CB BJT: Types of Transistor Configuration

Transistor is an electronic device which is primarily used to amplify the electric current.
We know that transistor has three terminals namely emitter (E), base (B), and collector (C). But
to connect a transistor in the circuit, we need four terminals: two terminals for input and other
two terminals for output.
But the transistor does not have four terminals, then how do we connect transistor in a circuit.
It is not as difficult as you think. One of the three terminals is used as common to both input
and output.
When a transistor is to be connected in a circuit, one terminal is used as the input terminal,
the other terminal is used as the output terminal and the third terminal is common to the
input and output.
That means here input is applied between the input terminal and common terminal, and the
corresponding output is taken between the output terminal and common terminal.
Depending upon the terminal which is used as a common terminal to the input and output
terminals, the transistor can be connected in the following three configurations. They are:

• Common base (CB) configuration

• Common emitter (CE) configuration
• Common collector (CC) configuration

In every configuration, the base-emitter junction JE is always forward biased and the
collector-base junction JC is always reverse biased to operate the transistor as a current
amplifier.

Common base (CB) configuration

In common base configuration, emitter is the input terminal, collector is the output
terminal, and base is the common terminal. The base terminal is grounded in the common
base configuration. So the common base configuration is also known as grounded base
configuration.

Common emitter (CE) configuration

In common emitter configuration, base is the input terminal, collector is the output
terminal, and emitter is the common terminal. The emitter terminal is grounded in the
common emitter configuration. So the common emitter configuration is also known as
grounded emitter configuration.

Common collector (CC) configuration

In common collector configuration, base is the input terminal, emitter is the output terminal,
and collector is the common terminal. The collector terminal is grounded in the common
collector configuration. So the common collector configuration is also known as grounded
collector configuration.

Common Base Configuration

In common base configuration, emitter is the input terminal, collector is the output terminal
and base terminal is connected as a common terminal for both input and output. That
means the emitter terminal and common base terminal are known as input terminals whereas
the collector terminal and common base terminal are known as output terminals.
In common base configuration, the base terminal is grounded so the common base
configuration is also known as grounded base configuration. Sometimes common base
configuration is referred to as common base amplifier, CB amplifier, or CB configuration.

The input signal is applied between the emitter and base terminals while the corresponding
output signal is taken across the collector and base terminals. Thus the base terminal of a
transistor is common for both input and output terminals and hence it is named as common
base configuration.
The supply voltage between base and emitter is denoted by VBE while the supply voltage
between collector and base is denoted by VCB.
As mentioned earlier, in every configuration, the base-emitter junction JE is always forward
biased and collector-base junction JC is always reverse biased. Therefore, in common base
configuration, the base-emitter junction JE is forward biased and collector-base junction JC is
reverse biased.
The common base configuration for both NPN and PNP transistors is shown in the below
figure.

Current flow in common base amplifier

For the sake of understanding, let us consider NPN transistor in common base configuration.
The npn transistor is formed when a single p-type semiconductor layer is sandwiched
between two n-type semiconductor layers.

The base-emitter junction JE is forward biased by the supply voltage VBE while the
collector-base junction JC is reverse biased by the supply voltage VCB.

Due to the forward bias voltage VBE, the free electrons (majority carriers) in the emitter
region experience a repulsive force from the negative terminal of the battery similarly holes
(majority carriers) in the base region experience a repulsive force from the positive terminal
of the battery.

As a result, free electrons start flowing from emitter to base similarly holes start flowing
from base to emitter. Thus free electrons which are flowing from emitter to base and holes
which are flowing from base to emitter conducts electric current. The actual current is
carried by free electrons which are flowing from emitter to base. However, we follow the
conventional current direction which is from base to emitter. Thus electric current is
produced at the base and emitter region.

The free electrons which are flowing from emitter to base will combine with the holes in the
base region similarly the holes which are flowing from base to emitter will combine with the
electrons in the emitter region.

From the above figure, it is seen that the width of the base region is very thin. Therefore,
only a small percentage of free electrons from emitter region will combine with the holes
in the base region and the remaining large number of free electrons cross the base region
and enters into the collector region. A large number of free electrons which entered into
the collector region will experience an attractive force from the positive terminal of the
battery. Therefore, the free electrons in the collector region will flow towards the positive
terminal of the battery. Thus, electric current is produced in the collector region.
The electric current produced at the collector region is primarily due to the free electrons
from the emitter region similarly the electric current produced at the base region is also
primarily due to the free electrons from emitter region. Therefore, the emitter current is
greater than the base current and collector current. The emitter current is the sum of base
current and collector current.

IE = IB + IC

We know that emitter current is the input current and collector current is the output current.
The output collector current is less than the input emitter current, so the current gain of
this amplifier is actually less than 1.
In other words, the common base amplifier attenuates the electric current rather than
amplifying it.

The base-emitter junction JE at input side acts as a forward biased diode. So the common
base amplifier has a low input impedance (low opposition to incoming current). On the other
hand, the collector-base junction JC at output side acts somewhat like a reverse biased
diode. So the common base amplifier has high output impedance.

Therefore, the common base amplifier provides a low input impedance and high output
impedance.
Transistors with low input impedance and high output impedance provide a high voltage
gain.

