Note:

The difference between the two types of

Chapter 4: THE BIPOLAR transistors is in the orientation of the
TRANSISTOR arrow. This arrow always points in the
direction of the base-emitter junction
The bipolar transistor is an electronic
component made of semi - conductors. II - POLARISATION OF A TRANSISTOR
BIPOLAR
I - CONSTITUTION AND 1) Definition
SYMBOLISATION Biasing a transistor consists of applying a
1) Constitution set of voltages and currents to it, so that it
The bipolar transistor or junction transistor is in a state to amplify a signal.
is made up of a semi-conductor crystal
(silicon or germanium), with two PN There are three modes of polarization:
junctions and three regions of different - The common base arrangement;
conductivity, which are : - The common emitter circuit;
- The common collector circuit.
The emitter: it is heavily doped. Its
function is to emit or inject 2) Basic polarisation
electrons into the base.
The base: it is lightly doped and very
narrow. Its function is to conduct most of
the electrons emitted by the emitter
to the collector.
The collector: its doping level is
medium. Its role is to collect or
collect the electrons coming from the
base
2) Symbolisation
Depending on the arrangement of the three VBB: Base voltage;
regions, there are two VBE: Base voltage - transmitter;
two types of transistors are distinguished: VCE: Voltage collector - transmitter
The NPN transistor 𝑉𝐵𝐵 − 𝑅𝐵 𝐼𝐵 − 𝑉𝐵𝐸 = 0
𝑉𝐵𝐵 − 𝑉𝐵𝐸
𝐼𝐵 =
𝑅𝐵
𝑉𝐶𝐶 − 𝑅𝐶 𝐼𝐶 − 𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 0
𝑉𝐶𝐶 − 𝑉𝐶𝐸
𝐼𝐶 =
𝑅𝐶
The law of knots gives
𝐼𝐸 = 𝐼𝐵 + 𝐼𝐶 or 𝐼𝐶 = 𝛽𝐼𝐵 where β is the
current gain
or the current gain.
IE = IB + β IB = (β + 1) IB

2) Polarisation by emitter reaction.

 𝑅2
𝐸𝑡ℎ = 𝐸𝐵𝑀 = 𝑉
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝐶𝐶
𝑉𝐶𝐶 − 𝑅𝐶 𝐼𝐶 − 𝑉𝐶𝐸 − 𝑅𝐸 𝐼𝐸 = 0
This results in the following equivalent
1
𝑜𝑟 𝐼𝐸 = 𝐼𝐵 + 𝐼𝐶 = 𝐼𝐶 ( + 1) scheme:
𝛽
1
𝑉𝐶𝐶 − 𝑅𝐶 𝐼𝐶 − 𝑉𝐶𝐸 − 𝑅𝐸 𝐼𝐶 ( + 1) = 0
𝛽
𝑉𝐶𝐶 − 𝑉𝐶𝐸
𝐼𝐶 =
1
𝑅𝐶 + 𝑅𝐸 ( + 1)
𝛽

𝑉𝐵𝐵 − 𝑅𝐵 𝐼𝐵 − 𝑉𝐵𝐸 − 𝑅𝐸 𝐼𝐸 = 0
This leads to an emitter feedback
𝑜𝑟 𝐼𝐸 = 𝐼𝐵 + 𝐼𝐶 = 𝐼𝐵 (𝛽 + 1) polarisation scheme.
𝑉𝐵𝐵 − 𝑅𝐵 𝐼𝐵 − 𝑉𝐵𝐸 − 𝑅𝐸 𝐼𝐵 (𝛽 + 1) = 0 polarisation by emitter reaction.

𝑉𝐵𝐵 − 𝑉𝐵𝐸 III - STATIC CHARACTERISTICS

𝐼𝐵 = OF AN NPN TRANSISTOR
𝑅𝐵 + 𝑅𝐸 (𝛽 + 1)
The characteristics of a transistor are
3) Voltage divider polarisation defined by four main parameters:
- The base-emitter voltage ( VBE) ;
- The base current ( IB) ;
- The emitter collector voltage ( VCE);
- The collector current ( Ic)
1) Diagram of the assembly

