5
IB = – = 0.892 mA – 1.51 mA = –0.61 mA
5.6 kΩ 3.3 kΩ
 Q is ON.

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Pulse and Digital Circuits Venkata Rao K., Rama Sudha K. and Manmadha Rao G.

Fig. 1.1 Circuit when v i = –5 V

 15
IC = = –4.54 mA
3.3K
v o = –15 + 4.54  10 3  3.3  10 3 = 0 V and D is OFF.
 h FE required is
I
h FE = C = 4.54 mA = 7.44
IB 0.61 mA
 h FE(min) = 8
The circuit acts like an inverter for inputs 0 V and –5 V.

2. For a common-emitter circuit V CC = 15 V, R C = 1.5 k  and I B = 0.3 mA.

i. Determine the value of h FE for saturation to occur.
ii. Will the transistor saturate if R C = 250  ?

Solution:
i. If the saturation voltages are negligible, then
VCC  I C RC
V 15
I C  CC   10 mA
RC 1.5 k
I 10
hFE  C   33.3
I B 0.3
ii. If RC  250 Ω
V 15
I C  CC   60 mA
RC 250

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Pulse and Digital Circuits Venkata Rao K., Rama Sudha K. and Manmadha Rao G.

Hence the transistor goes into saturation.

3. For a transistor, V CB = 50 V, M n = 10, n = 8, h FE = 100. Calculate (a) V CBO(max) and

(b)V CEO(max).
Solution:
1
(a) We have, M  n
 VCB 
1  
V 
 CBO (max) 
1
10 = 8
 50 
1  
V 
 CBO (max) 
8
 50 
10 – 10   =1
V 
 CBO (max) 
8
 50 
  = 0.9
V 
 CBO (max) 
 50 
   0.987
V 
 CBO (max) 
50
VCBO (max)   50.65 V
0.987
(b) We have
1
VCEO (max)  VCBO (max) n
hFE
1
= 50.65  8 = 50.65  0.56 =28.36 V.
100

4. Design the CE transistor switch shown in Fig.6p.4, operating with V CC = 20 V and –

V BB = –20 V. The transistor is expected to operate at I C(sat) = 5 mA, h FE = 25,
V CE(sat) = 0, V BE(sat) = 0 and R 2 = 4R 1 . Determine the values of resistors R C , R 1 and R 2 .

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Pulse and Digital Circuits Venkata Rao K., Rama Sudha K. and Manmadha Rao G.

.
Fig.6p.4 The given CE transistor switch
Solution:
When Q is in saturation,
VCC  VCE sat 
I C sat  
RC
VCC  VCE  sat 
RC 
I C  sat 
20  0
RC   4 kΩ
5 mA
VBE  sat   VBB
I2 
R2
When v i goes to V CC then Q goes into saturation:
VCC  VBE  sat 
I1 
R1
From the circuit, we can find I B(sat)
VCC  VBE  sat  VBE sat   VBB
I B  sat   I1  I 2  
R1 R2
I C  sat  5  103
I B  sat     0.2 mA
hFE 25
20 20 15
0.2 mA   
R1 4 R1 R1
15
R1   75 kΩ
0.2 mA
R2  4 R1  4  75 kΩ  300 kΩ

5. Design a CE transistor switch shown in Fig.6p.5, operating with V CC = 25 V and –V BB

= –25 V. The transistor is expected to operate at I C(sat) = 4 mA, I B(sat) = 0.3 mA, h FE = 25,

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Pulse and Digital Circuits Venkata Rao K., Rama Sudha K. and Manmadha Rao G.

V CE(sat) = 0, V BE(sat) = 0 and R 2 = 2R 1 . Determine the values of resistors R C , R 1 and R 2 . v i

varies from 0 to V CC .

Fig.6p.5 The given CE transistor switch

Solution:
When Q is in saturation
VCC  VCE sat 
I C sat  
RC
VCC  VCE  sat 
RC 
I C  sat 
25  0
RC   6.25 kΩ
4 mA
VBE  sat   VBB
I2 
R2

When v i = V CC , Q goes into saturation.