Even though the voltage gain is high, the current gain is very low and the overall power
gain of the common base amplifier is low as compared to the other transistor amplifier
configurations.
The common base transistor amplifiers are primarily used in the applications where low input
impedance is required.
The common base amplifier is mainly used as a voltage amplifier or current buffer.
This type of transistor arrangement is not very common and is not as widely used as the
other two transistor configurations.
The working principle of pnp transistor with CB configuration is same as the npn transistor
with CB configuration. The only difference is in npn transistor free electrons conduct most of
the current whereas in pnp transistor the holes conduct most of the current.

To fully describe the behavior of a transistor with CB configuration, we need two set of
characteristics: they are

• Input characteristics

• Output characteristics.

Input characteristics

The input characteristics describe the relationship between input current (IE) and the input
voltage (VBE).
The input current or emitter current (IE) is taken along the y-axis (vertical line) and the input
voltage (VBE) is taken along the x-axis (horizontal line).
To determine the input characteristics, the output voltage VCB (collector-base voltage) is
kept constant at zero volts and the input voltage VBE is increased from zero volts to
different voltage levels. For each voltage level of the input voltage (VBE), the input current (IE)
is recorded on a paper or in any other form.
A curve is then drawn between input current IE and input voltage VBE at constant output
voltage VCB(0 volts).

Next, the output voltage (VCB) is increased from zero volts to a certain voltage level (8 volts)
and kept constant at 8 volts.
A curve is then drawn between input current IE and input voltage VBE at constant output
voltage VCB (8 volts).
This is repeated for higher fixed values of the output voltage (VCB).

When output voltage (VCB) is at zero volts and emitter-base junction JE is forward biased by
the input voltage (VBE), the emitter-base junction acts like a normal p-n junction diode. So
the input characteristics are same as the forward characteristics of a normal PN junction
diode.

The cut in voltage of a silicon transistor is 0.7 volts and germanium transistor is 0.3 volts. In
our case, it is a silicon transistor. So from the above graph, we can see that after 0.7 volts, a
small increase in input voltage (VBE) will rapidly increase the input current (IE).

When the output voltage (VCB) is increased from zero volts to a certain voltage level (8
volts), the emitter current flow will be increased which in turn reduces the depletion region
width at emitter-base junction. As a result, the cut in voltage will be reduced. Therefore,
the curves shifted towards the left side for higher values of output voltage VCB.

Effect of Output Voltage on Emitter Current

Depletion Region
Width Reduces
Increase Output
Voltage (VCB) Curves Shift Left

Emitter Current Flow

Increases
Cut-in Voltage
Reduced
Output characteristics

The output characteristics describe the relationship between output current (IC) and the
output voltage (VCB).
First, draw a vertical line and a horizontal line. The vertical line represents y-axis and
horizontal line represents x-axis. The output current or collector current (IC) is taken along the
y-axis (vertical line) and the output voltage (VCB) is taken along the x-axis (horizontal line).
To determine the output characteristics, the input current or emitter current IE is kept
constant at zero mA and the output voltage VCB is increased from zero volts to different
voltage levels. For each voltage level of the output voltage VCB, the output current (IC) is
recorded.
A curve is then drawn between output current IC and output voltage VCB at constant input
current IE (0 mA).
When the emitter current or input current IE is equal to 0 mA, the transistor operates in the
cut-off region.

Next, the input current (IE) is increased from 0 mA to 1 mA by adjusting the input voltage VBE
and the input current IE is kept constant at 1 mA. While increasing the input current IE, the
output voltage VCB is kept constant.
After we kept the input current (IE) constant at 1 mA, the output voltage (VCB) is increased
from zero volts to different voltage levels. For each voltage level of the output voltage (VCB),
the output current (IC) is recorded.
A curve is then drawn between output current IC and output voltage VCB at constant input
current IE (1 mA). This region is known as the active region of a transistor.
This is repeated for higher fixed values of input current IE (I.e. 2 mA, 3 mA, 4 mA and so on).
From the above characteristics, we can see that for a constant input current IE, when the
output voltage VCB is increased, the output current IC remains constant.

At saturation region, both emitter-base junction JE and collector-base junction JC are forward
biased. From the above graph, we can see that a sudden increase in the collector current
when the output voltage VCB makes the collector-base junction JC forward biased.

Transistor parameters

Dynamic input resistance (ri)

Dynamic input resistance is defined as the ratio of change in input voltage or emitter voltage
(VBE) to the corresponding change in input current or emitter current (IE), with the output
voltage or collector voltage (VCB) kept at constant.

The input resistance of common base amplifier is very low.

Dynamic output resistance (ro)

Dynamic output resistance is defined as the ratio of change in output voltage or collector
voltage (VCB) to the corresponding change in output current or collector current (IC), with
the input current or emitter current (IE) kept at constant.

The output resistance of common base amplifier is very high.

Current gain (α)

The current gain of a transistor in CB configuration is defined as the ratio of output current or
collector current (IC) to the input current or emitter current (IE).

The current gain of a transistor in CB configuration is less than unity. The typical current gain
of a common base amplifier is 0.98.