Computer & Electronic Systems

Year 1, Semester 2

Electronic Building Blocks 1

Transistor
 Preview
• Introduction
• Construction
• Symbols
• Currents
• Voltages
• Regions of Operation

Transistor 2
 Transistors
• Most important devices in electronics
today
• Integrated circuits may contain millions of
transistors
• 3-terminal devices
• Resistors, Capacitors, Inductors, Diodes
are “passive” devices
Transistors are “active” devices
Transistor 3
Discrete Transistors

Transistor 4
 Transistor
• A semiconductor device that controls
current between 2 terminals based on the
current at a 3rd terminal
• Focus on Bipolar Transistor (also called
BJT, Bipolar Junction Transistor)

Transistor 5
 Transistor Construction
• 2 pn junctions in the same crystal
• NPN: p-type region (Base) is sandwiched
between 2 n-type regions (Collector and Emitter)
PNP: n-type region (Base) is sandwiched
between 2 p-type regions (Collector and Emitter)
• B: Base
E: Emitter
C: Collector
• Wire leads connect to each of the 3 regions

Transistor 6
 Transistor PN Junctions
• Base-Emitter Junction:
pn junction joining the Base region and the
Emitter region
• Base-Collector Junction:
pn junction joining the Base region and the
Collector region

Transistor 7
 Transistor Symbols
• Arrow on the Emitter terminal gives the
direction in which current flows:
NPN: from B to E
PNP: from E to B
• Our focus is on NPN transistors

Transistor 8
 Transistor Currents
• Emitter current is the sum of the Collector
and Base currents
• IE=IC+IB
• IB is very small compared to IE and IC
• Parameter Beta (β):
β=IC/IB; IC=βIB
β is typically between 20 and 200
• Large Collector current (IC) controlled by
the small Base current (IB)
Transistor 9
 Transistor Voltages
• When current flows in the transistor, the
Base-Emitter voltage is 0.7V
• VB=VE+0.7V
• pn junction voltage ≥ 0.7V means the pn
junction is forward-biased
pn junction voltage < 0.7V means the pn
junction is reverse-biased

Transistor 10
 Regions of Operation
• Determined by the biasing of the junctions
• Saturation Region:
Base-Emitter Junction: Forward-biased(≥ 0.7V)
Base-Collector Junction: Forward-biased(≥ 0.7V)
• Active or Linear Region (IC=βIB):
Base-Emitter Junction: Forward-biased(≥ 0.7V)
Base-Collector Junction: Reverse-biased(<0.7V)
• Cutoff Region:
Base-Emitter Junction: Reverse-biased(<0.7V)
Base-Collector Junction: Reverse-biased(<0.7V)

Transistor 11
 Review
• Introduction
• Construction
• Symbols
• Currents
• Voltages
• Regions of Operation

Transistor 12