VCC  VBE  sat 
I1 
R1
Given R 2 = 2R 1 . From the circuit we can find I B(sat)
VCC  VBE  sat  VBE sat   VBB
I B  sat   I1  I 2  
R1 2 R1
25  0 0  25 25
0.3 mA   
R1 2 R1 2 R1
25
R1   41.6 kΩ
2  0.3 mA
R2  2 R1  2  41.6 kΩ  83.2 kΩ .

6. For the circuit in Fig.6p.6, the input is a pulse of 16 V and duration T = 5 μs, f T is 10
MHz and f I = 1 MHz, α N0 = 0.99 and α NI = 0.5, C TC = 5 pF and h FE = 100, V BE(sat) =

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Pulse and Digital Circuits Venkata Rao K., Rama Sudha K. and Manmadha Rao G.

V CE(sat) = 0. Calculate (a) the turn-on time, (b) turn-off time and (c) the time for which the
switch is ON.

Fig.6p.6. The given transistor switch

Solution:
(a) Calculation of turn-on time.
I C  sat  1
We have tr  0.8  (1)
hFE I B1
and
 1
(  CTC RC ) (2)
hFE T
1
td   tr (3)
8
I B1
Equation (1) is valid only when N 1 = is much greater than 1. So we have to
I B1 min
first calculate N 1 when the pulse has an amplitude V = 15 V.

VCC 18
I C(sat) =   18 mA
RC 1  103
.
V  V BB 16  4
I B1 = =  1.5 mA
RB 8K
I C (sat ) 18 mA
I B1min =   0.18 mA
hFE 100
I 1.5
N 1 = B1   8.33
I B1 min 0.18
N 1 >>1 and hence Eq. (1) is valid.
 T = 2  f T = 2  3.14  10  10 6 = 62.8 MHz.
 1
(  5  10 12  1  10 3 ) =20.92 ns
hFE 62.8  10 6

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Pulse and Digital Circuits Venkata Rao K., Rama Sudha K. and Manmadha Rao G.

 I C  sat  18
 tr  0.8    0.8  20.92  109   200.8 ns
hFE I B1 15
1 200.8 ns
td   tr =  25.1 ns
8 8
t turn-on = t r + t d = 200.8 ns + 25.1 ns = 225.9 ns.

(b) We have
I B1  I B 2
(i) t s   s ln
I B min  I B 2
The circuit to calculate I B2 is shown in Fig. 6.1.
When V = 0, Q is OFF and hence there is no voltage drop across R. A voltage of –4
V exists at node B, Fig. 6.1. As the input is zero, the current I B2 is given by,

Fig.6.1. Circuit to calculate I B2

4
I B2 =  0.5 mA
8 kΩ

N  I
s 
 N  I (1   N 0 I 0 )
f N = 1.2  f T =1.2  10  10 6 = 12  10 6 Hz.
f I = 1  10 6 Hz.
2 (12  1)106
s   0.34 s
(2 ) 2 (12  106  1  106 )(1  (0.99)(0.5))
I I 1.5  0.5
ts   s ln B1 B 2  0.34  106  ln  0.366  s
I B1min  I B 2 0.18  0.5
 hFE I B 2  100  0.5  10 3
(ii) N 2  =  2.77
I C (sat) 18  10 3
N 2 >>1, hence

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Pulse and Digital Circuits Venkata Rao K., Rama Sudha K. and Manmadha Rao G.

 I C (sat) 18
t f  0.8  = 0.8 20.92  109 
 602 ns
hFE IB2 0.5
t turn-off = t s + t f = 366 ns + 602 ns = 968 ns.

(c) The input and output waveforms of the switch are shown in Fig.6.2.

Fig.6.2 Input and output waveforms of the switch

T ON = T – t turn-on + t turn-off
=5000 ns – 225.9 ns + 968 ns = 5.74 μs.

7. For the circuit in Fig.6p.7, the input is a pulse of 15 V and duration T = 1 μs, f T is 5
MHz and f I =1 MHz, α NO = 0.99 and α NI = 0.5, C TC =5 pF and h FE =100. Calculate (a) the
turn-on time, (b) turn-off time and (c) the time for which the switch is ON.

