UNIT 4

TRANSISTOR CHARATERSITICS

A transistor is a semiconductor device that transfers a weak signal from a low

resistance circuit to a high resistance circuit. In simple words, what it means is that
it regulates and amplifies electrical signals such as voltage or current.

Transistors are special because they allow you to control how much current flows
through a circuit. This can be achieved by controlling the voltage across two of the
transistor leads. Each transistor has three leads.

Bipolar Junction Transistors are also known as junction transistors. These

transistors are a combination of two junction diodes.

The three-layer structure of the junction transistors can contain either of the
combinations:

 An n-type semiconductor layer sandwiched between p-type layers forming a

p-n-p configuration
or

 A p-type layer between n-type layers forming an n-p-n configuration.

It has two junctions between p-type and n-type semiconductors. BJTs are current-
controlled devices which means that a small amount of current flowing through the
base of a Bipolar Junction Transistor results in a large current that flows from
emitter to collector.
NPN TRANSISTOR OPERATION
The n-p-n transistor consists of two n-type semiconductors that sandwich a p-
type semiconductor. Here, electrons are the majority charge carriers while
holes are the minority charge carriers.

In an n-p-n transistor, the majority of the charge carriers are electrons and holes are
the minority charge carriers. A small amount of current at the base terminal causes
a large amount of current to flow from emitter to collector. The figure below
represents the circuit diagram of the n-p-n transistor:

From the circuit diagram of the n-p-n transistor, it is seen that the emitter-
base circuit is forward biased while the collector-emitter circuit is reverse
biased.

Due to the forward bias, the majority of charge carriers in the emitter are repelled
towards the base. The electron-hole recombination is very small in the base region
because the base is lightly doped. Most of the electrons cross into the collector
region.

PNP TRANSISTOR OPERATION

The p-n-p transistor consists of two p-type semiconductors that sandwich an
n-type semiconductor. Here, holes are the majority charge carriers while
electrons are the minority charge carriers.

The figure below represents the circuit diagram of the p-n-p transistor:

The emitter-base (VBE) battery connects the p-type emitter which is forward
biased whereas the collector-base (VBC) battery connects the p-type collector
which is reverse biased.

In this case, the majority charge carriers in emitter are holes which are repelled
towards the base. As the base layer is thin, thus only little interaction occurs when
electrons and holes combine. Most of the holes reach the collector. The current is
carried by holes in p-n-p transistors.
Common Emitter (CE) Configuration of Transistor
The configuration in which the emitter is connected between the collector
and base is known as a common emitter configuration.

Input Characteristics

Output Characteristics
Common Base (CB) Configuration of Transistor
In CB Configuration, the base terminal of the transistor will be connected
common between the output and the input terminals.

Input Characteristics
Output Characteristics

Common Collector (CC) Configuration of Transistor

In CE Configuration, the Collector terminal of the transistor will be
connected common between the output and the input terminals.
Input Characteristics

Output Characteristics
Field effect transistors (FET) and its biasing JFET

A Field Effect Transistor (FET) is a three-terminal semiconductor device. Its operation is based
on a controlled input voltage. By appearance JFET and bipolar transistors are very similar.
However, BJT is a current controlled device and JFET is controlled by input voltage. Most
commonly two types of FETs are available.

 Junction Field Effect Transistor (JFET)

 Metal Oxide Semiconductor FET (IGFET)

Junction Field Effect Transistor

The functioning of Junction Field Effect Transistor depends upon the flow of majority carriers
(electrons or holes) only. Basically, JFETs consist of an N type or P type silicon bar containing

PN junctions at the sides.

 Gate − By using diffusion or alloying technique, both sides of N type bar are heavily
doped to create PN junction. These doped regions are called gate (G).
 Source − It is the entry point for majority carriers through which they enter into the
semiconductor bar.
 Drain − It is the exit point for majority carriers through which they leave the
semiconductor bar.
 Channel − It is the area of N type material through which majority carriers pass from the
source to drain.

There are two types of JFETs commonly used in the field semiconductor devices: N-Channel
JFET and P-Channel JFET.
N-Channel JFET

It has a thin layer of N type material formed on P type substrate. Following figure shows the
crystal structure and schematic symbol of an N-channel JFET. Then the gate is formed on top of
the N channel with P type material. At the end of the channel and the gate, lead wires are
attached and the substrate has no connection.

When a DC voltage source is connected to the source and the drain leads of a JFET, maximum
current will flow through the channel. The same amount of current will flow from the source and
the drain terminals. The amount of channel current flow will be determined by the value of
VDD and the internal resistance of the channel.

A typical value of source-drain resistance of a JFET is quite a few hundred ohms. It is clear that
even when the gate is open full current conduction will take place in the channel. Essentially, the
amount of bias voltage applied at ID, controls the flow of current carriers passing through the
channel of a JFET. With a small change in gate voltage, JFET can be controlled anywhere
between full conduction and cutoff state.
P-Channel JFETs

It has a thin layer of P type material formed on N type substrate. The following figure shows the
crystal structure and schematic symbol of an N-channel JFET. The gate is formed on top of the P
channel with N type material. At the end of the channel and the gate, lead wires are attached.
Rest of the construction details are similar to that of N- channel JFET.

