Online Activity #4

ELP01E
SUMMARY OF “ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUIT THEORY
(9TH EDITION)” CHAPTER 3

Name: MEERA, KEEMPEE A. Date: MAY 6, 2020

Section: EE-201

Summary:
Transistors are three terminal devices of three semiconductor layers having a base or
center layer a great deal thinner than the other two layers. The outer two layers are both of
either n or p type materials, with the sandwiched layer the opposite type. One p-n junction of a
transistor a forward biased, whereas the other is reverse biased. The collector current is made-
up of two components: the majority component and the minority current also called the
leakage current.
The dc emitter current is always the largest current of a transistor, whereas the base
current is always the smallest. The emitter current is always the sum of the other two. The
arrow in the transistor symbol defines the direction of conventional current flow for the emitter
current and thereby defines the direction for the other currents of the device. A three terminal
device needs two sets of characteristics to completely define its characteristics.
Semiconductor devices have the following advantages over vacuum tubes: They are
of smaller size, more lightweight, more rugged, and more efficient. In addition, they have no
warn-up period, no heater requirement, and lower operating voltages. In the active region of a
transistor, the base emitter junction is forward biased, whereas the collector base junction is
reverse biased. In the cutoff region the base emitter and collector base junctions are forward
biased.
In the saturation region the base emitetr and collector base junctions are forward
biased. On an average basis, as a first approximation, the base to emitter voltage of an
operating transistor can be assumed to be 0.7V . The quantity alpha relates the collector and
emitter currents and is always close to one. The impedance between terminals of a forward
biased junction is always relatively small, whereas the impedance between terminals of a
reverse biased junction is usually quite large. The arrow in the symbol of an npn transistor
points out of the device (not pointing in), whereas the arrow points in to the center of the
symbol for a pnp transistor (pointing in).
For linear amplication purposes, cutoff for the common emitter configuration will
be defined by Ic = Iceo. The quantity beta provides an important relationship between the base
and collector currents and is usually between 50 and 400. The dc beta is defined by a simple
ratio of dc currents at an operating point, whereas the ac beta is sensitive to the characteristics
in the region of interest. For most applications, however, the two are considered equivalent as
a first approximation. To ensure that a transistor is operating within its maximum power level
rating, simply find the product of the collector to emitter voltage and the collector current, and
compare it to the rated value.

Definition of Terms:

No Term Definition Page

.
0 NPN Transistor Is the former. 132
1 Transistor Is a three layer semiconductor device consisting 132
of either two n-type and one p-type layers of
material or two p-type and one n-type layers of
material.
2 PNP Transistor Is the latter. 132
3 Bipolar junction Is often applied to three terminal device. 132
transisor (BJT)
4 Bipolar It reflects the fact that holes and electrons 132
participate in the injection process into the
oppositely polarized material.
5 Injection of minority Is the carriers into the n-type base region 133
material.
6 Active region Is defined by the biasing arrangements. 134
7 Cutoff region Is defined as that region where the collector 135
current is 0 A.
8 Saturation region Is defined as that region of the characteristics to 135
the left of Vcb = 0V.
9 Alpha In the dc mode the levels of Ic and Ig due to the 137
majority carriers are related by a quantity.
10 AC alpha Is formally caleed the common base, short circuit, 137
amplification factor, for reasons that will be more
obvious when we examine transistor equivalent
circuits.
11 Leakage current The minority current component. 155
12 Biasing The proper biasing of the common base 137
configuration in the active region can be
determined quickly using the approximation Ic =
IE and assuming for the moment that IB = 0 uA.
13 Common emitter Because the emitter is common or refference to 145
 configuration Both the input and output terminals.
14 Germanium transistor By reverse biasing the base to emitter junction a 137
few tenths of a volt.
15 BETA In the dc mode the levels of Ic and IB are related 156
by a quantity.
16 Amplication Is included in the nomenclature. 137
17 Maximum power curve Is defined by the following product of output
quantities: Pcmax = Vcb(Ic) .
18 Normalized curve If we have a transistor with Bdc = hfe = 50 at 151
room temperature, the maximum value at 8 mA is
50.
19 Curve tracer The smaller sensitivity to the right reveal the 151
scaling to be applied to the characteristics.
20 2 mA/div The vertical sensitivity and resulting in the scale 146
shown to the left of the monitors display.
21 1 V/div The horizontal sensitivity and resulting in the 146
scale shown below the characteristics.
22 Transistor testers Some are simply part of a digital meter that can 152
measure a wide variety elements in a network.
23 Ohmmeter It can be used to check the state of a transistor. 152
24 Transistor arrow The direction of conventional current flow for the 152
emitter current.
25 Forward biased In the active region of a transistor, the base 132
emitter junction.
26 Reversed biased The collector base junction. 132
27 Both reverse biased In the cutoff region the base emitter and collector
base juntions of a transistor.
28 0.7 V On an average basis, as a first approximation, the 155
base to emitter voltage of an operating transistor.
29 Quantity beta Provides an important relationship between the 155
base and collector currents and is usually
between 50 and 400.
30 DC BETA Is defined by a simple ratio of dc currents at an 155
operating point.
31 PSPICE windows It seems appropriate that a procedure for 156
obtaining those characterics using this should be
examined.
32 Emitter current Is always the sum of the dc emitter and base 155
current.
33 Quantity alpha Relates the collector and emitter currents and is 155
always close to one.
34 Control grid It added a third element to the vacuum diode. 131
35 Triode Is the first amplifier. 131
36 Majority carriers Carry most of the electric charge or electric 133
current in the semiconductor.
37 Walter H. Brattain and They demonstrated the amplifying action of the 131
John Bardeen first transistor at the bell telephone laboratories.
38 Minority carriers The charge carriers that are present in small 133
quantity.
39 Common base Is one of three basic single-stage bipolar 134
junction transistor (BJT) amplifier topologies,
typically used as a current buffer or voltage
amplifier.
40 Short circuit Is a connection on an electric circuit that 137
allows a current to follow an unplanned or
accidental path.
41 Amplication factor The ratio of the changes in plate and grid 131
voltage that cause equal changes in the plate
current of an electron tube.
42 Letters NPN With not pointing in. 155
43 Letters PNP With pointing in. 155
44 Silicon transistors Cutoff will exist for switching purposes when Ib = 135
0 uA or Ic = Iceo .
45 DC emitter current Is always the largest current of a transistor. 155
46 Common collector Is provided in which the load resistor connected 146
circuit configuration from emitter to ground.
47 Maximum dissipation Is defined by the following eqaution Pcmax = 155
level Vce(Ic) .
48 Semiconductor devices It have the following advantages over vacuum 154
tubes.
49 Base current Is always the smallest current of a +=89 155
50 Common collector Is used primarily for impedance matching 145
configuration purposes since it has a high input impedance and
low output impedance, opposite to that of the
common base and common emitter
configuration.