EIE209 Basic Electronics

Transistor Devices
http://cktse.eie.polyu.edu.hk/eie209/

Contents
BJT and FET
Characteristics
Operations

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

What is a transistor?
Three-terminal device

whose voltage-current
relationship is controlled by
a third voltage or current
We may regard a transistor as a
controlled voltage or current
source.

ic
+
vc

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

+
v

Types of transistors
According to the physics of the device, we can
classify transistors into two main classes:
1. Bipolar junction transistors (BJT)
2. Field effect transistors (FET)

Conduction is controlled
by electric field which is
produced by voltage
applied to the control
terminals. So, the control
draws no current and
FET is a voltagecontrolled device.

Diode-based device
which is usually blocked
unless the control
terminals are forwardbiased. So, the control is
a current, and BJT is a
current amplifier by
nature.

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

Bipolar junction transistor (BJT)

a bit of physics

2 types of BJT devices

collector

Consider the npn BJT. The collector-base

junction is reverse-biased. So, no current can
flow down.

collector

But if the base-emitter junction is forwardbiased (0.6V), then the diode contact
potential barrier can be overcome. Electrons
can go to base called base injection.

base B
E

E
emitter
npn transistor

emitter
pnp transistor

These electrons are minority carriers, which

are strongly attracted/captured by the
collector. Hence, current flows down from
collector to emitter.

IC

THUS, we use a small base current to induce a

large collector current.

Basic model
C

IC

B
IB

IB
E
npn

This large collector current is proportional to

E
the base injection. IC = b IB
pnp
Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

Simple BJT model

Collector
Base

Consider npn transistor.

IC

Collector is more positive than Emitter.

B-E and B-C junctions are pn junctions, like diodes.
In normal operation, B-E is forward biased and B-C is
reverse biased.

IB
Emitter

Main relation:

Collector
Base

IB

n
p
n

IC

IC = bI B
b 100 typically

Emitter
Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

Some properties
Collector

IC

Base

Never try to stick a large voltage across VBE

because it may produce enormous current
or may just kill the device!

IB

b is a bad parameter. Dont trust the

databook. Its value can vary to 50% or more.

Emitter

IB

VBE 0.6 V when the transistor turns on.

IC

IC = bIB holds only under some carefully set

conditions. Well look at it later.

IE = IB + IC

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

Typical operations
1.

Cut-off

2.

Active operation

3.

+10 V

Saturation

RL
Determining factors:
How large is IB or VBE
How large is RL

IB

IC

VBE

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

Cut-off
When the B-E junction is not forward-biased, the
transistor is basically not doing anything.
This is called CUT-OFF.

+10 V

0A
VBE = 0

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

Active operation
When the following holds:

IC = bI B

+10 V

the BJT is said to be in active

operation.
This is the case of current
amplification.
But we need ICRL < 10V

RL
IB

IC

VBE

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

Condition for active operation: ICRL<VCC

Let b = 100.
+10 V
1k
IB=10A

IC=1mA
+

+10 V

5k
IB=10A

IC=1mA
+

+10 V

10k
IB=10A

IC=1mA
+

VCE = 9V

VCE = 5V

VCE = 0V

How about 11k?

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

10

Saturation
When VCE is reduced to 0, the BJT is saturated.
+10 V

15k
IB=10A

IC=0.6667mA
+

VCE = 0V

IC cannot be 1mA!!
In fact, it must drop in order
to make up for the total
voltage.
In this case,

IC = 10V/15k = 0.6667mA

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

IC = bI B
11

What makes it saturate?

Large RL

Large IB
+10 V

10k
IB=10A

+10 V

IC=1mA

1k

IB=100A

VCE = 0V

IC=10mA
+

VCE = 0V

just saturate!

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

just saturate!

12

Application: BJT as switch

Saturation
IB =

(10 - 0.7) V
1kW

10V
= 9.3mA

Situation 1

IC = 100x9.3 = 0.93A which is

too large and surely saturates
the BJT!!! So, IC 0.1A.

