Bipolar Junction Transistor

(Lecture C5)
Gaurav Sikri
 Bipolar Junction Transistor
• W. Shockley, J. Barden, and W. Brattain invented the transistor in 1947.
• The term ‘transistor’ is derived from the words ‘transfer’ and ‘resistor.’
• These words describe the operation of a BJT
– which is the transfer of an input signal from a low resistance circuit to a high
resistance circuit.
• .
• It is a current controlled device.
• The three terminals of the BJT are the
– Emitter, Base and Collector

PNP Transistor NPN Transistor

 Bipolar Junction Transistor
PNP Transistor NPN Transistor

Arrow head signifies P to N direction

 Bipolar Junction Transistor
• A bipolar junction transistor is a three-terminal semiconductor device
that consists of two p-n junctions which are able to amplify or
magnify a signal
 Bipolar Junction Transistor
• A bipolar junction transistor is a three-terminal semiconductor device that
consists of two p-n junctions which are able to amplify or magnify a
signal

• A signal of a small amplitude applied to the base is available in the

amplified form at the collector of the transistor.

• This is the amplification provided by the BJT. Note that it does require an
external source of DC power supply to carry out the amplification process.
 Bipolar junction transistor
• A bipolar junction transistor or BJT is a three terminal electronic
device
– that amplifies the flow of current.
• It is a current controlled device.
• In bipolar junction transistor,
– electric current is conducted by both free electrons and holes.
• Unlike a normal pn junction diode, the transistor has two p-n
junctions.
 Types of Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs)
• The bipolar junction transistors are formed
– by sandwiching either n-type or p-type semiconductor layer between
pairs of opposite polarity semiconductor layers.
• Bipolar junction transistors are classified into two types based on their
construction:
– NPN transistor
– PNP transistor

NPN transistor PNP transistor

When a single p-type semiconductor When a single n-type semiconductor

layer is sandwiched between two n- layer is sandwiched between two p-type
type semiconductor layers, the semiconductor layers, the transistor is
transistor is said to be an npn transistor said to be a pnp transistor.
 Terminals of BJT
• Emitter: • Base: • Collector:
– Supplies the charge – The middle layer – collect charge carriers.
carriers. is called base. – Moderately doped.
– Heavily doped – It is very lightly • doping level of the
• so that it can inject doped. collector section is in
a large number of – The base of the between emitter and
charge carriers transistor is very base.
into the base. thin as compared – The size of the collector
– The size of the to emitter and is always greater than
emitter is always collector. emitter and base.
greater than the base. • because the collector
region has to handle
more power than
the emitter does and
more surface area
is required for heat
dissipation.
 Amplification
• In transistor, the amplification is achieved by passing input current
from a region of low resistance to a region of high resistance.
 Applications of bipolar junction transistor
• Televisions
• Mobile phones
• Computers
• Radio transmitters
• Audio amplifiers
 BJT operation modes
• Cut-off mode
• Saturation mode
• Active mode
• In order to operate transistor in one of these regions,
– we have to supply dc voltage to the npn or pnp transistor.
• Based on the polarity of the applied dc voltage, the transistor operates in
any one of these regions.

S.N Emitter Base Junction Collector Base Junction Transistor Operation

o.
1 Reverse Biased Reverse Biased Cut-Off region
2 Reverse Biased Forward Biased Inverted region
3 Forward Biased Reverse Biased Active region
4 Forward Biased Forward Biased Saturation region
 Cut-off Mode of BJT

• In the cut-off mode, both the junctions of the transistor (emitter to base and collector
to base) are reverse biased.
• In other words, if we assume two p-n junctions as two p-n junction diodes, both the
diodes are reverse biased in cut-off mode.
• In reverse bias condition, no current flows through the device.
• Hence, no current flows through the transistor. Therefore, the transistor is in off
state and acts like an open switch.
• The cut-off mode of the transistor is used in switching operation for switch OFF
application.
 Saturation Mode of BJT

• In the saturation mode, both the junctions of the transistor (emitter to base and
collector to base) are forward biased.
• In other words, if we assume two p-n junctions as two p-n junction diodes,
both the diodes are forward biased in saturation mode.
• In saturation mode,
• free electrons (charge carriers) flows from emitter to base as well as from
collector to base.
• As a result, a huge current will flow to the base of transistor.
• Therefore, the transistor in saturation mode will be in on state and acts like a closed
switch.
• The saturation mode of the transistor is used in switching operation for switch ON
application.

• we can say that by operating the transistor in saturation and cutoff region,
• we can use the transistor as an ON/OFF switch.
 Active Mode of BJT

• In the active mode, one junction (emitter to base) is forward biased and another
junction (collector to base) is reverse biased.
• In other words, if we assume two p-n junctions as two p-n junction diodes, one
diode will be forward biased and another diode will be reverse biased.
• The active mode of operation is used for the amplification of current.

From the above discussion, we can say that the transistor works as an ON/OFF switch in
saturation and cut-off modes whereas it works as an amplifier of current in active mode.
 NPN transistor
• When a single p-type semiconductor layer is sandwiched between two n-type
semiconductor layers, an npn transistor is formed.

The electric current always flows from p-region to n-region.

• The npn transistor has three terminals: emitter, base and collector.
• The emitter terminal is connected to the left side n-type layer.
• The base terminal is connected to the p-type layer.
• The collector terminal is connected to the right side n-type layer.
The npn transistor has two p-n junctions.
• One junction is formed between the emitter and the base.
• The other junction is formed between the base and the collector.
 Working of a npn transistor
Unbiased npn transistor
• When no voltage is applied to a transistor, it is said to be an unbiased
transistor.
• At the left side n-region (emitter) and right side n-region (collector),
– free electrons are the majority carriers and holes are the minority carriers
• whereas in p-region (base),
– holes are the majority carriers and free electrons are the minority carriers.
 Unbiased NPN Transistor (No Battery applied)

• We know that the charge carriers (free electrons and holes) always try to move from higher
concentration region to lower concentration region.
• For free electrons,
• n-region is the higher concentration region and p-region is the lower concentration region.
• For holes,
• p-region is the higher concentration region and n-region is the lower concentration region.

• The free electrons from left side and right side n-regions (emitter and collector) will move into the p-
region (base) and recombination occurs
 Unbiased NPN Transistor (No Battery applied)

• As a result, depletion region (positive and negative ions) is formed at the emitter to base
junction and base to collector junction.

• At emitter to base junction, the depletion region is penetrated more towards the base side,
• because emitter is heavily doped and base is lightly doped so the depletion region is
penetrated more towards the base side and less towards the emitter side.

• At base to collector junction, the depletion region is penetrated more towards the base side.
• because collector is moderately doped and base is lightly doped so the depletion region is
penetrated more towards the base side and less towards the collector side.
 Biased NPN Transistor (Battery applied)

• When external voltage is applied to an npn transistor, it is said to be a biased npn transistor.
• Depending on the polarity of the applied voltage, the npn transistor can be operated in three
modes:
• Active mode, cut-off mode and saturation mode.
The npn transistor is often operated in active mode because in active mode the npn transistor
amplifies the electric current.
 Biased NPN Transistor (Active region)

The emitter-base junction is forward biased by the DC voltage VEE

The base-collector junction is reverse biased by the DC voltage VCC
 Biased NPN Transistor (Active region)
• Emitter-base junction:
– Due to the forward bias, a large number of free electrons in the left side n-
region (emitter) start flowing from emitter to base.
– In the similar way, the holes start flowing from base to emitter.
– The depletion width at the emitter-base junction reduces by applying the
forward bias voltage.

Depletion region is combination of positive ions and negative ions.

 Biased NPN Transistor (Active region)
• Base-collector junction:
– Due to the reverse bias, electrons from N-side and holes from P-side moves
away from the junction.
– The depletion layer widens in base collector junction
– The width of depletion layer is higher in base due to light doping

Depletion region is combination of positive ions and negative ions.

 Biased NPN Transistor (Active region)

Emitter-Base-Collector current:
• The free electrons that are flowing from emitter to base due to forward bias will
combine with the holes in the base.
• However, the base is very thin and lightly doped.
• So only, a small percentage of emitter free electrons combines with the holes
in the base region.
• The remaining large number of free electrons will cross the base region and reaches
to the collector region
 Biased NPN Transistor (Active region)
• This is due to the positive supply voltage applied at collector. Hence, free
electrons flow from emitter to collector.
• At collector, both the emitter free electrons and collector free electrons
produces current by flowing towards the positive terminal of the battery.
• Therefore, an amplified current is produced at the output.
• In npn transistor, the electric current is majorly conducted by free
electrons.
PNP Transistor
 Unbiased pnp transistor
• When no voltage is applied to a pnp transistor, it is said to be an unbiased pnp
transistor.
• At the left side p-region (emitter) and right side p-region (collector),
– holes are the majority carriers and free electrons are the minority carriers
• whereas in n-region (base),
– free electrons are the majority carriers and holes are the minority carriers.
 Unbiased pnp transistor

• The holes at the left side and right side p-regions (emitter and collector) will move into the
n-region (base).
• During this process, the holes meet the free electrons in the n-region (base) and
recombines with them.
• As a result, depletion region (positive and negative ions) is formed at the emitter to
base junction and base to collector junction.
• At emitter to base junction, the depletion region is penetrated more towards the base side,
• Similarly, at base to collector junction, the depletion region is penetrated more towards the
base side.
 Unbiased pnp transistor

• At emitter to base junction, the depletion region is penetrated more towards the base side,
• Because base is lightly doped and emitter is heavily doped
• Similarly, at base to collector junction, the depletion region is penetrated more towards the
base side.
• Because base is lightly doped and collector is moderately doped
 Biased PNP transistor (Active Region)
• When external voltage is applied to a pnp transistor, it is said to be a biased pnp
transistor.
• Depending on the polarity of the applied voltage,
– the pnp transistor can be operated in three modes:
• Active mode, Cut-off mode and Saturation mode.