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Pulse and Digital Circuits Venkata Rao K., Rama Sudha K. and Manmadha Rao G.

Fig.6p.7 The given transistor switch

Solution:
(a) Calculation of turn-on time.
We have from Eq. (6.41)
I C (sat) 1
 tr  0.8 
hFE I B1
and from Eq.(6.42)
 1
(  CTC RC )
hFE T
1
td   tr
8
I B1
Equation (6.41) is valid only when N1=
is much greater than 1. So we have
I B1 min
to first calculate N 1 using Fig. 6p.7, when the pulse has an amplitude V = 15 V.

VCC 15
I C(sat) =   15 mA .
RC 1

V  V BB 15  5
I B1 = =  2 mA .
RB 5 kΩ
I C (sat ) 15
I B1min =   0.15 mA .
hFE 100
I 2.0
N 1 = B1   13.33
I B1 min 0.15
N 1 >>1 and hence Eq. (6.41) is valid.
 T = 2  f T = 2  3.14  5  10 6 =31.4  10 6 .
 1
(  5  10 12  1  10 3 ) =31.85+5=36.5 ns.
hFE 31.4  10 6

 I C (sat) 15
 tr  0.8    0.8  36.5  109   219 ns .
hFE I B1 2.0
1 219
td   tr =  27.37 ns.
8 8
t turn-on = t r + t d = 219 + 27.37 = 246.4 ns.

(b) We have from Eq.(6.43)

I  I B2
(i) t s   s ln B1
I B min  I B 2
The circuit to calculate I B2 is shown in Fig.7.1.

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Pulse and Digital Circuits Venkata Rao K., Rama Sudha K. and Manmadha Rao G.

When V = 0, Q is OFF and hence there is no voltage drop across R. A voltage of –5

V exists at node B, Fig. 7.1. As the input is zero, the current I B2 is given by

Fig. 7.1. Circuit to calculate I B2

5
I B2 =   1 mA
5

And from Eq. (6.44)

N  I
s 
 N  I (1   N 0 I 0 )
f N = 1.2  f T =1.2  5  10 6 = 6  10 6 Hz.
f I = 1  10 6 Hz.

2 (6  1)106
s   370 ns .
(2 ) 2 (6  106  1  106 )(1  (0.99)(0.5))

I B1  I B 2 2 1
ts   s ln  370  ln  370  ln 2.61  370  0.96  355.2 ns .
I B1min  I B 2 0.15  1

 hFE I B 2  100  1
(ii) N 2  =  6.66
I C (sat) 15
N 2 >>1, hence
 I C (sat) 15
t f  0.8  = 0.8 36.5   438 ns .
hFE IB2 1

t turn-off = t s + t f = 355.2 + 438 = 793.2 ns.

(c) The input and output waveforms of the switch are shown in Fig. 7.2.

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Pulse and Digital Circuits Venkata Rao K., Rama Sudha K. and Manmadha Rao G.

Fig. 7.2 Input and output waveforms of the switch

T ON = T – t turn-on +t turn-off
=10 – 0.264 + 0.793 = 10.529 μs.

8. For a transistor, V CB = 40 V, M n = 5, n = 4, h FE = 100. Calculate (a) BV CBO(max) and

(b) BV CEO(max) .
Solution:
(a) From Eq. (6.48) we have
1
M  n
 VCB 
1   
 BVCBO 
1
5= 4
 40 
1   
 BVCBO 
4
 40 
5 – 5   =1
 BVCBO 
4
 40 
  =0.8
 BVCBO 
 40 
   0.945
 BVCBO
40
 BVCBO   42.33 V.
0.945
(b) We have from Eq. (6.59),

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Pulse and Digital Circuits Venkata Rao K., Rama Sudha K. and Manmadha Rao G.

1
BVCEO  BVCBO n
hFE
1
= 42.33  4 = 42.33  0.3162 = 13.39 V.
100

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