Let's apply Thevenin's theorem between

terminals B and M

1) Input characteristic
This is the set of curves IB = f ( VBE),
plotted at different values of VCE. Each of
these curves has the appearance of the b) PNP transistor
characteristic of a junction diode The operation of a PNP transistor
transistor is the opposite of an NPN transistor.
The BE junction must be reverse biased and the
CB junction forward biased.
2) Transistor effect
The transistor effect is the property
for the transistor to control a large
collector current from a small base current.
base current. This collector current is given by a
coefficient β called current amplification.
2) Output characteristic 𝐼
Ic = β IB hence 𝛽 = 𝐼𝐶
𝐵
This is the set of curves Ic = f ( VCE), N.B.: some manufacturers use h21 to designate
plotted at different values of IB the
to designate the current amplification
3) Determining the operating point
or rest point of a transistor
a) Circuit diagram

- For VCE < 0.5V, Ic grows as a function

of
The operating point is
VCE: This is the saturation region.
characterised by determining the values of
- For VCE Є [ 0.5V ; 40V ], the transistor
VBE, VCE, IB and Ic
is in normal operation. The
characteristic is almost horizontal: b) Control line or attack line
This is the active region. According to the mesh (1), we have :
- For VCE > 40V, Ic increases sharply:
𝑉𝐵𝐵 − 𝑅𝐵 𝐼𝐵 − 𝑉𝐵𝐸 = 0
This is the breakdown region.
The manufacturers always specify the 𝑉𝐵𝐵 − 𝑉𝐵𝐸
𝐼𝐵 =
maximum 𝑅𝐵
maximum value of VCE not to be exceed
This equation is that of a line
IV - OPERATING RANGE called the control line or drive line of the
OF A TRANSISTOR transistor. It passes through the following points:
1) Operating principle
a) NPN transistor
In the operating state, the base-emitter junction
(BE) is forward biased and the collector-base
junction (CB) is reverse biased.
junction (CB) is reverse biased.
reverse biased.
c) Operating point of a transistor VI - TRANSISTOR IN SWITCHING
This is the point of intersection between the MODE SWITCHING REGIME
control line and the input characteristic of the A transistor is said to operate in the
of the transistor switching regime when it is used only in
the two extreme states (off and on). The
switching from one state to the other is
fast.
1) Blocked transistor
Blocking condition: IB0 = Ic = 0 and
VCE = Vcc The transistor behaves like an
open switch between the collector and the
emitter.
2) Saturated transistor
Saturation condition: IB > IBsat, Ic = Icsat
d) Load line and VCE = 0. In addition: βmin ≤ β ≤ βmax
According to the mesh (2), we have : 𝑉𝐶𝐶
𝐼𝐵𝑠𝑎𝑡 =
𝑉𝐶𝐶 − 𝑅𝐶 𝐼𝐶 − 𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 0 𝛽𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑅𝐶
A saturated transistor behaves like a
𝑉𝐶𝐶 − 𝑉𝐶𝐸 closed switch between the collector and the
𝐼𝐶 =
𝑅𝐶 the emitter
This is the equation of a line that passes 3) Power dissipated by a transistor
through the following points: It is given by :
Pt = VCE Ic + VBE IB or VCE Ic >> VBEIB
Hence Pt ≅ VCE Ic
If we give the maximum and minimum
values
of the transistor, we have :
Pmax = VCEmax ICmin = VCEmin ICmax
The rest point must be below the
𝑃
VCE Ic = Pmax curve, i.e. 𝐼𝐶 = 𝑉𝑀𝑎𝑥
𝐶𝐸
The load line can also be plotted on the
output Exercise 1:
on the output characteristics, in order to Consider the following circuit:
better see the operation of the transistor.

Given: Vcc = 10V; Rc = 5kΩ

1) Give the equation of the load line
2) Draw this line
Exercise 2: We give :
The following setup is given: Vcc = 6V; R1 = 100KΩ; Rc = 500Ω;
RE = 100Ω; VBE0 = 0.8V; β = 60
1) Calculate IB , Ico and VCE0 ;
2) Find the operating point of the
transistor and place it in a reference frame
(VCE ; Ic).
VII - BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR IN
VARIABLE REGIME

RB = 390Ω; RE = 10Ω; Vcc = 9V; β = 55

1) Find the relationship between IE and IB
2) Calculate the value of IE and IB if
VBE = 0.7V
Exercise 3:
Let the circuit be :

Vcc = 15V; β = 100; R1 = 100KΩ ;

R2 = 220KΩ ; Rc = 15KΩ , RE = 480Ω
1) It is assumed that IB is negligible compared to
I2. Calculate IE and Ic, if VBE = 0.7V
2) Find the equivalent model of
Thévenin model between terminals B and M and
calculate the value of IB

Exercise 4: