I

About the Authors

N N Bhargava was Assistant Professor in electronics at TTTI,

BASIC ELECTRONICS
Chandigarh and was the one who initiated and coordinated the writing of
this book. After completing his MSc (Tech.) in electronics engineering
from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, he taught
AND
electronics to undergraduate students at the University of Roorkee and
at the Delhi College of Engineering. LINEAR CIRCUITS
D C Kulshreshtha is working as Professor in the department of
Electronics and Communication Engineering, Jaypee University of
Second Edition
Information Technology, Waknaghat, Solan (HP) since July 2003.
He served for more than 25 years in Delhi College of Engineering,
Delhi. From time to time, he has been a visiting faculty member at
Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology, New Delhi; Institute of
Technology and Management, Gurgaon; Guru Tegh Bahadur College
of Engineering, New Delhi; MaharajaAgrasen College of Engineering, (Late) N N Bhargava
Delhi; Galgotia College of Engineering and Technology, Greater Noida National Institute ofTechnical Teachers' Training and Research
and IEC College of Engineering and Technology, Greater Noida. Chandigarh
Dr Kulshreshtha obtained his BTech (Hons) in Electronics and Electrical Communication
Engineering from IIT Kharagpur in 1967, and a master's degree in Advanced Electronics D C Kulshreshtha
from Delhi College of Engineering, Delhi in 1980. For three years, he was at IIT Delhi, Jaypee University
pursuing research in Digital Signal Processing. He secured second rank in the All India Merit
Solan
in Engineering Services Examination conducted by the UPSC. He was also in-charge of
Frequency Section, responsible for the management of electromagnetic spectrum on Station,
Srinagar (J&K), and was responsible for installation of equipments and antenna system for the SC Gupta
monitoring station. Hindustan Institute ofTechnology and Management
He has conducted or attended short-term refresher courses in Microelectronics at Mathura
IIT Kharagpur; Measurement Techniques at University ofRoorkee; Modem Process Control
Techniques at DCE, Delhi; Digital Signal Processing at REC, Warangal; and Microwave
Techniques and Systems at REC, Surathkal.
He has authored/co-authored many textbooks namely, Electronic Devices, Applications and
Integrared Circuits (1980), Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits (1984), Engineering Network
Analysis (1989), Elements ofElectronics and Instrumentation (1992), Electronic Devices and
Circuits (2005) and Electronics Engineering (for UPTU) (2006).

Sub hash Chandra Gupta is Dean (Academics) and Assistant Professor . •·/

•
in the Department of Computer Science at the Hindustan Institute of
Technology and Management, Keetham, Agra. After acquiring his
diploma degree Electrical Engineering, Prof. Gupta started teaching
diploma students in 1969. He received his Diploma in Technical
Teaching from TTTI, Chandigarh in 1974 and thereafter, served various McGraw Hill Education (India) Private Limited
polytechnics in UP as Assistant Lecturer and Lecturer. After completing
NEW DELHI
AMIE (I) in EC branch in 1981, he served as HOD, Electronics
Engineering in various Government Polytechnics in UP for several years.
McGraw Hill Education Offices
He also worked as Assistant Director, Technical Education, UP for five years. After completing
his ME, Computer Science and Engineering in 1998, he was appointed as HOD, Computer New Delhi New York St Louis San Francisco Auckla.;lild .Bogota Caracas
Engineering in Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Technology for Handicapped (AITH), UP, Kanpur. Kuala Lumpur Lisbon London Madrid Mexico GW~ilan Montreal
Prof. Gupta retired as Principal in a Government Polytechnic. His areas of expertise include San Juan Santiago Singapore Sydney Tokyo" Toronto•
subjects like Electrical, Electronics and Computer science disciplines.
 About the Authors ii
Foreword v
Preface xiii

Unit 1 Introduction to Electronics 1

1.1 What is Electronics? 1
1.2 Applications of Electronics 2
1.3 Modem Trends in Electronics 5
1.4 Electronic Components 5
1.5 SI Units 20
Review Questions 25
Objective-'Ijlpe Questions 26

Unit 2 Current and Voltage Sources 29

2.1 Sources of Electrical Power 29
2.2 Internal Impedance of a Source 32
2.3 Concept ofVoltage Source 33
2.4 Concept of Current Source 38
2.5 Equivalence between Voltage Source and Current Source 40
2.6 Usefulness of the Concept ofVoltage
and Current Source in Electronics 46
Review Questions 49
Objective-'Ijlpe Questions 49
Tutorial Sheet 2.1 52
Tutorial Sheet 2.2 53

LUnit 3 Semiconductor Physics 55

3 .1 Why Study Semiconductor Physics 55
3.2 Semiconductor Materials 56
3.3 Structure of an Atom 57
3.4 Metals, Insulators and Semiconductors 63
 Contents ix
viii Contents

5.12 Transistor Data Sheets 177

3.5 Intrinsic Semiconductors 64
~cimal Runaway and Heat Sink 180
3.6 Extrinsic Semiconductors 69
Review Questions 181
Review Questions 73
\_f)bjectlVe-Type Questions 182
Objective-Type Questions 74
tJ':utorti[(§heet 5.1 187

-·
~~'·""'
Unit 4 Semiconductor Diode 78 ~al Sheet j.2 188

PN-Junction 79
L~'TSfi;et 5.3 188
4.1
Experimental Exercise 5.1 189
4.2 Junction Theory 79
Experimental Exercise 5.2 193
4.3 V-1 Characteristics of a PN-Junction Diode 84
4.4 The Ideal Diode 86 Unit 6 Field Effect Transistors (FETs) 196
4.5 Static and Dynamic Resistance of a Diode 87
6.1 Introduction 196
4.6 Use of Diodes in Rectifiers 89
98 6.2 Junction Field-Effect Transistor (JFET) 197
4.7 How Effectively a Rectifier Converts AC into DC
6.3 Metal-Oxide Semiconductor FET (MOSFET) 202
4.8 How to get a Better DC 105
6.4 Depletion-Type MOSFET (DE MOSFET) 203
4.9 Types of Diodes 110
6.5 Enhancement-Type MOSFET (EN MOSFET) 205
Review Questions 116
6.6 Complementray MOS (CMOS) 208
Objective-Type Questions 117
6. 7 Comparison of JFET, MOSFET and BIT 210
Tutorial Sheet 4.1 121
Review Questions 211
Experimental Exercise 4.1 122
Objective-Type Questions 212
Experimental Exercise 4.2 125
Experimental Exercise 6.1 213
Experimental Exercise 4.3 127
Experimental Exercise 4.4 129 Unit 7 Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 216
Experimental Exercise 4. 5 131
~..Jntroduction 216
EJ!frimental Exercise 4.6 133
\/'T'2 \Y.h-Y Bias a Transistor? 217
U,,~ Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs) 137 t..~-~7:3,_..Selection of Operating Point 217
,,,,.J.A· ·'.Ne~d for Bias Stabilisation 220
''-' 5.1 Introduction 138
l~uirements of a Biasing Circuit 221
5.2 Junction Transistor Structure 138
7.6 Different Biasing Circuits 221---
5 .3 The Surprising Action of a Transistor 140
7.7 PNP Transistor-Biasing Circuits 243
5.4 The Working ofa Transistor 142
7.8 Biasing the FET 244
5.5 Transistor Amplifying Action 147
Review Questions 246
5.6 Three Configurations 150
Objective-Type Questions 247
5. 7 Transistor Characteristics 151
Tutorial Sheet 7.1 250
5.8 Comparison Between the Three Configurations 165
Tutorial Sheet 7.2 251
5.9 Why is CE Configuration Widely used in Amplifier Circuits? 167
Tutorial Sheet 7.3 251
5 .10 Basic CE Amplifier Circuit 169
Tutorial Sheet 7.4 252
5,,fl Construction of Transistors 174
,/·
Experimental Exercise 7.1 254
Experimental Exercise 7.2 256
Experimental Exercise 7.3 257
 x Contents Contents xi

Unit 8 Small-Signal Amplifiers 259 Review Questions 350

8.1 ~auction 259 .1i Objective-Tj;pe Questions 351
~Single-Stage Transistor Amplifier ~··Y"'~X.A_1 Tutorial Sheet JO.I 352
8.3 Graphical Method 261 I
I
Tutorial Sheet 10.2 353
1 Experimental Exercise 10.l 353
8.4 Equivalent Circuit Method 266
8.5 FET Small-Signal Amplifier 277 Experimental Exercise 10.2 355
Review Questions 281
Unit 11 Tuned Voltage Amplifiers 359
Objective-Tj;pe Questions 282
Tutorial Sheet 8.1 283 11.1 Need for Tuned Voltage Amplifiers 359
Tutorial Sheet 8.2 285 11.2 Resonance 361
Tutorial Sheet 8.3 287 11.3 Single-Tuned Voltage Amplifier 3 70
Experimental Exercise 8.1 287 11.4 Double-Tuned Voltage Amplifier 373
Review Questions 3 74
Unit 9 Multi-Stage Amplifiers 290 Objective-Tj;pe Questions 375
9.1 Do We Require More Than One Stage? 291 Tutorial Sheet 11.1 3 77
9.2 Gain ofa Multi-Stage Amplifier 291 Tutorial Sheet 11.2 377
9.3 How to Couple Two Stages? 294 Tutorial Sheet 11.3 378
9.4 Frequency Response Curve of an RC-Coupled Amplifier 300 Experimental Exercise 11.1 378
9.5 Analysis ofTwo-Stage RC-Coupled Amplifier 307
Unit 12 Feedback in Amplifiers 381
9.6 Distortion in Amplifiers 315
9. 7 Classification of Amplifiers 318 12.l Concept of Feedback in Amplifiers 381
Review Questions 319 12.2 Types of Feedback 383
Objective-Tj;pe Questions 321 12.3 Voltage Gain of Feedback Amplifier 384
Tutorial Sheet 9.1 323 12.4 How is Negative Feedback Advantageous? 387
Experimental Exercise 9.1 323 12.5 Amplifier Circuits with Negative Feedback 394
Experimental Exercise 9.2 326 Review Questions 396
Objective-Tj;pe Questions 397
Unit 10 Power Amplifiers 329 Tutorial Sheet 12.1 398
10.1 Need for Power Amplifiers 329 Tutorial Sheet 12.2 398
10.2 Difference between Voltage Amplifier and Power Amplifier 330 Tutorial Sheet 12.3 399
10.3 Why Voltage Amplifier Cannot Work as a Power Amplifier? 331 Experimental Exercise 12.1 399
10.4 How to Avoid Power Loss in Re? 332 Experimental Exercise 12.2 402
10.5 Single-Ended Power Amplifier 332
Unit 13 Oscillators 404
10.6 Why Class-Band Class-C Operation is More Efficient
than Class-A? 339 13.1 Why Do We Need an Oscillator? 404
10. 7 Harmonic Distortion in Power Amplifiers 340 13.2 Classification of Oscillators 405
10.8 Push-Pull Amplifier 342 13.3 How a Tuned Circuit can be made to Generate Sine Waves 405
13.4 Positive Feedback Amplifier as an Oscillator 408
xii Contents

13.5 LC Oscillators 409

13.6 RC Oscillators 415
13.7 Crystal Oscillators 420
13.8 Astable Multivibrator 422
Review Questions 424
Objective-Iype Questions 425
Tutorial Sheet 13.1 426
Experimental Exercise 13.1 426
Experimental Exercise 13.2 428
About the Book
The Curriculum Development Center (CDC), National Institute offechnical Teachers'
Unit 14 Electronic Instruments 430 Training and Research (NITTTR), Chandigarh, initiated the task of developing basic
14.1 Introduction 431 instructional material for the polytechnics in 1980. A team of authors worked very
14.2 Multimeter 431 hard to prepare the material in a very simple language to clarify each and every
concept. Finally, the first edition of this book was published in 1984 by McGraw Hill
14.3 Electronic Multimeters 445
Education (India). This book proved to be extremely useful and appropriate support
14.4 Cathode-Ray Oscilloscope (CRO) 449 material for students as well as teachers. Hence, it was widely accepted as a basic
14.5 Audio Signal Generators 462 textbook.
14.6 Strain Gauge 464 Early development in the field of electronics used vacuum tube devices. But in
Review Questions 465 1947, the wonder device, called transistor, was invented. Soon people started using
Objective-Iype Questions 467 this tiny device in place of bulky vacuum tubes. However, these semiconductor
Tutorial Sheet 14.1 470 devices had some limitations; they could not work at high power and high frequencies.
Therefore, the use of vacuum tube devices continued in many applications. At the time
Tutorial Sheet 14.2 470
when the text of first edition was developed, both vacuum tubes and semiconductor
Experimental Exercise 14.1 471 devices were in use. The knowledge of vacuum tubes was as important as that of
Experimental Exercise 14.2 472 semiconductor devices.
However, with the rapid development in the field of electronics in last two decades,
Index 477 semiconductor devices are now available for almost all applications. The final blow
to phase out the vacuum tubes came only a few years back, when voluminous CRT
TVs were replaced by sleek, large-screen, wall-mountable LCD, LED or plasma TVs.
This book is the result of above-mentioned changes. We hope that the current
edition enjoys as much popularity as the first one.

Salient Features of the Book

• Basic principles developed without recourse to advance mathematics
• Emphasis on semiconductor devices and applications
• Simplistic presentation of the fundamentals of electronics
• Each unit beginning with Objectives, thus, enabling students to know what is
expected out of them after going through the unit
• Use of illustrations to inake complex concepts easily understandable
• Lucid language to provide a smooth reading
• Solved examples included to help students in applying the principles in practice
 1 UNIT
INTRODUCTION TOELECTRClNICS

"When I was a teenager in .the late 30s and early 40s, electroniqs.,''
wasn't a word. You were interested in radio ifyou were intereste9
in electronics."
Ken Olsen (1926-2011);;·
American En9ineer and Co-founder of
Di9italEquipment Corporqtton in 1:95/{

After completing this unit, students, ~Iitle: able to:

• define the scope of electronics ...
• statesome of the applications ofelectronitsdnday~fo.~daylife .. · ;i:J,
• state the latest ttertdsfo the field of electtonfos · ·· ··· · •,;~i
· • draw the symbols, and state the foaiI1 ~ppli.catid{is ofsome oftn~'.
important.activ<;? devices such as transistofs~:FETs,:SCR;UJ'r,"etc: :r.
11. recognise resisfors, capacitors . an<l·)ndU:ct~rs .Qf v~flqq~ tYP~t
· from their physical9pp~arance.'; . · ·· · .·· · · ·· . '. :)
• read the values of resjstors anct¢apac;itot5- from the <;ode n:iar~S'.r·
usu~lly foµn<l on such.cotqpoJ1en!s . . . . . . .· . . . . .•
• draw the symbol of different: passive.. components· as .p~r.:1s(..
· specifications . ·.·:\
• explain the important specifications of resistors; capacitors and/
inductors · 1
>·

• write SI units of various physical quantities used in electr:onics ·

1.1 WHAT IS ELECTRONICS?

The word 'electronics' is derived from electron mechanics which means the study of
the behaviour of an electron under different conditions of externally applied fields.
2 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Introduction to Electronics 3

The Institution of Radio Engineers (IRE) has given a standard definition of elec-
tronics in the Proceedings ofIRE, Vol. 38, (1950) as "that field of science and engi-
neering, which deals with electron devices and their utilisation." Here, an electron
device is "a device in which conduction takes place by the movement of electrons-
through a vacuum, a gas or a semiconductor".
Compared to the more established branches such as civil, mechanical, electrical,
etc., electr.onics is a newcomer in the field of engineering. Until recently, it was con-
sidered an integral part of electrical engineering, but due to the tremendous advance-
ment during the last few decades, it has now gained its rightful place.
We shall study, in the chapters that follow, how electronic devices function, and
how they could be used to advantage in our daily life.

I
Life today offers many conveniences which involve the use of electronic devices. As
can be seen from Table 1.1, electronics plays a major role in almost every sphere of
our life.

1.2.1 Communications and Entertainment

The progress of a country depends upon the availability of economical and rapid
means of communication. During the earlier part of last century, the main applica-
tion of electronics was in the field of telegraphy and telephony. This utilises a pair
of wires. However, it is now possible with the help of radio waves to transmit any
message from one place to another, thousands of kilometres away, without any wires.
With such wireless communication (radio broadcasting), people in any part of the
world can know what is happening in othe.r parts. With the help of a teleprinter, it
is possible to type the message on a typewriter kept in another city. Photographs of
events occurring somewhere, can be transmitted on facsimile (radiophoto). They can
then be printed in the newspapers all over the world.
Radio and TV broadcasting provide a means of both communication as well as
entertainment. With the help of satellites it has become possible to establish instant
communication between places very far apart. Electronic gadgets like CD players,
stereo systems, video games, public-address systems, etc., are widely used for
entertainment.

1.2.2 Defence Applications

One of the most important developments during World War II was the RADAR
(which is the short form for 'RAdio Detection And Ranging'). By using radar, it is
possible not only to detect, but also to find the exact location of the enemy aircraft.
The anti-aircraft guns can then be accurately directed to shoot down the aircraft. In
fact, the radar and the anti-aircraft guns can be linked by an automatic control system
to make a complete unit.
 Introduction to Electronics 5
4 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

Guided missiles are completely controlled by electronic circuits. In a war, suc- t~3 MODERN' TRENDS IN 'ELECTRONI~S ,
cess or defeat for a nation depends on the reliability of its communication system. In
modem warfare, communication is almost entirely electronic. The real beginning in electronics was made in 1906, when Lee De Forest invented
the vacuum triode. Without this device, the amplifier (which is the heart of all intri-
1.2.3 Industrial Applications cate and complex electronic gadgets) would not have been possible. Until the end of
World War II, vacuum tubes (valves) dominated the field of electronics.
Use of automatic control systems in industries is increasing day by day. Electronic
In 1948, the invention of the transistor by three Nobel laureates-John
circuits are used in industrial applications like control of thickness, quality, weight
Bardeen, Walter Brattain and William Shockley at the Bell Laboratory, completely
and moisture content of a material. Electronic amplifier circuits are used to amplify
revolutionised the electronics industry. Transistors opened the floodgate to further
signals and thus control the operations of automatic door-openers, lighting systems,
developments in electronics. Within almost 10 years of its discovery, the process of
power systems and safety devices, etc. Electronic circuits are used to produce strobo-
miniaturisation of electronic equipments had gained momentum. The first integrated
scopic lights of any desired frequency. When this is directed on a fast rotating object,
circuits (ICs) appeared in the market during the early sixties. Man's desire to conquer
it can be made to appear stationary or to be in slow motion by adjusting the frequency
space accelerated this growth even further. The electronic age had truly begun. During
of light. This principle makes it possible to study the movement of various parts of a
the eighties, this tremendous growth rate not only continued but also accelerated
machine under normal running conditions.
with each passing year. The use of valves nearly became obsolete during the sixties.
For quick arithmetical calculations, desk calculators are commonly used in banks, Due to the rapid developments in integrated circuit technology-starting from the
departmental store<:, ~tc. calculators are sometimes used in classrooms while solving small scale integration (SSI), then medium scale integration (MSI), large scale
problems. Electronic computers, also called 'electronic brains', are used for auto- integration (LSI) and now with the most recent, very large scale integration (VLSI)
matic record keeping and solving of complicated problems. technique-even the use of individual transistors is becoming unnecessary. The vast
Electronically controlled systems, using suitable timers, are used for heating and changes that have taken place during the last 30 years can best be understood by
welding in the industry. Even the power stations, which generate thousands of mega- noting the reduction in size and price of modem digital computers. A small, modem
watts of electricity are controlled by tiny electronic devices and circuits. minicomputer is more than 100 times smaller in size and 111 OOth of the price of a ,
computer designed 30 years ago to do similar jobs.
1.2.4 Medical Sciences From an ordinary wristwatch to the control room of 400 000 tonne supertanker
Doctors and scientists are constantly finding new uses for electronic systems in the carrying cargo across the sea; from the telephone repeaters buried deep under the
diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. Some of the instruments which have ocean to the spaceships far out in space; from a modem household to the gigantic
been in use are: steel mills and powerhouses, electronics has penetrated everywhere.
Electronics deals in the micro and milli range of voltage, current and power, but it
1. X-rays, for taking pictures of internal bone structures and also for treatment of is capable of controlling kilo and mega volts, amperes and watts. Therefore, it is not
some diseases. surprising to find the fundamentals of electronics as a core subject in all branches of
2. Electrocardiographs (ECG), to find the condition of the heart of a patient. engineering nowadays.
3. Short-wave diathermy units, for healing sprains and fractures.
4. Oscillographs for studying muscle action.
The use of electronics in medical science has expanded so enormously as to start
a new branch of study, called 'bioelectronics'. Electronics is proving useful in saving An electronic circuit may appear quite complicated and may be capable of perform-
mankind from a lot of suffering and pain. ing fantastic functions. But, all electronic circuits, however complicated, contain a
few basic components. Generally speaking, there are only five components-three
1.2.5 Instrumentation passive and two active (see Table 1.2). An integrated circuit (for example, a micro-
processor) may contain thousands of transistors, a few thousand resistors, etc., on a
Instrumentation plays a very important role in any industry and research organi- very small chip. The total number of components used in an electronic circuit may
sation, for precise measurement of various quantities. It is only due to electronic run into thousands-yet each component will be one of the above five types.
instruments that an all-round development in every walk of life has been possible.
DVM, cathode-ray oscilloscopes, frequency counters, signal generators, pH-meters,
strain-gauges, etc., are some of the electronic instruments without which no research
laboratory is complete.
 7
Introduction to Electronics
6 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
copper. Resistors of this type are readily available in values ranging from a few ohms
Table 1.2 1)'pes of electronic components to about 22 MQ, having a tolerance range of 5 to 20 %. They are qu'ite inexpensive.
A resistor may cost only a rupee.
The relative sizes of all fixed (and also variable) resistors change with the wattage
(power) rating. The size increases for increased wattage rating in order to withstand
higher currents and dissipation losses. The relative sizes of moulded-carbon
composition resistors for different wattage ratings are shown in Fig. 1.2.

