Module 5: Transistors (CO4*)
• Bipolar Junction Transistor
• Input and output characteristics (Common Emitter)
• Amplification factor
• Field effect transistor
• MOSFETs -Structure
• Current-Voltage characteristics
• design of MOSFET
• Enhancement and Depletion mode MOSFETs.
CO4*: Establish the current-voltage characteristics of a PN-junction by examining the
underlying carrier transport and recombination mechanism
Transistor
Diode (Single Junction): It functions as a one-way switch, allowing current flow in only one
direction, but it does not amplify or control the flow of electricity (passive device).
Transistor (Multi Junction) :
• The transistor is an active device, since, in conjunction with other circuit elements, is capable of
current gain, voltage gain, and signal power gain.
• Control of Current at 1 terminal by Voltage applied across other 2 terminals
Types
● Bipolar (Junction)Transistor (BJT)
● Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET)
● Junction Field-Effect Transistor (JFET)
● Insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)
Bipolar Junction Transistor
Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT):
• Three-terminal semiconductor device that amplifies or switches electrical signals.
• Composed of two p-n junctions and utilizes both electrons and holes as charge carriers.
• Used in electronic circuits as amplifiers or switches, controlling the flow of current with a small input signal.
• Two type npn and pnp
++ → Heavily doped
&
+ → Moderately doped
Emitter (E): The region that emits charge carriers into the base.
Base (B): The thin, lightly doped region that controls the current flow between the emitter and collector.
Collector (C): The region that collects the charge carriers that have passed through the base.
Structure and band diagram
Basic principle of operation
• B-E → FB; B-C → RB
=> Forward Active operating mode
• B-E → e- injected into Base act as minority
charge carriers
• Minimum across B-C
• e- swept through Base into Collector
• Base maintained at low width
• Interacting pn jn
Transistor currents
•
•
•
BJT
• Configuration
Three basic BJT configurations are common-base, common-emitter, and common-collector.
• Each configuration connects the transistor in a different way by making one of the three terminals (base, emitter, or
collector) common to both the input and output circuits, resulting in different electrical characteristics and
applications.
Common Emitter (CE-mode)
Characteristics: High voltage and current gain providing the highest power gain
Applications: Widely used in general pulpous amplification, such as audio amplifier and as switch
Common Base (CB-mode)
Characteristics: High voltage and excellent frequency response, but no current gain
Applications: High frequency amplifier and oscillators
Common Base (CB-mode)
Characteristics: Current gain but unit voltage gain (O/P is same as I/P). It provides high input impedance and low output
impedance
Applications: Buffer circuit to match impedance.
Input and output characteristics (Common Emitter)
• Common emitter is a BJT configuration where the emitter is a
common terminal for both the input and output circuits.
• In this setup, the input signal is applied between the base and emitter,
while the output is taken from the collector and emitter.
• This configuration is widely used for amplification because it
provides a high current gain and a high power gain.
• Input: A small voltage is applied to the base-emitter junction,
causing a small change in the base current IB.
• Amplification: This small change in IB is amplified by the
transistor's current gain (β) to produce a much larger change in the
collector current (IC).
• The relationship is expressed as IC = β IB.
• Output: The large and amplified collector current is then taken as
the output signal from the collector-emitter terminals. An npn bipolar transistor in
a common-emitter circuit configuration.
Relation between α and β
Current amplification factor in the CE
mode
The current amplification factor or current gain (β) is defined as the ratio of the
change in collector current (∆IC) to the change in the base current (∆IB) at a
constant collector-emitter votage (VCE)
At VCE
=constant
The current gain (β) has a value between 20 to 500
Problem: The base current changes by 20 µA, causing the collector current to change from 1 mA to 3 mA.
Find the current gain.
Field-Effect Transistor
• (FET)
Semiconductor devices that use an electric field to control the flow of current through
a channel acting as a switch or amplifier
• Have three terminal – source, gate and drain
• Unipolar devices (current is carried by only one charge carriers: electron or hole)
Comparison with BJT
• BJT is a bit noisy than FET.
• BJT has a higher output impedance than FET.
• BJT is current controlled meanwhile FET is voltage controlled device.