C
1kW

10V
0.1A
100
lamp

Light bulb turns on.

Situation 2

Cut-off

IB = IC = 0. Light bulb turns off.

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

13

Detailed BJT characteristics

Input characteristic (IB versus VBE)
Obviously, VBE and IB are related by diode characteristic.

V BE
I B = I ss e

IB

/ VT

- 1

thermal voltage

Boltzmans constant
absolute temperature

VT =
0.6

VBE

kT
25 mV @room temp
q
electronic charge

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

14

Detailed BJT characteristics

Transfer characteristic (IC versus VBE)
Also, IC is just IB multiplied by b.

V BE
IC = bI ss e

IC = b IB

/ VT

V BE

- 1 = I s e

/ VT

thermal voltage

same shape as IB

0.6

VBE

- 1

Boltzmans constant
absolute temperature

VT =

kT
25 mV @room temp
q
electronic charge

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

15

Detailed BJT characteristics

Output characteristic (IC versus VCE)
IC is nearly flat unless near saturation.
IC

IC
+
for one particular
choice of IB or VBE

VCE

Not Ohms law!!

VCE
Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

16

Important small-signal characteristic

IB

Different IB (or VBE) has

different output characteristic.
A range of VBE corresponds to
a range of IC.
Transconductance:

gm

VBE
0.6 V
IC

DIC
=
DVBE

slope = gm =

IC1
1
W
0.025

IC

saturation

VBE =0.68 V

active VBE =0.65 V

IC1

VBE =0.60 V

= slope
on the transfer char.

VBE
0.6 0.65 0.68 V

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

VBE =0 (cut-off)
0.2 V

VCE

17

What is gm?
gm

DIC
=
DVBE

A simple differentiation gives

gm =

dIC
d
=
bI ss (e V BE
dVBE dVBE
= bI ss (e V BE

IC
VT

or

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

/ VT

/ VT

- 1)

VT

IC
at room temp
25mV

18

A bit more precise

At saturation, VCE is not really 0, it is about 0.2 V.

IC

+10 V

10k

for one particular

choice of IB or VBE

IB=10A

IC=0.98mA
not 1mA!!
+

VCE = 0.2V

0.2V

VCE
Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

19

A bit more precise

In active region, IC is not really flat. It goes up gently! This is
called Early Effect!

IC

IC

slope IC / VA

for one particular

choice of IB or VBE

Early voltage
typically 100V
0.2V

VCE
Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

20

Field Effect Transistors (FET)

Drain
Gate

channel

Current goes down from D to S,

controlled by the gate voltage at G.

Source
Two kinds of channels:

Two kinds of gate electrodes:

n-channel FET
p-channel FET

Junction FET (JFET)

Metal-oxide-semiconductor FET (MOSFET)
Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

21

Terminology confusion
Before we move on, it is important to clarify some possible confusions
due to terminology difference.

BJT

saturation region

active region

cut-off

FET

triode region

saturation region

cut-off

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

22

n-channel MOSFET
G

SiO2 insulator

n
p

body or substrate

The channel is not

conducting initially when
gate is zero volt.
When gate is +ve,
electrons are attracted to
it and this becomes n-type
conducting channel.
This action is called
channel enhancement.

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

23

n-channel MOSFET characteristic

Drain
ID

VDS

Gate
+

VG
S

Characteristics:
Gate current = 0 (always)
The channel conduction is determined by VGS

ID

triode

Source

VGS=2V

saturation
(like active in BJT)

VGS=1.9V
VGS=1.8V

Threshold voltage
Vth = 1.7 V, for example.
Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

VGS=1.7V

VDS
24

Saturation region
Drain
ID

VDS

Gate
+

VG
S

So, it looks like the npn BJT!! But if we look

closer, we find that the saturation current is
proportional to (VGSVth)2.