Junction Transistors Integrated

Resistors Capacitors Inductors
diodes cricuits (ICs)
~
o---C::J--<> ~ !--<> (air core)
R C
(Q) (F)
~
(iron core)
L
(H)

1.4.1 Passive Components Fig. 1.2 Moulded-carbon composition resistors of different wattage ratings
Resistors, capacitors and inductors are called passive components. These compo-
nents by themselves are not capable of ~plifying or processing an electrical signal. Another variety of carbon composition resistors is the metallised type. Its basic
However, these components are as important, in an electronic circuit, as active (such structure is shown in Fig. 1.3. It is made by depositing a homogeneous film of pure
as transistors) components are. Without the aid of these comp01wnts a transistor can- carbon (or some metal) over a glass, ceramic or other insulating core. The carbon
film can be deposited by pyrolysis of some hydrocarbon gas (e.g., benzyne) on the
not be made to amplify signals.
ceramic core. Only approximate values of resistance can be obtained by this method.
Resistors The flow of charge (or current) through any material, encounters an op- Desired values are obtained by either trimming the layer thickness or by cutting
posing force similar in many respects to mechanical friction. This 'opposing force' helical grooves of suitable pitch along its length. During this process, the value of
is called the resistance of the material. It is measured in ohms, for which the symbol resistance is monitored constantly. The cutting of grooves is stopped as soon as the
is Q (the greek capital letter omega). The circuit symbol for resistance (R) is shown desired value of resistance is obtained. Contact caps are fitted on both ends. The lead
in Table 1.2. ·· · wires, made of tinned copper, are then welded to these end caps. This type of film-
In some parts of an electronic circuit, resistance is deliberately introduced. The resistor is sometimes called precision type, since it can be obtained with an accuracy
device or component to do this is called a resistor. Resistors are made in many forms. of±l %. ·
But all belong to either of two groups-fixed or variable.
/ Grooved carbon film
1. Fixed resistors The most common of the low wattage, fixed-type resistors is the
moulded-carbon composition resistor, The basic construction is shown in Fig. 1.1.
The resistive material is of carbon-clay composition. The leads are made of tinned

/
End cap
(b)
(a)

Fig. 1.3 Carbon-film resistor: (a) Construction; (b) A carbon-film resistor

Insulating
material
Resistance material
(carbon composition)

Fig. 1.1 The basic construction of a fixed, moulded-carbon composition resistor

8 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Introduction to Electronics 9

A wire-wound resistor uses a length of resistance wire, such as nichrome. This Table 1.3 Colour coding
wire is wound onto a round, hollow porcelain core. The ends of the winding are
attached to metal pieces inserted in the core. Tinned copper wire leads are. attached
to these metal pieces. This assembly is coated with an enamel containing powdered Black 0 10°= 1
glass. It is then heated to develop a coating known as vitreous enamel. This coating Brown 10 1 =10
is very smooth and gives mechanical protection to the winding. It also helps in 102
Red 2
conducting heat away from the unit quickly. In other wire-wound resistors, a ceramic
Orange 3 103
material is used for the inner core and the outer coating (see Fig. 1.4). Commonly
Yellow 4 104
available wire-wound resistors have resistance values ranging from 1 Q to 100 kn, Mnemonics: As an aid to memory
and wattage ratings up to about 200 W Green 5 105 in remembering the sequence
Blue 6 106 of colour codes given above, the
107 student can remember the follow-
Violet 7
ing sentence (all the capital letters
Gray 8 108
stand for colours):
White 9 109 (a) Bill Brown Realised Only
Gold 0.1=10-I ±5% Yesterday Good Boys Value
Good Work.
Hollow tube Silver Ci.ol = 10-2 ±10%
\Vitreous (b) Bye Bye Rosie OffYou Go
enamel coating No colour ±20% Bristol Via Great Western.

(a) Vitreous enamel type (b) Ceramic type

Fig. 1.4 Wire-wound fixed resistors

Colour coding and standard resistor values Some resistors are large enough in size
to have their resistance (in Q) printed on the body. However, there are some resistors
that are too small in size to have numbers printed on them. Therefore, a system of Solution: With the help of the colour coding table (Table 1.3), we find
colour coding is used to indicate their values. For the fixed, moulded composition 1st band 2nd band 3rd band 4th band
resistor, four colour bands are printed on one end of the outer casing as shown in Violet Orange Gold
Yellow
Fig. I.Sa . . 103 ±5% =47kQ±S %
4 7
The numerical value associated with each colour is indicated in Table 1.3. The
colour bands are always read left to right from the end that has the bands closest to 47xl03 xS
it, as shown in Fig. I .Sa. Now, S % of47 kQ= Q=2.3S kQ
100
The first and second bands represent the first and second significant digits, respec-
. Therefore, the resistance should be within the range 47 kQ ± 2.3S kn, or between
tively, of the resistance value. The third band is for the number of zeros that follow
44.65 kQ and 49.35 kQ.
the second digit. In case the third band is gold or silver, it represents a multiplying
factor of0.1 or 0.01. The fourth band represents the manufacturer's tolerance. It is a
measure of the precision with which the resistor was made. If the fourth band is not
present, the tolerance is assumed to be ±20 %.

Solution: The specification of the resistor can be found by using the colour cod-
ing table as follows:
10 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Introduction to Electronics 11

1st band 2nd band 3rd band 4th band tors of all the possible values. A list of readily available standard values of resistors
Gray Blue Gold Gold appears in Table 1.4.
8 6 10-l ±5%=86x0.1Q±5%
Table 1.4 Standard values of commercially available resis-
=8.60±5 % tors {having 10 % tolerance)
86
5 % of 8.6 Q = · x 5 = 0.43 Q .,· .. ·.
:•'· Oh'ffis((),)
·,.'
)':'
",
Kilohms (kD.) ··
~'"""'"

Megohi}iso(MD.),
100
1.0 10 100 1.0 10 100 1.0 10
The resistance should lie somewhere between the values (8.6 - 0.43) Q and
1.2 12 120 1.2 12 120 1.2 12
(8.6 + 0.43) Q or 8.17 Q and 9.03 n.
1.5 15 150 1.5 15 150 1.5 15
The colour coding for wire-wound resistors, and composition resistors with radial
leads is shown in Figs. l.5b and c, respectively. Note that the first band in Fig. l.5b 1.8 18 180 1.8 18 180 1.8 18
is of double the width compared to the rest. The system of colour coding used for 2.2 22 220 2.2 22 220 2.2 22
the moulded resistors with radial leads is called body-end-dot system. The numerical 270 2.7
2.7 27 270 2.7 27
values associated with each colour is the same for all the three methods of colour
coding. 3.3 33 33() 3.3 33 330 3.3
3.9 39 390 3.9 39 390 3.9
4.7 47 470 4.7 47 470 4.7
5.6 56 560 5.6 56 560 5.6
6.8 68 680 6.8 68 680 6.8
8.2 82 820 8.2 82 820 8.2

If resistors of very precise values are required for some specific application,
special requests are to be made to the manufacturer.
2. Variable resistors In electronic circuits, sometimes it becomes necessary to
(a) Moulded composition resistor
adjust the values of currents and voltages. For example, it is often desired to change
3 the volume (or loudness) of sound, the brightness of a television picture, etc. Such
2 3 4 adjustments can be done by using variable resistors.
Although the variable resistors are usually cailed rheostats in other applications,
the smaller variable resistors commonly used in electronic circuits are called poten-
tiometers (usually abbreviated to 'pots'). The symbol for potentiometei: is shown in
Fig'. l .6a. The arrow in the symbol is a contact movable on_ a cont~uous r.esis~i~e
element. The moving contact will determine whether the resistance m the crrcwt 1s
minimum (0 Q) or maximum value, R. The construction of all potentiometers is basi-
(b) Wire~wound resistor (c) Moulded composition resistor with
radial leads
cally the same. Some have a wire-wound resistance as their primary element, whi~e
others have a carbon-film element. The basic construction of a wire-wound potenti-
Fig. 1.5 Colour coding ometer is shown in Fig. l .6b. The resistance wire is wound over a dough-shaped core
of bakelite or ceramic. There is a rotating shaft at the centre of the core. The shaft
In practical electronic circuits, the values of the resistors required may lie within moves an arm and a contact point from end to end of the resistance elerrient. There
a very wide range (say, from a few ohms to about 20 MQ). In most of the circuits, it are three terminals coming out of a potentiometer. The outer two are the end points
is not necessary to use resistors of exact values. Even if a resistor in a circuit has a of the resistance element and the middle leads to the rotating contact.
value which differs from the desired (designed) value by as much as 20 %, the circuit
still works quite satisfactorily. Therefore, it is not necessary to manufacture resis-
 Introduction to Electronics 13
12 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
conducting materials and the dielectric may be of many different insulating materials,
there are many types of capacitors.
Resistance wire "-. Capacitors, like resistors, can either be fixed or variable. Some of the most
winding commonly used fixed capacitors are mica, ceramic, paper and electrolytic. Variable
Rotating
contact
capacitors are mostly air-gang capacitors.
1. Mica capacitors Mica capacitors are constructed from plates of aluminium
foil separated by sheets of mica as shown in Fig. 1.8. The plates are connected to
two electrodes. The mica capacitors have excellent characteristics under stress of
(a) Symbol (b) Basic construction of a wire-wound potentiometer
temperature variations and high voltage applications. Available capacitances range
Fig. 1.6 Potentiometer from 5 to 10 000 pF. Mica capacitors are usually rated at 500 V. Its leakage current is
very small (R1eakage is about 1000 MO).
A potentiometer can be either linear or non-linear. Figure 1. 7 shows the construc-
tion of both a linear and non-linear (tapered type) potentiometer. In the linear type,
the former (the part over which the wire is wound) is of uniform height and that is
why the resistance varies linearly with the rotation of the contact. In a non-linear
, potentiometer, the height of the former is not uniform. To make a potentiometer of
this type, a tapered strip is taken and the resistance wire is wound over it, ensuring a
uniform pitch. The strip is then bent into a round shape. The tapered strip gives a non-
linear variation of resistance with the rotation of the moving contact. The strip can be
tapered suitably so as to obtain a desired variation in resistance per unit rotation of
moving contact. The 'pots' used as volume control in sound equipment are generally
of the non-linear type (logarithmic variation).