The emitter-base The base-collector

junction is forward junction is reverse
biased by the DC biased by the DC
voltage VEE voltage VCC.

The pnp transistor is often operated in active mode because in active mode the
pnp transistor amplifies the electric current.
 Biased PNP Transistor (Active region)

Emitter base junction:

• Due to the forward bias, a large number of holes start flowing from emitter to
base and the free electrons start flowing from base to emitter.
• The majority carriers holes carry most of the current from emitter to base.
• Thus, the electric current flows from emitter to base.
• This electric current flow reduces the width of the depletion region at
emitter-base junction.
 Biased PNP Transistor (Active region)

Base-Collector junction:
• Due to the reverse bias, the holes (collector) and electrons (emitter) move away
from the junction.
• The width of depletion region increases at base-collector junction.
• In other words, the number of positive and negative ions increases at the base-
collector junction.
 Biased PNP Transistor (Active region)

Emitter-base-collector current:
• The holes that are flowing from emitter to base due to forward bias will
combines with the free electrons in the base.
• However, the base is very thin and lightly doped. So only, a small percentage of
emitter holes will combine with the free electrons in the base region.
 Biased PNP Transistor (Active region)

Emitter-base-collector current:
• The remaining large number of holes will cross the base region and reaches to
the collector region. This is due to the negative supply voltage applied at
collector. Hence, the holes flow from emitter to collector.
• At collector, both the emitter holes and collector holes produces current by
flowing towards the negative terminal of the battery.
• Therefore, an amplified current is produced at the output.
• In pnp transistor, the electric current is majorly conducted by holes.
 Transistor Currents in PNP

• Conventional current direction in pnp transistor

• The emitter current (IE) direction which is represented by an arrow shows that
• The emitter current is flowing into the transistor.
• On the other hand, the base current (IB) and collector current (IC) are flowing
outwards the transistor.
 Transistor Currents in NPN

• Conventional current direction in npn transistor

• The emitter current IE direction which is represented by an arrow shows that

• the emitter current is flowing outwards the transistor.
• On the other hand, the base current IB and collector current IC are flowing into the transistor.
 Transistor Current Components
• The various current components in the pnp transistor which flow across the forward
biased emitter junction JE and the reverse biased collector junction JC.
• The emitter current IE consists of
– hole current IpE (majority carriers holes crossing from emitter into base)
– and electron current InE (majority carriers electrons crossing from base into emitter).

Therefore the total emitter current I E is the sum of hole current (IpE) and electron current (InE)
IE = IpE + InE
 Transistor Current Components
• The holes crossing the emitter junction JE and reaching the collector junction
JC constitutes hole current IpC in collector.
• Not all the holes crossing the emitter junction JE reaches the collector junction
JC, because some of them combine with the electrons in the n-type base.
• We know that base is very thin and lightly doped.
– So only a small number of holes combine with the electrons in the n-type base,
constituting the base current IPE - IPC.
• The remaining large number of holes cross the base region and enters into the collector
region, constituting the hole current IpC in collector region
 Transistor Current Components
• Consider, for the moment, an open circuited emitter, while the
collector junction remains reverse biased.
• When emitter is open circuited, the emitter current is zero IE = 0
and therefore hole current in collector is also zero IpC = 0.
– In such condition, the collector-base junction JC acts as a
reverse biased diode and
• the collector current IC is equal to the reverse saturation
current or reverse saturation collector current ICO.
• Now When the emitter is forward biased.
– When the emitter junction JE is forward biased and collector
junction JC is reverse biased,
• the total collector current IC will be the sum of hole current
in collector IpC and reverse saturation collector current ICO.
• IC = IpC + ICO
 Typical voltages for a transistor
Base-emitter voltages (VBE) for npn and pnp transistors
• The transistor is normally operated in the active region for amplifying the
electric current.
• In active region, the emitter junction (JE) is forward biased and the
collector junction (JC) is reverse biased.

• The typical base-emitter voltages (VBE) for both npn and pnp transistors are
as follows:
– If the transistor is made up of a silicon material, the base-emitter voltage
(VBE) will be 0.7 V.
– If the transistor is made up of a germanium material, the base-emitter
voltage (VBE) will be 0.3 V.

Collector-base voltages (VCB) for npn and pnp transistors

• The typical collector-base voltages (VCB) for both npn and pnp transistors