Normally for general operation, the gate terminal is made positive with respect to the source
terminal. The size of the P-N junction depletion layer depends upon fluctuations in the values of
reverse biased gate voltage. With a small change in gate voltage, JFET can be controlled
anywhere between full conduction and cutoff state.

Output Characteristics of JFET

The output characteristics of JFET are drawn between drain current (I D) and drain source voltage
(VDS) at constant gate source voltage (VGS) as shown in the following figure.
Initially, the drain current (ID) rises rapidly with drain source voltage (VDS) however suddenly
becomes constant at a voltage known as pinch-off voltage (VP). Above pinch-off voltage, the

channel width becomes so narrow that it allows very small drain current to pass through it.
Therefore, drain current (ID) remains constant above pinch-off voltage.

JFET Current Equation

IDSS (Drain to Source current with gate Shorted)

Pinch off Voltage

Print The Pinch-Off value of the JFET refers to the voltage applied between Drain and Source
(with the Gate voltage at zero volts) at which maximum current flows.

Applications

Amplifier Applications

Oscillator and Mixer Circuits

Voltage-Controlled Devices, Measurement and Instrumentation

MOSFET

A Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field-effect Transistor (MOSFET, MOS-FET, or MOS FET) is a field-
effect transistor (FET with an insulated gate) where the voltage determines the conductivity of the device.

It is used for switching or amplifying signals. The ability to change conductivity with the amount of
applied voltage can be used for amplifying or switching electronic signals.

Structure:

It is a four-terminal device with Source (S), Drain (D), Gate (G), and body (B) terminals. The body (B)
is frequently connected to the source terminal, reducing the terminals to three. It works by varying the
width of a channel along which charge carriers flow (electrons or holes).

The charge carriers enter the channel at the source and exit via the drain. The width of the channel is
controlled by the voltage on an electrode called Gate which is located between the source and the drain. It
is insulated from the channel near an extremely thin layer of metal oxide.

A metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistor or MISFET is a term almost synonymous with

MOSFET. Another synonym is IGFET for the insulated-gate field-effect transistor.

Different Types of MOSFET

MOSFET works in two modes-

1. Depletion Mode: The transistor requires the Gate-Source voltage (VGS) to switch the device “OFF”.
The depletion-mode MOSFET is equivalent to a “Normally Closed” switch.
 2. Enhancement Mode: The transistor requires a Gate-Source voltage (VGS) to switch the device “ON”.
The enhancement mode MOSFET is equivalent to a “Normally Open” switch.

Now with respect to the working principle, MOSFET is classified as follows:

 P-Channel Depletion MOSFET

 P-Channel Enhancement MOSFET
 N-Channel Depletion MOSFET
 N-Channel Enhancement MOSFET

P-Channel MOSFET

P Channel
MOSFET Depletion and Enhancement Mode

The drain and source are heavily doped p+ region and the substrate is in n-type. The current flows due to
the flow of positively charged holes, and that’s why known as p-channel MOSFET.
When we apply negative gate voltage, the electrons present beneath the oxide layer experience repulsive
force and are pushed downward into the substrate, the depletion region is populated by the bound positive
charges which are associated with the donor atoms.

The negative gate voltage also attracts holes from the P+ source and drain region into the channel region.

N-Channel MOSFET

N-
channel MOSFET Enhancement and Depletion Mode

The drain and source are heavily doped N+ region and the substrate is p-type. The current flows due to
the flow of negatively charged electrons and that’s why known as n-channel MOSFET.
When we apply the positive gate voltage, the holes present beneath the oxide layer experience repulsive
force, and the holes are pushed downwards into the bound negative charges which are associated with the
acceptor atoms.

The positive gate voltage also attracts electrons from the N+ source and drain region into the channel thus
an electron-rich channel is formed.

MOSFET Working Operation

The working principle of a MOSFET depends upon the MOS capacitor. The MOS capacitor is the main
part of MOS-FET. The semiconductor surface at the below oxide layer is located between the source and
drain terminals. It can be inverted from p-type to n-type by applying positive or negative gate voltages.

When we apply positive gate voltage, the holes present under the oxide layer experience a repulsive force,
and holes are pushed downward with the substrate.

The depletion region is populated by the bound negative charges that are associated with the acceptor
atoms. The electrons reach, and the channel is formed. The positive voltage also attracts electrons from
the n+ source and drain regions into the channel.

Now, if a voltage is applied between the drain and source, the current flows freely between the source and
drain and the gate voltage controls the electrons in the channel. If we apply negative voltage, a hole
channel will be formed under the oxide layer.

V-I Characteristics of MOSFET:

 Applications
 Amplifiers
 Regulation for DC Motors
 Constructions of Chopper Amplifiers
 Switching and Amplifying Signals
Comparison between BJT and FET