ID

ID = K (VGSVth)2 for saturation region

VGS=2V

Source

saturation
(like active in BJT)

VGS=1.9V
VGS=1.8V

Threshold voltage
Vth = 1.7 V, for example.
Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

VGS=1.7V

VDS
25

Saturation region
Drain
ID

VDS

Gate
+

ID = K (VGSVth)2

for saturation region

If we plot the saturation ID versus VGS, we have a

quadratic (parabolic) curve.

ID

VG
S

Source

Vth
Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

VG
S

26

Triode region
Triode region like a quadratic (parabolic) function
ID

So, the equation is:

y = a x (2M x)

K (VGSVth)2

ID = a VDS (2M VDS)

Obviously, M = VGS Vth , a = K,

M
= VGSVth

2M

VDS

ID = K VDS [2 (VGS Vth) VDS]

for triode region

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

27

n-channel MOSFET characteristic

Complete model summary:
triode region (quadratic in VDS)

ID

ID = K VDS [2 (VGS Vth) VDS]

saturation region (flat)
ID = K (VGSVth)2

K (VGSVth)2

VGSVth

VDS

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

28

Example (biasing in saturation)

10V

By using load line

Vth = 3V
K = 0.5 mAV2

2k

ID
5V

load line
slope = 1/2k

ID
ID = 0.5x22
= 2mA

53 = 2V
Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

6V

10V VDS
29

Example (biasing in saturation)

10V

By analysis

Vth = 3V
K = 0.5 mAV2

2k

ID
5V

ID
ID = 0.5x22
= 2mA
VDS = 10 2x2
= 6V
which is > 2
OKAY!

What happen if a 4.5k is used?

53 = 2V

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

6V

VDS
30

Example (biasing in triode)

10V
4.5k
5V

ID

Vth = 3V
K = 0.5 mAV2
ID = 0.5x22
= 2mA
VDS = 10 4.5x2
= 1V
Oops!!

ID

?
ID = 1.88mA
VDS = 1.54V

So, it is in the triode region.

ID = K VDS [2 (VGS Vth) VDS]

VDS
= 0.5 VDS (4 VDS)
53 = 2V
= 0.5 (104.5 ID)(410+ 4.5 ID)
i.e., 10.125 ID2 35ID + 30 = 0
ID = 1.8845 mA or 1.5722 mA
And 1.88mA gives VDS = 104.5x1.88=1.54V.

But 1.57mA gives VDS = 104.5x1.57=2.95V!!

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

31

Enhancement and depletion

MOSFET
ID

What we have just studied is the enhancement

MOSFET.
Enhancement the channel is originally not
conducting when gate voltage is 0, and we have to
apply a positive gate voltage (bigger than a threshold
Vth) to make it conduct (enhance it).

Enhancement mode

Depletion mode

Depletion In fact, we also have another kind of

MOSFET, in which the channel can conduct even when
gate voltage is not applied. Then, we need to apply
reverse gate voltage to cut it off. This is called
depletion MOSFET.

Vth

Vth

VG
S

NOTE THAT DUE TO A SEMICONDUCTOR DOPING PROPERTY,

For n-channel MOSFET, both enhancement and depletion
types can be made.
For p-channel MOSFET, only enhancement type can be made.
Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

32

Junction FET (JFET)

Drain
Current can flow initially because plenty
of electrons are available in the channel.

Gate

Gate : Apply negative voltage to increase

the depletion width, so as to reduce the
current. When the gate voltage is
negative enough, current will stop.
Hence, this is a depletion device.