(a) Linear type (b) Non-linear type

Fig. 1.7 Wire-wound potentiometer

Capadtors · Capacitors of different kinds are found in nearly every electronic

circuit. A capacitor is basically meant to store electrons (or electrical energy), ( b) Mica capacitors
and release them whenever desired. The circuit symbol of a capacitor is shown in
Table 1.2. Capacitance is a measure of a capacitor's ability to store charge. It is Fig. 1.8 Mica capacitors
measured in farads (F). However, the unit farad being too large, practical capacitors
are specified in microfarads (µF), or picofarads (pF). 2. Ceramic capacitors Ceramic capacitors are made in many shapes and sizes.
A capacitor offers low impedance to ac, but very high impedance to de. So, ca- However, the basic construction is the same for each. A ceramic disc is coated on two
pacitors are used when we want to couple alternating voltage from one circuit to an- sides with a metal, such as copper or silver. These coatings act as the two plates (see
other, while at the same time blocking the de voltage from reaching the next circuit. Fig. 1.9). During the manufacture of the capacitor, tinned wire leads are also attached
In this role, the capacitor is called a coupling capacitor or a blocking capacitor. It is to each plate. Then the entire unit is coated with plastic and marked with its capaci-
also used as a bypass capacitor, where it bypasses the ac through it without letting tance value--either using numerals or a colour code. The colour coding is similar to
the ac to go through the circuit across which it is connected. Also, a capacitor forms that used for resistances. Figure 1.10 explains the colour code used for resistors and
a tuned circuit in series or parallel with an inductor. capacitors. Besides the value of the resistor (or capacitor), it also indicates the toler-
A capacitor consists of two conducting plates, separated by an insulating material ance and temperature coefficients. Ceramic capacitors are very versatile. Their work-
known as dielectric. Since the two plates of a capacitor can be of many different
14 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Introduction to Electronics 15

ing voltage ranges from 3 V (for use in transistors) up to 6000 V. The capacitance 3. Paper capacitors The basic construction of a paper capacitor is shown in
ranges from 3 pF to about 2 µF. Ceramic capacitors have a very low leakage currents Fig. 1.11. Since paper can be rolled between two metals foils, it is possible to con-
(R1eakage is about 1000 MQ) and can be used in both de and ac circuits. centrate a large plate area in a small volume. The capacitor consists of two metal foils
separated by strips of paper. This paper is impregnated with a dielectric material such
Colour code as wax, plastic or oil.

, ,. ,

~: '!' /,

, , ,

'"\'';,' Dielectric soaked

Ceramic paper
(a) Construction (b) Ceramic capacitors

Fig. 1.9 Ceramic capacitor

(a) Construction (b) Some tubular paper capacitors

l
I TOLERANCE I Fig. 1.11 Tubular paper capacitors

Black 0 0 x 1 Q/pF R ±5% Gold

-c:J- Paper capacitors have capacitances ranging from 0.0005 µF to several µF, and are
Brown x ion ±2% Red
rated from about 100 V to several thousand volts. They can be used for both de and
Red x 10on ±20% Black
Orange x I kn
C> lOpF ±10% White ac circuits. Its leakage resistance is of the order of 100 MQ.
Yellow
Green
x IO!dl
x IOO!dl
...,
....!.... ±5%
±2%
Green
Red
4. Electrolytic capacitors Electrolytic capacitors are extremely varied in their
characteristics. The capacitance value may range from 1 µF to several thousand
Blue xlMn ±1% Brown
±I pF White
microfarads. The voltage ratings may range from 1 V to 500 V, or more. These capacitors
Violet
x0.01 pF C<IOpF ±0.5pF Green are commonly used in situations where a large capacitance is required. Various types
Gray
White xOI pF ...,
....!....
±0.25pF Red of electrolytic capacitors are shown in Fig. 1.12.
xo.1 n

~
Gold

TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT ~ I TOLllRANCE I

0 x 10-<i
-150 x 10--{)
Black
Orange
I
ll l . - - - - - 1_ _ ___,f

Pf_,
-750x10--{) Violet

Vdc
Brown 100
Red 250
Yellow 400
Blue 630

Fig. 1.10 Explanation of colour code used for resistors and capacitors
 Introduction to Electronics 17
16 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

In some applications, the need for variation in the capacitance is not frequent. One
The electrolytic capacitor consists of an aluminium-foil electrode which has setting is sufficient for all normal operations. In such situations we use a variable
an aluminium-oxide film covering on one side. The aluminium plate serves as the capacitor called a trimmer (sometimes called padder). Both mica and ceramic are
positive plate and the oxide as the dielectric. The oxide is in contact with a paper or used as the dielectric for trimmer capacitors. Figure 1.14 shows the basic construction
gauze saturated with an electrolyte. The electrolyte forms the second plate (negative)
of a mica trimmer.
of the capacitor. Another layer of aluminium without the oxide coating is also provided
for making electrical contact between one of the terminals and the electrolyte. In Adjusting
most cases, the negative plate is directly connected to the container of the capacitor. /screw
The container then serves as the negative terminal for external connections. The
aluminium oxide layer is very thin. Therefore, the capacitor has a large capacitance
in a small volume. It has high capacitance-to-size ratio. It is primarily designed for
I: <riL)l:r/M'""
use in circuits where only de voltages will be applied across the capacitor. Ordinary V
Plates
I
Ceramic
\ Rivet
electrolytic capacitors cannot be used with alternating currents. However, there base
are capacitors available that can be used in ac circuits (for starting motors) and in
Fig'. 1.14 Construction of variable capacitor
cases where the polarity of the de voltage reverses for short periods of time. The
reason for the polarised (positive and negative electrodes) nature of the capacitor
is that the aluminium foil and the aluminium oxide layer form a semiconductor. Inductors When current flows through a wire that has been coiled, it generates a
This semiconductor blocks the current coming through the oxide film toward the magnetic field. This magnetic field reacts so as to oppose any change in the current.
electrode, but it readily passes current in the opposite direction. The capacitor should This reaction of the magnetic field, trying to keep the current flowing at a steady
be properly connected so that the applied voltage encounters the high resistance. rate, is known as inductance; and the force it develops is called an induced emf The
electronic component producing inductance is called an inductor. The symbols of an
A new type of electrolytic capacitor is the tantalum capacitor. It has an excellent
air-core and an iron-core inductor are shown in Table 1.2. The inductance is meas-
capacitance-to-size ratio.
ured in hemys (H).
5. Variable capacitors In some circuits, such as a tuning circuit, it is desirable to be All inductors, like resistors and capacitors, can be listed under two general cat-
able to change the value of capacitance readily. This is done by means of a variable egories: fixed and variable. Different types of inductors are available for different
capacitor. The most common variable capacitor is the air-gang capacitor shown in applications.
Fig. 1.13. The dielectric for this capacitor is air. By rotating the shaft at one end,
we can change the common area between the movable and fixed set of plates. The 1. Filter chokes These are the inductors used in smoothing the pulsating current
greater the common area, the larger the capacitance. produced by rectifying ac into de. A typical filter choke has many turns of wire
wound on an iron core. To avoid power losses, the core is made of laminated sheets
of E- and I-shapes (Fig. 1.15). Many power supplies use filter chokes of 5 to 20 H,
capable of carrying current up to 0.3 A .
.... ------->,
:::::::::::,
_______ :::::::=::::::\

I-shaped
laminations

(a) Exploded view oflaminated core (b) Assembly choke

Fig. 1.15 Typical filter choke

Fig. 1.13 Air-gang capacitor (variable)
18 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Introduction to Electronics 19

2. Audio-frequency chokes (AFCs) They are Table 1.5 Active components

used to provide high impedance to audio frequencies
(say, 60 Hz to 5 kHz). Compared to filter chokes, ------- Movable core
(having threads)
they are smaller in size and have lower inductance.
Chokes having still smaller inductances are used to
block the radio frequencies. Such chokes are called
radio-frequency chokes (RFCs). Variable inductors PN-Junction Diode Unjunction Transistor
Coil (UJT)
are used in tuning circuits for radio frequencies. The
permeability-tuned variable coil has a ferromagnetic ~ Bipolar Junction Field Effect
E~l
(Rectifier, detector, Transistor (BJT) Transistors (FET)
~B2
shaft. This shaft can be moved within the coil to

~:
switching circuits)
vary the inductance as shown in Fig. 1.16.
Zener Diode (Power control,
Fig. 1.16 Permeability-tuned switching circuits)
3. Transformers A transformer is quite similar in variable coil (NPN Type)
Silicon Controlled
appearance to an inductor. It consists basically of

~
(Voltage regulator) Rectifier (SCR)
two inductors having the same core (Fig. 1.17). One of these inductors, or windings,

~
Varactor Diode
is called primary. The other is called secondary.
(PNP Type) G
/Core (Frequency converters (Speed control of motors
or mixers) (Amplifiers, oscillators, power electronics)
Schottky Diode switching circuits)
f----------------~--------1
Phototransistor

G~
"'.
:
I
; ; :
I

Junction Field EB
---+-~'~ t~~'--r----o Meta/Oxide
Primary Tunnel Diode Effect Transistor Semiconductor
winding o-.:.--S=l=1,::::f ll§L_jwinding
Secondary
0 ~ 0 (JFET) Field Effect

G~
(High frequency DS Transistor (Alarm systems)
I
I ~ oscillator) (MOSFET)
I
: .. " (IGFET)
---------------------------
I Light Emitting Diode
'~·'--------~~~~~ (LED)
(N-channel) ,.----'-I--~+
4 G~: ENi.~
0
Fig. 1.17 Basic structure of a transformer DEMOSFET
(Visual display)
When an alternating current is applied at the primary, an induced voltage appears
in the secondary. In a step-up transformer, the number of turns in the secondary is
more than that in the primary. The secondary voltage is more than the primary. If the
(P-channel)
(Amplifiers, oscillators,
switching circuits)
G
s
(N-channel)
B
LQf-B
(N-channel)
number of turns in the secondary is less than that in the primary, the voltage will be
stepped down. The transformer is then called a step-down transformer. A transformer

~B
of suitable turns-ratio is often used in electronic circuits for impedance matching. D

1.4.2 Active Components s

~B
(P-channel) (P-channel)
Table 1.5 gives a brief information about commonly used active components and (Amplifier, oscillator, (Amplifier, oscillator,
Fig. 1.18 shows photographs of some active components. switching circuits) switching circuits)
 Introduction to Electronics 21
20 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

