TESTING ELECTRONIC
COMPONENTS
By: Alberto O. Dacir , LPT
What is a Diode?
A diode is a
semiconductor device
that allows current to
flow in one direction,
while blocking it in the
other. Diodes are used in
many electronic devices,
including circuits, power
supplies, and light
sources.
Diode analysis
Diode Testing
What Is Transistor?
• A transistor is a three-
terminal electronic device that
regulates the flow of electrical
current or amplifies electronic
signals. It is typically made of
semiconductor materials like
Silicon (Si), Germanium (Ge).
It consists of three layers or
regions: the emitter, the base,
and the collector.
Parts of a transistor
• A transistor consists of several
key parts that work together
to control the flow of electrical
current or amplify electronic
signals. The specific parts vary
depending on type of
transistor, but I’ll provide a
general overview of the
components commonly found
in a bipolar junction transistor
(BJT):
Types of Transistors
TRANSISTORS
BJT
NPN PNP
Bipolar junction transistors (BJTs)
• An NPN transistor is a type of transistor that controls the flow of
electrons and is used to amplify or switch electronic signals. It's
made up of three layers of semiconductor material: two N-type
layers and a P-type layer in between.
How It Works
• In an NPN transistor, the current
flows from the collector to the
emitter.
• The base is positively biased relative
to the emitter.
• A small current at the base allows a
much larger current to flow from the
collector to the emitter.
• In a PNP transistor, one n-type semiconductor
material is sandwich between two p-type
semiconductor material.
It is used for amplification and switching
applications.
How It Works
• In a PNP transistor, the current
flows from the emitter to the
collector (opposite of an NPN
transistor).
• The base is negatively biased
relative to the emitter.
• A small current at the base allows
a larger current to flow from the
emitter to the collector.
Field-Effect Transistors (FETs):
• Field-effect transistors control
the flow of current using an
electric field. They have three
terminals: source, gate, and drain.
FETs are further classified into
several types, but the two most
common are junction field-effect
transistors (JFETs) and metal-
oxide-semiconductor field-effect
transistors (MOSFETs).
• A Field-Effect Transistor (FET) is a type of
transistor that controls the flow of current
using an electric field. Unlike bipolar
junction transistors (BJTs), which are
current-controlled devices, FETs are voltage-
controlled and have high input impedance,
making them ideal for low-power
applications.
Junction Field-Effect
Transistors (JFETs): JFETs
have a doped semiconductor
channel that connects the
source and drain regions.
They are primarily used for
high input impedance
applications, such as
amplifiers and switches.
Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-
Effect Transistors (MOSFETs):
MOSFETs are the most widely used
transistors in modern electronics.
MOSFETs are further categorized as
enhancement-mode (normally off) or
depletion-mode (normally on) devices.
They offer high input impedance, low
power consumption, and excellent
switching characteristics. MOSFETs are
commonly found in microprocessors,
memory devices, and digital circuits.
Transistor Terminals
[Link] (E) / Source (S):
• In a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT),
the emitter is the terminal through
which majority charge carriers
(electrons for NPN and holes for PNP)
flow into the transistor.
• In a Field-Effect Transistor (FET), the
emitter terminal is referred to as the
source terminal.
• The emitter/source terminal is typically
marked with an arrow in the transistor
symbol.
Transistor Terminals
2. Base (B) / Gate (G):
• The base terminal controls the transistor’s operation. It
receives the input signal and controls the flow of charge
carriers between the emitter and collector terminals.
• In a BJT, the base terminal is responsible for injecting
minority charge carriers (electrons for NPN and holes for
PNP) into the base region, allowing or blocking the current
flow between the emitter and collector.
• In an FET, the base terminal is known as the gate terminal
and controls the conductivity of the channel between the
source and drain terminals.
• The base/gate terminal is usually represented by a straight
line in the transistor symbol.
Transistor Terminals
3. Collector (C) / Drain (D):
• The collector terminal collects the majority charge
carriers (electrons for NPN and holes for PNP) that
flow through the transistor.
• In a BJT, the collector terminal is responsible for the
majority carrier collection, allowing the transistor to
provide amplification or switching capabilities.
• In an FET, the collector terminal is called the drain
terminal, and it receives the current from the channel
between the source and drain terminals.
• The collector/drain terminal is often represented by an
arrow pointing outward from the transistor symbol.