• BJT has a lower input impedance than FET.
Types
Junction Field-effect transistor JFET
Metal oxide Field Effect Transistor MOSFET
MOSFETs: Metal Oxide Field Effect Transistors
• MOSFET: the primary component in high-density chips such as
memories and microprocessors.
• They are voltage-controlled devices that use an electric field to control
current flow between two terminals, the drain and source.
• The amount of current that flows between these terminals is controlled
by a voltage applied to the gate terminal.
• There are two primary types of MOSFETs:
• N-channel MOSFETs: These are designed for positive voltages and
currents.
• P-channel MOSFETs: These are designed for negative voltages and
currents.
Features of MOSFETs:
• Voltage Control:
Unlike bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) that are current-controlled, MOSFETs are voltage-controlled,
meaning the gate voltage directly dictates the current flow between the drain and source.
• High Input Impedance:
MOSFETs have a very high input impedance, making them suitable for applications where the gate circuit
needs to be isolated from the drain and source.
• High-Speed Operation:
They are known for their relatively fast switching speeds, making them suitable for applications requiring
rapid changes in current flow.
• Low Power Dissipation:
MOSFETs generally exhibit lower power dissipation compared to BJTs, leading to higher efficiency in
certain applications.
Structure
1. Substrate:
• The MOSFET is built on a semiconductor substrate, typically made of silicon.
• The substrate can be p-type or n-type, determining the type of MOSFET (p-channel
or n-channel).
2. Source and Drain:
• These are two highly doped n-type regions (for an n-channel MOSFET) or p-type
regions (for a p-channel MOSFET).
• They provide the terminals for the current flow.
3. Gate:
• A metal or poly-silicon layer is deposited on the gate oxide, which is a thin layer of
insulator (typically silicon dioxide) on top of the semiconductor substrate.
• The gate controls the conductivity of the channel between the source and drain.
• By applying a voltage to the gate, the width of the conducting channel can be varied,
thus controlling the current flow between the source and drain.
4. Channel:
• The channel is the region between the source and drain where charge carriers
(electrons or holes) can flow.
• The gate voltage creates an electric field that either attracts charge carriers to form a
channel (in enhancement-mode MOSFETs) or depletes charge carriers, effectively
making the channel narrower (in depletion-mode MOSFETs).
MOSFET Channel
The path between the drain and source terminals where current can flow when the
device is "on.“
N-channel MOSFET:
A channel is formed between the drain and source by applying a positive voltage
between the gate and source. This positive voltage attracts negatively charged
electrons, creating a conductive channel.
P-channel MOSFET:
A channel is formed by applying a negative voltage between the gate and source.
This negative voltage attracts positively charged holes, creating a conductive
channel.
Channel Formation:
The width of the channel is directly related to the voltage applied between the gate
and source. A higher voltage leads to a wider channel and more current flow.
Figure VTN threshold voltage
Current-Voltage characteristics n channel MOSFET
Flat Band Voltage in a
MOSFET
a) Accumulation begins when VG < VFB
b) Flat band VG = 0
c) Depletion begins when VG > VFB
d) Inversion happens after sufficing
increase
Similarly n-substrate reversed
Enhancement Mode MOSFET:
Channel:
No pre-existing physical channel. The channel is created by
applying a gate voltage (VGS) above a threshold voltage.
Operation:
A gate voltage (VGS) is required to create and enhance the
conductivity of the channel.
Analogies:
Can be thought of as a "normally open" switch, where a gate
voltage is needed to switch it on.
Applications:
Widely used in various electronic circuits as switches and
amplifiers, particularly in integrated circuits.
Depletion Mode MOSFET:
Channel:
A physical channel (between drain and source) is present in the
device structure, making it conductive even without a gate voltage.
Operation:
A gate voltage (VGS) can be applied to modulate the conductivity of
the channel, either increasing or decreasing it, including pinching off
the channel.
Analogies:
Can be thought of as a "normally closed" switch, where a gate voltage
is needed to switch it off.
Applications:
Often used as load resistors in logic circuits or as constant current
sources, especially in depletion-load NMOS logic.