1. Length The metre is the length equal to 1650760.73 wavelengths, in

vacuum, of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the levels
2p 10 and 5d5 of the krypton-86 atom.
2. Mass The kilogram is equal to the mass of the international prototype
kilogram stored at Sevres, France.
3. Time The second is the duration of 9 192 631 770 periods of the radiation
corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground
state of the caesium-133 atom.
4. Electric current The ampere is that current which, if maintained in two
straight parallel conductors of infinite length and of negligible circular cross
section and placed one metre apart in vacuum, would produce between these
Fig. 1.18 Some active components
conductors a force equal to 2x 10-7 newton per metre of length (N/m).
5. Thermodynamic temperature The kelvin is the 1/273.16 fraction of the
1.5 SI UNITS thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water**.
6. Amount of substance The mole is the amount of substance· in a system
SI is the abbreviation for "Systeme International d'Unites" in French, and is the which contains as many elementary entities as there are atoms in 0.012 kg of
modern form of the metric system introduced at the Eleventh International Conference
carbon-12.
of Weights and Measures, 1960. This system of units possesses features that make 7. Luminous intensity The candela is the luminous intensity, in the perpendic-
it logically superior to any other system and also more convenient, as it is coherent, ular direction, of a surface of 1/600000 m2 of a blackbody at the temperature
rational and comprehensive. of freezing platinum (2046 K), under a pressure of 101 325 newtons per square
A system of units is said to be coherent if the product or quotient of any two unit metre.
quantities in the system is the unit of the resultant quantity without the introduction
Table 1.7 Some derived units
of any numerical factor. For example, unit velocity will result when unit length is
divided by unit time.
Physicalquantity · Name of SI unit . .· "Symbbl ..
·
In 1956, India, by an Act of Parliament No. 89, switched over to the metric system
hertz Hz = cycles/s = 1/s
of weights and measures. The definitions of various units given in the Act conform Frequency
2
to the definitions of the SI units. Force newton N =kgrn/s
The SI units are based on seven base units with a unit symbol assigned to each of Work, energy, quantity of heat joule J=Nm
them as given in Table 1.6. The definitions of these base units are as follows: watt W=J/s
Power
Electric charge coulomb C=As
Table 1.6 Base units
Electric potential volt V=W/A
Dimensional
Name of SI unit Symbol Electric capacitance farad F=AsN
Physical quantity notation
Electric resistance ohm Q=V/A
metre m [L]
Length
Electric conductance siemens* S=AN
kilogram kg [M]
Mass Wb=Vs
[T] Magnetic flux weber
Time second s 2
Magnetic flux density tesla T=Wb/m
ampere A [I]
Electric current
Inductance henry H=Vs/A
kelvin* K [8]
Thermodynamic temperature oc
[mol] Customary temperature degree celsius
Amount of substance mole mol
Pressure pascal Pa=N/m
candela cd [ </J]
Luminous intensity
*The unit siemens is same as mho (0) which was used earlier.
* It should be written as kelvin only and not degree kelvin or °K.
**The temperature at which ice, water and water vapours coexist.
22 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Introduction to Electronics 23

The two dimensionless quantities, plane angle and solid angle, are treated as (ii) Almost all abbreviatipns of prefixes for magnitudes < 1, ate English lower-
independent quantities with SI units radian (rad) and steradian (sr), respectively. case letters. Ali.exception is micrq (Greek letterµ), /
These are known as supplementary units. The radian is the plane angle between two (iii) Abbreviaticms of prefixes for magnitudes > 1 are English upper-case letters.
such radii of a circle which cuts off, on the circumference, an arc equal to the length Exceptions are kilQ;h~cto ail:d deca: . ..
of the radius. Thus, (iv) The prefixes hecto, deca, deci and centi should not be used unless there is a
strong~y felt need. ·.. . ··
O(in radians)= ardic
ra us
The steradian is the solid angle which, with its vertex at the centre of a sphere, cuts 1. Multiples of the fundamental unit should be chosen in powers of± 3n where
off an area of the surface of the sphere equal to that of a square having sides equal n is an integer. Centimetre, owing to its established usage and its convenient
to the radius of the sphere. Thus, if Sis the area cut off on the surface of a sphere of size, cannot be given up lightly.
radius r, the solid angle at the centre of the sphere is 2. Double or compound prefixes should be avoided, e.g., instead ofmicromicro-
farad (µµF) or millinanofarad (mnF), use picofarad (pF).
Q(in steradians)= ~ 3. To simplify calculations, attach the prefix to the numerator and not to the
r denominator. For example, use MN/m2 instead ofN/mm2 ; even though math-
All other units are known as compound or derived SI units, some of which may have ematically, both forms are equivalent.
special names as given in Table 1.7. The SI units cover all fields of physics and en- 4. The rules for binding-in indices are not those of ordinary algebra, e.g., cm2
gineering. means (cm)2 = (0.01)2 m 2 = 0.0001 m 2, and not c x (m)2 = 0.01 m2 .

1.5.1 Decimal Multiple and Submultiple Factors 1.5.2 Other Accepted Units
Since all the coherent units are not of a convenient size for all applications, provi- It has been recognised at the international level, that some departures from strict
sion had to be made for multiples and submultiples of the coherent units. A complete purity and coherence are acceptable for practical reasons. For instance, pure SI
list of such factors is given in Table 1.8. The guidelines for the application of these would acknowledge only decimal multiples and submultiples of the second for
prefixes are as follows: time measurement; whereas minute, hour, day, month and year are in everyday use
internationally and will clearly continue to be used. Similarly, the division of the
Table 1.8 SI prefixes circle into 360 degrees is an internationally recognised practice. Some symbols,
other than SI, that are commonly used to express physical quantities are given in
Faet~r i Prefix.• .. ·• sy;;/;6/ ·· ·•· ·F'act'lit.S;;~:.'ff~ ·syT.b~l Table 1.9.
1
10 1 deca da 10- deci d
2 10-2 Table 1.9 Symbols other than SI that are commonly used
10 hecto h centi c
103 k 10-3 milli m
kilo
6
mega M 10-{i micro µ
10 angstrom A inch in
109 G 10-9 nano n
giga* British thermal unit Btu kilowatt-hour kWh
1012 10-12 pico p mi
tera T calorie cal mile
1015 p 10-15 femto f day d minute (of arc)
peta
10
18
exa E 10-18 atto a degree 0
minute (of time) min
dyne dyn pound lb
*Pronounced as jeega.
electron volt eV revolution rev

N6te foot ft second (of arc)

· · (i) The .prefixes fer factors great~~ than 1U1ity hav~· Greek orj;giri; those f oi gauss G standard atmosphere atm
factors .·foss than ·unity ha:ve.:liatin:;,'.origlfi ·(except~fefr}.tQ'..·and atto1 Je~eritly horsepower hp atomic mass unit amu
added, which·have
' :. .
Danish
, .
origin).,
·, :,-.
,--·,'
. · ··
•''',' ,,,
.· .· hour h year y
 Introduction to Electronics 25
24 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

12. When expressing a quantity by a numerical value and a certain unit, it has been
1.5.3 Guidelines for Using SI Units found suitable in most applications to use units resulting in numerical values
Following are the rules and conventions regarding the use of SI units: between LO and 1000. To facilitate the reading of numerals, the digits may
be separated into groups of three--counting from the decimal sign towards
1. Full names of units, even when they are named after a person, are not written the left and the right. The groups should be separated by a small space, but
with a capital (or upper case) initial letter, e.g., kelvin, newton, joule, watt, not by a comma or a point. In numerals of four digits, the space is usually not
volt, ampere, etc. necessary. (It is recognised, however, that to drop the comma from commercial
2. The symbols for a unit, named after a person, has a capital initial letter, e.g., accounting will involve difficulties, particularly with the adding machines in
W for watt (after James Watt) and J for joule (after James Prescott Joule). use at present). A few examples are given below:
3. Symbols for other units are not written with capital letter, e.g., m for metre.
Incorrect Correct
4. Units may be written out in full or using the agreed symbols, but no other
abbreviation may be used. They are printed in full or abbreviated, in roman (a) 40,000 or 40000 (a) 40000
(upright) type, e.g., amp. is not a valid abbreviation for ampere. (b) 81234.765 (b) 81234.765
5. Symbols for units do not take a plural form with added 's'; the symbol merely (c) 764213.87629 (c) 764 213.876 29
names the unit in which the preceding magnitude is measured, e.g., 50 kg, and (d) 6543.21 (d) 6543.21
not 50 kgs.
6. No full stops or hyphens or other punctuation marks should be used within Note
or at the end of the symbols for units. However, when a unit symbol prefix is ,~',!4~ /cs)'.''. ,·~n~~·,,, -;~/'~~~~}'~' ,/,'.' ~~,' "'t 1 ,,,,'"i:\rC:-,_ '>~,·,~·:l:'f ;3,

identical to a unit symbol, a raised dot may be used between the two symbols (i). Jhe reco~eJ,l.d€1ct~~~KW:,µlt,~J~ft~iill :~l,S,!qp,(.J:J:l}~ S!gl,l. qf~Iµl!itjpliq!lti~"' ·.
of numb~rs isa cross (1<)., : < •. ·.. . . . . . :'. . .. . . .· ...
to avoid confusion. For example, while writing, say, metre second it should be
abbriviated as m·s to avoid confusion with ms, the symbol for millisecond. '-'(ii)· trili~'tna~fli~~ Qf >~11itlill~~r'.1s:1~s§'tifan ifuiey~_·lh~ de&imaFSigti '~b:6ii1d be
preceded by a·zero. '" ::·nc·;:•:\
7. There is a mixture of capital and lower-case letters in the symbols for the
prefixes as shown in Table 1.8, but the full names of the prefixes commence
with lower-case letters only, e.g., 5 MW (5 megawatt), 2 ns (2 nanosecond).
8. A space is left between a numeral and the symbol except in case of the • Review Questions •
permitted non-SI units for angular measurements, e.g., 57° 16' 44".
1. What is meant by electronics?
9. A space is left between the symbols for compound units, e.g., Nm for
2. How has electronics affected our daily life?
newtons x metres and kWh for killowatt hour. This reduces the risk of
3. Write at least two important applications of electronics in the field of
confusion when an index notation instead of the solidus (/) is used. In the
1 (a) communications and entertainment, (b) industry and (c) medical sciences.
former notation, a velocity in metres per second is written as ms- instead
1
of mis, but ms- may mean 'per millisecond'. This type of confusion will 4. State what is meant by radar? Mention some of its important applications.
not occur if we follow the rule that the denominators of compound units are 5. What are the modem trends in electronics?
always expressed in the base units and not in their multiples or submultiples. 6. Before understanding electronic circuits, one must firsthave an understanding
Thus, a heat flow rate will not be given as J/ms but only as kJ/s =kW of the components that make up those circuits. Justify the statement (in about
l 0. When a compound unit is formed by dividing one unit by another, this may be 7-8 lines).
indicated in one of the two forms as mis or m s- 1• In no case, should more than 7. Write the unit ofresistance? If a resistor is rated at 1000 Q and 10 W, what is
one solidus sign (/) on the same line be included in such a combination unless the maximum current it can carry?
a parenthesis be inserted to avoid all ambiguity. In complicated cases, negative 8. Explain constructional features of a wire-wound resistor. What is the range of
powers or parenthesis should be used. wattage for wire-wound resistors?
11. Algebraic symbols representing "quantities" are written in italics, while 9. Explain in brief, what is (a) a capacitor, and (b) a dielectric.
symbols for "units" are written as upright characters, e.g., 10. Name three primary uses of capacitors?
J=3A
11. Explain briefly the basic construction of a ceramic capacitor. What is the range
a current
of capacitance values available in ceramic capacitors?
an energy E = 2.75 J
12. Why are paper capacitors not used in filters of rectifier power supplies?
a terminal voltage V = 1.5 V
26 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Introduction to Electronics 27