Source

depletion region width depends on the

magnitude of the gate reverse bias

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

33

Junction FET (JFET)

Drain

Gate
ve voltage
applied to
reduce
current

Source

Drain

Gate
p
more
ve voltage
Channel
becomes
narrower

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

Source

34

Pinch off in JFET

Drain
ID

Gate
p
more
ve voltage
VG

Vp

p Channel

Source

pinch off;
Current stops
Pinch-off
voltage

Vp

surely depletion type

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

35

n-channel JFET characteristics

Drain
ID

Gate

VDS

VG
S

Source

Pinch-off voltage of this

JFET is Vp = 2 V

The characteristics are very similar to those of MOSFET. But,

now the threshold is a negative value, which is called the
pinch-off voltage Vp instead of threshold voltage.

ID

triode

VGS=2V

saturation
(like active in BJT)

VGS=1V
VGS=0V

VGS=2V

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

VDS

36

n-channel JFET characteristics

Drain
ID

Gate

VDS

VG
S

Everything is almost the same!!

Source

ID

triode region (quadratic in VDS)

ID = K VDS [2 (VGS Vp) VDS]

K (VGSVp)2

saturation region (flat)

ID = K (VGSVp)2

Pinch-off voltage of this

JFET is Vp = 2 V

Be careful about sign!

VGS can be negative or positive,
but Vp is negative.

VGSVp

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

VDS
37

Example (biasing in saturation)

10V
10k

ID

ID = K (VGSVp
= 0.2(2)2
= 0.8mA

)2

ID

VDS

Vp = 2 V
K = 0.2mA/V2

VDS = 10 10x0.8
= 2V
just okay in saturation!
But if the resistor is
more than 10k, it will
be in triode region!

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

VDS
0(2)=2V

38

Example (biasing in triode)

10V
12k

ID

VDS

Vp = 2 V
K = 0.2mA/V2

ID = K (VGSVp
= 0.2(2)2
= 0.8mA

)2

ID

VDS = 10 12x0.8
= 0.4V
< 2V
So, it cant be in saturation!

Recalculate ID:
ID = K VDS [2 (VGS Vp) VDS]
= 0.2 (1012 ID)[2x2(1012 ID)]
i.e., 28.8 ID2 37.4 ID + 12 = 0
ID = 0.7195mA or 0.5791mA

VDS
0(2)=2V

And, ID = 0.7195mA gives VDS = 1.366V ---okay

But, ID = 0.5791mA gives VDS = 3.051V --- reject!
Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

ID = 0.7195mA
VDS = 1.366V
39

Example (biasing in triode)

10V
12k

ID

ID = K (VGSVp
= 0.2(2)2
= 0.8mA

)2

ID

Load line

VDS

Vp = 2 V
K = 0.2mA/V2

Of course, you
may also solve
it by using
load line.

VDS
0(2)=2V

10V

ID = 0.7195mA
VDS = 1.366V
Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

40

Important small-signal characteristic

ID

Similar to BJT!!!

Consider only the saturation region.

VGS=2V
VGS=1.9V
VGS=1.8V
VGS=1.7V

VDS

If we change VGS in a small range, then

ID also changes in a range. The ratio of
the change in ID to the change in VGS is
called transconductance.

gm =

DID
DVGS

which is the slope of the curve

ID versus VGS , or analytically,
gm =

dID
d
=
K (VGS - Vth ) 2
dVGS dVGS
= 2K (VGS - Vth )
= 2 K K (VGS - Vth )
= 2 K ID

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

41

Other FETs
So far, we have only talked about
1. n-channel MOSFET (enhancement type)
2. n-channel JFET (depletion type)
Other FETs:

similar to npn BJT

enhancement

n-channel MOSFET
MOSFET

FET

depletion

p-channel MOSFET

enhancement

n-channel JFET

depletion

p-channel JFET

depletion

JFET

Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

42

p-channel FETs
Operation is almost the same as n-channel FETs.
Voltage polarity and current direction reversed.
BUT for p-channel devices,
the carriers are holes (not electrons). So, mobility is lower
and minority carrier lifetime shorter.
Consequence: p-channel devices are usually POORER!
higher threshold voltage, higher resistance, and lower
current capability.
Prof. C.K. Tse: T ransistor devices

43