13. What forms the dielectric of an electrolytic capacitor? Why is the electrolytic
6. A resistor has a colour band sequence: brown, black, green, and gold. Its value
capacitor polarised?
is
14. While tuning your radio receiver to a desired station, which component inside
(a) 1kQ±10 % (b) 10kQ±5%
the set are you varying?
(c) 1000 kQ ± 5 % (d) 1MQ±10%
15. When you adjust the volume control knob of your radio receiver, which
component is varied inside the set? 7. We need a resistor of value 47 kQ with ±5 % tolerance. The sequence of the
16. What is a trimmer capacitor? Describe the basic construction of a mica colour band on this resistor should be
trimmer capacitor. (a) yellow, violet, yellow, and gold
17. What is an inductor? What is the unit of inductance? (b) yellow, violet, orange, and gold
18. Give some important applications of inductors. (c) yellow, violet, orange, and silver
19. For what purpose can a transformer be used in an eJectronic circuit? (d) yellow, violet, brown, and silver
20. Name a few active components (devices) used in electronic circuits. 8. By rotating the volume control in a radio receiver, you can change the volume
21. Write down the seven base units in SI units. (level) of sound. When you rotate this control, a resistance is varied inside the
receiver. Similarly, you can tune in any desired station by rotating the tuning
control. When we rotate the tuning control, we vary
• Objective-Type Questions • - - - - - -
(a) a resistance
Below are some incomplete statements. Four alternatives are provided for each. (b) a capacitance
Choose the alternative that completes the statement correctly. (c) an inductance
1. Electronics is that branch of engineering which deals with the application of (d) only the position of the indicating needle
(a) high-current machines 9. With the help ofradar, we can
(b) production of electronic components (a) listen to more melodious music
(c) electronic devices (b) perform mathematical calculations very fast
(d) fission of uranium nuclei (c) cure the damaged tissues in the human body
2. One of the examples of an active device is (d) detect the presence of an aircraft as well as locate its position
(a) an electric bulb 10. With the help of a computer, we can
(b) a transformer (a) perform mathematical calculations very fast
(c) a loudspeaker (b) transmit messages to a distant place
(d) a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) (c) amplify very weak signals
3. Which one of the following is used as a passive component in electronic (d) see the details of a photograph by magnifying it more than million times
circuits? 11. Ratings on a capacitor are given as 25 µF, 12 V. Also, a plus sign is written
(a) Resistor (b) Transistor near one of its terminals. From this information, we can definitely say that the
(c) Zener diode (d) Tunnel diode capacitor is
4. The term IC, as used in electronics, denotes (a) a mica capacitor (b) a ceramic capacitor
(a) internal combustion ( b) integrated circuits (c) an electrolytic capacitor (d) any of these
(c) industrial control (d) Indian culture 12. The colour bands on a fixed carbon resistor are: brown, red, and black (given
sequentially). Its value is
5. A 100-µF capacitor is required in fabricating an electronic circuit. Such a
large value of capacitance is possible if the capacitor is (a) 12 Q (b) 120 Q
(a) a mica capacitor (b) a ceramic capacitor (c) 21 Q (d) 210 Q
(c) an air-gang capacitor (d) an electrolytic capacitor
28 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

13. An ac voltage can be converted into a unidirectional voltage by using

UNIT
(a) a power amplifier circuit (b) an oscillator circuit
(c) a multivibrator circuit (d) a rectifier circuit CURRENT AND VOLTAGE SOURCES
..
Answers.· ...

2. (d) 3. (a) ... 4. '(b) '"5 . (d) 6. (~)

"In the present state of our knowledge, it would be useless to
I. (c)
attempt to speculate on the remote cause of the electrical energy...
7. (b) 8. (b} 9. (d) lQ.{d) ti (c) 1i. (a)
13. (d) its relation to chemical affinity is, however, sufficiently evident.
May it not be identical with it, and an essential property of
matter?"
Humphry Davy (1778-1829)
British Chemist and Inventor

After completing this U:nit, students Will be able to.:

• name a few sources of electrical energy
• draw the symbols of ideal voltage source, practical voltage source
ideal current source and practical current source ·
• name examples of some voltage .sources
• name examples of some current sources
• draw V-I characteristics for the voltage and currentsources (both ;
ideal as well as practical)
• explainthe difference between ideal and practical voltage source
• explain the difference between ideal and practical current source
• convert a given practical voltage source into an equivalent practi-
cal current source and vice versa
• solve simple problems involving voltage and current sources

. 2.1 SOURCES OF ELECTRICAL POWER

The basic purpose of a source is to supply power
to a load. A source is, therefore, connected to the
load as shown in Fig. 2.1. The source may sup- Source Load
ply either de (direct current) or ac (alternating
current). The terminology de as employed here
stands for any quantity that is steady, unchanging Fig. 2.1 Transfer of energy from
and unidirectional in nature. Similarly, the termi- source to load
 30 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
Current and Voltage Sources 31

nology ac stands to specify any quantity which is alternating in nature, i.e., its magni-
2.1.2 Generators
tude is changing in both the positive and negative directions with time. Unless stated
otherwise, the term ac represents sinusoidal variations. Some de sources are battery, The de generator is quite different from the bat-
de generator and rectification-type de supply. Similarly, examples of ac sources are tery. It has a rotating shaft. When this shaft is
alternators and oscillators or signal generators. rotated at the specified speed by some external
agency (such as a steam turbine or water tur-
2.1.1 Batteries bine), a voltage of rated value appears across its
terminals (see Fig. 2.3). Generally speaking, a
The battery is the most common de voltage source. The term battery is derived from + 220V
generator is capable of giving higher voltage and
the expression "battery of cells". A battery consists of a series or parallel combina- power than a battery. Fig. 2.3 DC generator
tion of two or more similar cells. A cell is the fundamental source of electrical en-
ergy. Cells can be divided into primary and secondary types. The secondary cell is
2.1.3 Rectification-Type Supply
rechargeable, whereas the primary is not. The battery used in a car is of secondary
type, since it can be recharged. But the cells used in a torch are of primary type, as The de supply most frequently used in an electronics laboratory is of this type. It con-
they cannot be recharged. Figure 2.2 shows a battery and some typical cells. tains a rectifier which converts time-varying voltage, i.e., ac (such as that available
from the domestic power-mains) into a voltage of fixed value. This process will be
discussed in detail in Unit 4. A de laboratory supply ofthis type is shown in Fig. 2.4.
The adaptor used with a laptop is also of this type.

Fig. 2.2 A battery and some cells

Fig. 2.4 Regulated DC power supply
Cells* and batteries produce electrical power at the expense of chemical energy,
and all have the same basic construction. Each has two electrodes (one positive and 2.1.4 Alternators
the other negative) which are immersed in an electrolyte. Electrolytes are chemical The alternator is quite similar, both in construction and mode of operation, to the de
compounds. When dissolved in a solution, they decompose into positive and nega- generator. When its shaft is rotated, an alternating (sinusoidal) voltage is generated
tive ions. These ions carry the charge inside the cell from one electrode to the other. across its terminals. These type of alternators are used in most electric power sta-
tions. Electronics has hardly anything to do with such alternators, except that in most
* An exception is the solar cell, which converts light energy into electrical energy. Solar of the cases it is these alternators, in the power generating station, which give power
cells are in the developmental stage; and very soon, inexpensive solar will be available. for the operation of the electronic equipment.
 Current and Voltage Sources 33
32 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

The terminal voltage (the voltage across the terminals AB) of the cell is same as the
2.1.5 Oscillators or Signal Generators voltage across the load resistor RL· Therefore,
An oscillator is the equipment which supplies ac voltages. This voltage is used as VAB= Ix RL = 1.5 X 0.9 = 1.35 V
a signal to test the working of different electronic circuits (such as an amplifier).
The frequency of the ac signal supplied by this instrument can be varied. Some The voltage that drops because of the internal resistance is
signal generators are capable of giving other type of waveforms, such as triangular, = 1.5 -1.35 = 0.15 v
square, etc., in addition to the sinusoidal wave. Figure 2.5 shows a laboratory signal
(function) generator. Note that, if the internal resistance of the cell were smaller (compared to the load
resistance), the voltage drop would also have been smaller than 0.15 V. The internal
resistance (or impedance in case of ac source) of a source may be due to one or more
of the following reasons :
1. The resistance of the electrolyte between the electrodes, in case of a cell.
2. The resistance of the armature winding in case of an alternator or a de
generator.
3. The output impedance of the active device like a transistor in case of an
oscillator (or signal generator) and rectification-type de supply.

om ) 0.90

2.2
All electrical energy sources have some internal impedance (or resistance*). It is due
to this internal impedance that the source does not behave ideally. When a voltage
source supplies power to a load, its terminal voltage (voltage available at its termi- (a) (b)
nals) drops. A cell used in a torch has a voltage of 1.5 V across its two electrodes
when nothing is connected to it. However, when connected to a bulb, its voltage Fig. 2.6 A cell connected to a bulb
becomes less than 1.5 V. Such a reduction in the terminal voltage of the cell may be
explained as follows.
Figure 2.6a shows a cell of 1.5 V connected to a bulb. When we say "cell of
1.5 V", we mean a cell whose open-circuit voltage is 1.5 V. In the equivalent circuit Consider an ac source. Let Vs be its open-circuit voltage (i.e., the voltage which
of Fig. 2.6b, the bulb is replaced by a load resistor RL (of, say, 0.9 Q), and the cell is exists across its terminals when nothing is connected to it), and Zs be its internal
replaced by a constant voltage source of 1.5 Vin series with the internal resistance impedance. Let it be connected to a load impedance ZL whose value can be varied,
Rs (of, say, 0.1 Q). The total resistance in the circuit is now 0.1+0.9 = 1.0 Q. Since as shown in Fig. 2. 7.
the net voltage that sends current into the circuit is 1.5 V, the current in the circuit is Now, suppose ZL is infinite. It means that the terminals AB of the source are
open-circuited. Under this condition, no current cart flow. The terminal voltage VT is -
I= V = I_2 = 1.5 A
R 1.0

* In case of de circuits, the impedance simply reduces to resistance.

 34 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Current and Voltage Sources 35

obviously the same as the emf Vs, since there is no voltage drop across Zs. Let us now

v,[
A
connect a finite load impedance ZL, and then go on reducing its value. As we do this,
the current in the circuit goes on increasing. The voltage drop across Zs also goes on
increasing. As a result, the terminal voltage VT goes on decreasing.

B
(a) DC voltage source (b) AC voltage source

Fig. 2.8 Symbolic representation ofan ideal voltage source

Fig. 2.7 A variable load connected to an ac source

For a given value of ZL, the current in the circuit is given as

I= Vs.
Load current, /L -
Zs+ZL ...., Load impedance, ZL
Therefore, the terminal voltage of the source, which is the same as the voltage across
the load, is Fig. 2. 9 V-1 characteristics of an ideal voltage source
v; v;
VT =Ix ZL = s x ZL = . s . (2.1)
Zs+ZL l+Zs/ZL 2.3.2 Practical Voltage Source
From the above equation, we find that if the ratio Zs/ZL is small compared to unity, An ideal voltage source is not practically possible. There is no source which can
the terminal voltage VT remains almost the same as the voltage Vs. Under this con- maintain its terminal voltage constant when its terminals are short-circuited. It it
dition, the source behaves as a good voltage source. Even if the load impedance could do so, it would mean that it can supply an infinite amount of power to a short
changes, the terminal voltage of the source remains practically constant (provided circuit. This is not possible. Hence, an ideal voltage source does not exist in practice.
ratio Zs/ZL is quite small). Such a source can then be said to .be a "good (but not However, the concept of an ideal voltage source is very helpful in understanding the
ideal) voltage source". circuits containing a practical voltage source.
A practical voltage source can be considered to consist of an ideal voltage source
2.3.1 Ideal Voltage Source in series with an impedance. This impedance is called the internal impedance of
the source. The symbolic representation of practical voltage sources are shown in
It would have been ideal, if the terminal voltage of a source remains fixed whatever Fig. 2.10.
be the load connected to it. In other words, a voltage source should ideally provide a
fixed terminal voltage even though the current drain (or load resistance) may vary. In ----·-
j; ... ·;.\
I1·-~-·····.··· A A
Eq. (2.1 ), to make the terminal voltage VT fixed for any value of ZL, the only way is ·.··. ·I I.
to make the internal impedance Zs zero. Thus, we infer that an ideal voltage source I . ·.. I I
must have zero internal impedance. The symbolic representation of de and ac ideal
voltage source are given in Fig. 2.8. Figure 2.9 gives the characteristics of an ideal
L.''+.... · ~
I l
I
1<

voltage source. The terminal voltage VT is seen to be constant at Vs for all values of
load current*.
1Vs.
t. -r . .
·.·

l....;. ___ j
I
I oB

(a) DC voltage source (b)AC voltage source

* Load current varies as the load impedance is changed. When we reduce the value of load
impedance, the current increases. Fig. 2.10 Practical voltage source
36 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Current and Voltage Sources 37

It is not possible to reach any other terminal except A and B. These are the ter- When the load resistance becomes 10 Q, the total resistance in the circuit becomes
minals available for making external connections. In the de source, since the upper 10 + 1 = 11 Q. We can again find the terminal voltage as
terminal of the ideal voltage source is marked positive, the terminal A will be posi-
tive with respec;t to terminal B. In the ac source in Fig. 2. lOb, the upper terminal of Vs
VT2 = xRL2
the ideal voltage source is marked as positive and lower as negative. The marking of Vs +RL2
positive and negative on an ac source does not mean the same thing as the markings 2 20
on a de source. Here (in ac), it means that the upper terminal (terminal A) of the = --x 10= = l.818V
1+10 11
ideal voltage source is positive with respect to the lower terminal at that particular
instant. In the next half-cycle of ac, the lower terminal will be positive and the upper Thus, we find that the maximum voltage available across the terminals of the source
negative. Thus, the positive and negative markings on an ac source indicate the po- is 1.818 V. When the load resistance varies between its extreme limits-from 1 Q
larities at a given instant of time. In some books, you will find the reference polarities to 10 Q-the terminal voltage varies from 1 V to 1.818 V. This is certainly a large
marked by--instead of positive and negative signs-an arrow pointing towards the variation. The variation in the terminal voltage is more than 40 % of the maximum
positive terminal. voltage.
The question naturally arises: What should be the characteristics of a source so Let us consider another example. A 600-Q, 2-V ac source is connected to a
that it may be considered a good enough constant voltage source? An ideal voltage variable load, as shown in Fig. 2.1 lb. The load impedance ZL can vary from 50 ill to
source, of course, must have zero internal impedance. In practice, no source can be 500 kQ-again a variation having the same ratio of 1 : 10, as in the case of the first
an ideal one. Therefore, it is necessary to determine how much the value of the in- example. We can find the variation in the terminal voltage of the source. When the
ternal impedance Zs should be, so that it can be called a practical voltage source. Let load impedance is 50 ill, the terminal voltage is
us consider an example. A de source has an open-circuit voltage of 2 V, and internal
Vs
resistance of only 1 Q. It is connected to a load resistance RL as shown in Fig. 2.11 a. Vn = xZu
The load resistance can assume any value ranging from I Q to IO Q. Let us now find Zs +Zu
the variation in the terminal voltage of the source. 2
- -- - x 50 000 = 1.976 v
When the load resistance RL is 1 Q, the total resistance in the circuit is 1 + 1 = 2 Q. 600+50000
The current in the circuit is
When the load impedance is 500 ill, the terminal voltage is
Vi= Vs
=_3_=1A
Vs
Rs +RL l+l VT2 = xZL2
Zs +ZL2
j"'; ~ ;;"; ;::- .- A
2
I . . x 500 000 = 1.997 v
600+500000
~~s
,:,'! 1 Qto 50kQto
With respect to the maximum value, the percentage variation in terminal voltage
IOQ 500kQ
1 .. = 1.997 -1.976 x 100 = 1.05 %
,vs 1.997
F.
f_;.;. .:.:_ :.:.. ,;_/.J B We can now compare the two examples. In the first case, although the internal resis-
tance of the de source is only I Q, yet it is not justified to call it a constant voltage
(a) (b) source. Its terminal voltage varies by more than 40 %. In the second case, although
the internal impedance of the ac source is 600 Q, it may still be called a practical
Fig. 2.11 Voltage sources connected to variable loads
constant voltage source, since the variation in its terminal voltage is quite small (only
The terminal voltage is then 1.05 %). Thus, we conclude that it is not the absolute value of the internal impedance
that decides whether a source is a good constant voltage source or not. It is the value
v;
Vn =11 xRu = s xRu of the internal impedance relative to the load impedance that is important. The lesser
Rs +Ru the ratio Zs/ZL (in the first example, this ratio varies from 1 to 0.1, whereas in the
2 second example it varies from 0.012 to 0.0012), the better is the source as a constant
= - x 1 = l.OV
1+1 voltage source.
 38 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Current and Voltage Sources 39

No practical voltage source can be an ideal voltage source. Thus, no practical inside the source. The inside path has an impedance Zs, and is called the internal
voltage source can have the V-1 characteristic as shown in Fig. 2.9. When the load impedance. The symbolic representation of such a practical current source is shown
current increases, the terminal voltage of a practical voltage source decreases. The in Fig. 2.13d.
characteristic is then modified to that shown in Fig. 2.12a. It is sometimes preferred
to take voltage on the x-axis and current on the y-axis. The V-1 characteristic of a
practical voltage source then looks like the one shown in Fig. 2.12b.

vt
---------------- B Load impedance -
(a) Symbol for an ideal current source (b) V-I characteristics of an ideal
current source

Vs v- A
(a) (b)

Fig. 2.12 Two ways of drawing V-1 characteristics of a practical voltage source

B
2.4 CONCEPT OF CURRENT SOURCE (c) A variable load connected to an ideal (d) Representation of a practical current source
current source
Like a constant voltage source, there may be a constant current source-a source that
supplies a constant current to a load even if its impedance varies. Ideally, the cur- Fig. 2.13 Current source
rent supplied by it should remain constant, no matter what the load impedance is. A
symbolic representation of such an ideal current source is shown in Fig. 2. l 3a. The Now, if terminals AB are open-circuited (ZL = oo) in Fig. 2. I 3d, the terminal volt-
arrow inside the circle indicates the direction in which current will flow in the circuit age does not have to be infinite. It is now an infinite value, VT = lsZs. It means that
when a load is connected to the source. Figure 2.13b shows the V-1 characteristic of the source does not have to supply infinite power.
an ideal current source. Do not be alarmed if the concept of a current source is strange and somewhat
Let us connect a variable load impedance ZL to a constant current source as shown confusing at this point. It will become clearer in later chapters. The introduction of
in Fig. 2. l 3c. As stated above, the current supplied by the source should remain semiconductor devices such as the transistor is responsible, to a large extent, for the
constant at Is for all values of load impedance. It means even if ZL is made infinity, increasing interest in current sources.
the current through this should remain Is. Now, we must see if any practical current
source could satisfy this condition. The load impedance ZL = means no conduct-
00 2.4.1 Practical Current Source
ing path, external to the source, exists between the terminals A and B. Hence, it is a
An ideal current source is merely an idea. In practice, an ideal current source cannot
physical impossibility for current to flow between terminals A and B. If the source
exist. Obviously, there cannot be a source that can supply constant current even if its
could maintain a current Is through an infinitely large load impedance, there would
terminals are open-circuited. The reason why an actual source does not work as an
have been an infinitely large voltage drop across the load. It would then have con-
ideal current source is that its internal impedance is not infinite. A practical current
sumed infinite power from the source. Of course, no practical source could even
supply infinite power. source is represented by the symbol shown in Fig. 2. l 3d. The source impedance Zs is
put in parallel with the ideal current source ls. Now, if we connect a load across the
A practical current source supplies current Is to a short circuit (i.e., when ZL = 0). terminals A and B, the load current will ne different from the current Is. The current
That is why, the current Is is called short-circuit current. But, when we increase the Is now divides itself between two branches--one made of the source impedance Zs
load impedance, the current falls below Is. When the load impedance ZL is made inside the source itself, and the other made of the load impedance ZL external to the
infinite (i.e., the terminals A and B are open-circuited), the load current reduces to source.
zero. It means there should be some path (inside the source itself) through which the
Let us find the conditions under which a source can work as a good (practical)
current Is can flow. When some finite load impedance is connected, only a part of
current source. In Fig. 2.14a, load impedance ZL is connected to a current .•source.
this current Is flows through the load. The remaining current goes through the path
40 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Current and Voltage Sources 41

Let ls be the short-circuit current of the source, and Zs be its internal impedance. its working conditions. If the value of the load impedance is very large compared to
The current ls is seen to be divided into two parts-11 through Zs and h through ZL· the internal impedance of the source, it proves advantageous to treat the source as a
That is, voltage source. On the other hand, if the value of the load impedance is very small
compared to the internal impedance, it is better to represent the source as a current
ls =!1 +h
source. From the circuit point of view, it does not matter at all whether the source is
or I, =ls-h treated as a current source or a voltage source. In fact, it is possible to convert a volt-
Since the impedance Zs and ZL are in parallel, the voltage drop across each should age source into a current source and vice versa.
be equal, i.e.,
l1Zs =hZL 2.5.1 Conversion of Voltage Source into Current
or (Is -h)Zs = hZL Source and Vice Versa
- lsZs Consider an ac source connected to a load impedance ZL· The source can either be
or I L-
Zs+ZL treated as a voltage source or a current source, as shown in Fig. 2.15. The voltage-
source representation consists of an ideal voltage source Vs in series with a source
-
IL- ls (2.2)
or impedance Zsi· And the current-source representation consists of an ideal current
l+fZdZs)
source ls in parallel with source impedance Zs 2. These are the two representations of
This equation tells us that the load current h will remain almost the same as the the same source. Both types of representations must appear the same to the externally
current ls, provided the ratio ZdZs is small compared to unity. The source then connected load impedance ZL· They, must give the same results.
behaves as a good current source. In other words, the larger the value of internal In Fig. 2.15b, if the load impedance ZL is reduced to zero (i.e., the terminals A and
impedance Zs (compared to the load impedance ZL), the smaller is the ratio ZdZs,
B are short-circuited), the current through this short is given as
and the better it works as a constant current source.
h (short circuit)= _!:i_ (2.3)
A Zs1
We want both the representations (voltage-source and current-source) to give the
------------------ same results. This means that current source in Fig. 2. l 5c must also give the same
current (as given by Eq. (2.3)) when terminals A and Bare shorted. But the current
obtained by shorting the terminals A and B of Fig. 2.15c is simply the source current
ls (the source impedance Zs2 connected in parallel with a short circuit is as good
..;.;. ____ ;_ - -·- - B
v-.
as not being present). Therefore, we conclude that the current ls of the equivalent
current source must be the same as that given by Eq. (2.3). Thus,
(a) Practical current source feeding (b) V-I characteristic of a
current to a load impedance practical current source h (short circuit)= ls= _!:i_ (2.4)
Zs1
Fig. 2.14
Again, the two representations of the source must give the same terminal voltage
From Eq. (2.2), we see that the current h =ls, when ZL = 0. But, as the value of when the load impedance ZL is disconnected from the source (i.e., when the tenni-
load impedance is increased, the current h is reduced. For a given increase in load nals A and B are open-circuited). In Fig. 2.15b, the open-circuit terminal voltage is
impedance ZL, the corresponding reduction in load current h is much smaller. Thus, simply Vs. There is no voltage drop across the internal impedance Zs1. Let us find
with the increase in load impedance, the terminal voltage (V = hZd also increases. out the open-circuit voltage in the current-source representation of Fig. 2.15c.When
The V-I characteristic of a practical current source is shown in Fig. 2. l 4b. the terminals A and B are open-circuited, the whole of the current ls flows through
the impedance Zs2 . The terminal voltage is then the voltage drop across this imped-

E'QUIVA,LEN'c~·s·F:fWEEN. v6tTAGE SPURCE ; . ance. That is

2:5rr VT(open circuit)= lsZs2 (2.5)
AND CURRENT SOURCE . ..
, • ' ~~ '.. "·. » '>
'. .
•" ' •• .,. ' ' . -.- " •.. _.. . ', •

Practically, a voltage source is not different from a current source. In fact, a source
can either work as a current source or as a voltage source. It merely depends upon
42 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Current and Voltage Sources 43

In Fig. 2.15b, the current through the load impedance is

I - Vs (2.7)
LI - Zs+ZL

zL In Fig. 2.15c, the currentls divides into two branches. Since the current divides itself
into two branches in inverse proportion of the impedances, the current through the
r----1 A load impedance ZL is
I o--<>--

1 ._ _ _ _ _ .1 B r _ J, Zs _ I sZs
I
1 L2 - SX
Zs +ZL Zs +ZL
I (b) Voltage-source representation
I Source Load By making use ofEq. (2.6), the above equation can be written as
I
I r----1 A JL2
Vs
=-~- (2.8)

\
I I Zs+ZL
I._ _ _ _ _ .1 B I
I We now see that the two currents lu and h 2 as given by Eqs. (2.7) and (2.8) are
(a) I exactly the same. Thus, the equivalence between the voltage-source and current-
11s t ZL
source representations of Fig. 2.15 is completely established. We may convert a given
I
I voltage source into its equivalent current source by using Eq. (2.6). Similarly, any
I current source may be converted into its equivalent voltage source by using the same
I._ _ _ _ _ .1 B equation .

(c) Current-source representation

Fig. 2.15 A source connected to a load

Therefore, ifthe two representations of the source are to be equivalent, we must have
VT= Vs Solution: Ifwe short circuit the terminal A and B of the voltage source, the cur-
Using Eqs. (2.4) and (2.5), we get rent supplied by the source is

IsZs1 = IsZs2 /(short circuit)= Vs = ~ = 2 A

or Zs1 = Zs 2 =Zs (say) Rs 1

Then both Eqs. (2.4) and (2.5) reduce to

--------"A
Vs =IsZs (2.6)
IQ
It may be noted (see Eq. (2.5)) that in both the representations of the source, the
source impedance as faced by the load impedance at the terminals AB, is the same
(impedance Zs). Thus, we have established the equivalence between the voltage- '------e-----0B
source representation and current-source representation of Fig. 2.15, for short
circuits and for open circuits. But, we are not sure that the equivalence is valid for any Fig. 2.16 A voltage source Fig. 2.17 Equivalent current source
other value of load impedance. To test this, let us check whether a given impedance
ZL draws the same amount of current when connected either to the voltage-source In the equivalent current-source representation, the current source is of 2 A. The
representation or to the current-source representation. source impedance of 1 Q is connected in parallel with this current source. The
equivalent current source obtained is shown in Fig. 2.17.
 Current and Voltage Sources 45
44 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

ZL = Z 1Z2 =IO x 40 kQ = 8 kQ
Example 2.2 Obtain an equivalent voltage source of the ac current source Z1 +Z2 IO +40
shown in Fig. 2.18. ~
Now the circuit of Fig. 2.20 can be redrawn as given in Fig. 2. 21. A net impedance
of 8 kQ is shown to be connected across the source terminals A and B.
Solution: The open-circuit voltage across terminals A and B. is given as
V(open circuit) = lsZs A

=0.2x I00=20V
8kQ
.-----..----a A

lOOQ B

Fig. 2.21
.____.__--a B
It is clear that the current ls divides itself into two branches-one consisting of Zs
Fig. 2.18 An ac current source Fig. 2.19 Equivalent voltage source
and other consisting of ZL· Therefore, using current divider concept the current [z is
given by
This will be the value of the "ideal voltage source" in the equivalent voltage-
source representation. The source impedance Zs is put in series with the ideal volt-
age source. Thus, the equivalent voltage-source representation of the given current
source is as given in Fig. 2.19.
Again, look at Fig. 2.20. The current [z divides into two parallel branches. The cur-
rent in the 40 kQ impedance can be determined as follows:
Example 2.3 In th~ circµit .of Fi~. 2.20, an a9 cW:retif source o(J .5 mA ~d 3
2kQ'iS connected to a to~a con1isting of fuiti 1>ani1iei: br~clies;;one'<;r 1okri arlci h = /z x Zi = 0.3 x I0-3 x lO x I0 = 60 µA
' other of 40 kn. Determine the c\ltrent h tlowi,llg inthe 40 k.d ·ihlp~dance. Now.
3
Z1 +Z2 (I0+40)xI0
convert the given current source into its equivalent voltage source and then again
calculate'the cuttent hill the:40 kQ impedahc~v Check whethet·you get th~ sacie
We shall again solve this problem following another approach. Here we convert the
given current source into its equivalent voltage source. The open-circuit voltage of
results in the two cases. · · · · ·· : · · ~
the source is given as
3
Vs =IsZs = 1.5 x io-3 x 2 x I0 = 3.0V
r-'.""'- - -"'."--"'.'""-, A r-'.""'------:---1
I I Therefore, the equivalent voltage-source rep- A
I I I;•I I
:1 resentation will be an ideal voltage source of
I I 3.0 Vin series with an impedance of 2 kQ.
:1
: 1.5,mA + I
I
I
I Z1 'I We can connect the net load impedance ZL 8kQ
I I I .,
.I (of 8 kQ, as calculated above) to this voltage
..
I
'
I

B
I

- - - - - - - - - - _I
I
source, as in Fig. 2.22.
The circuit in Fig. 2.22 is a single-loop
3.0 v

B
L. - - - - - - - - - -· Load, ZL
circuit. The loop current can be calculated by
Current source
applying Kirchhoff's voltage law. Fig. 2.22 Single-loop circuit
Fig. 2.20 A current source connected to a load 3
3 = I (2 x I0 3 + 8 x I0 )

3
Solution: Let us first determine the net load impedance that is connected across I= =0.3mA
the source terminals A and B. This would be the parallel combination of the two IO x I0 3
impedances. Thus,
46 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Current and Voltage Sources 47

(Note that the currentlturns out to be the same as current12 of Fig. 2.21). This current varies. If the zener diode were not there, the terminal voltage VT would also vary,
gets divided into two parallel branches of the load impedance ZL (see Fig. 2.20). The because the voltage drop across the source impedance varies. But now, since a zener
current through the 40 kQ impedance is diode is connected across terminals A and B, and it has characteristics quite similar
to that of an ideal voltage source, the situation is different. The terminal voltage VT
z
14 =lx--1- = 0.3 x 10-3 x
10x10 3
= 60 µA remains constant at Vz whatever be the current flowing through the zener diode.
Z1 +Z2 (10+40)x10 3 When the load current varies, the zener diode current adjusts itself so that its terminal
voltage remains constant. This is an example of simple voltage regulator circuit. The
This is the same result as obtained earlier. Thus, we find that solving an electrical
resistance R 2 is put in the circuit so as to limit the current through the zener diode. It
circuit gives the same result whether we treat the source in the circuit as voltage
ensures safe operation of the zener diode.
source or current source. However, as we shall see later, the solving of a particular
circuit sometimes becomes simpler if we treat the source as one type rather than the
A
other.

2.6 USEFULNESS OF THE CONCEPT OF VOLTAGE

AND CURRENT SOURCE IN ELECTRONICS
As we proceed with the study of electronics, we find that the concept of voltage and
B
current sources are of great help. For example, in determining the performance of
an electronic circuit (such as an amplifier, which is used for amplifying electrical Fig. 2.24 Zener diode connected across a practical voltage source
signals), we convert the original circuit into its equivalent ac circuit. In this equivalent
circuit, the active device (such as a BJT or an FET) is replaced by its current-source A zener diode when connected in the circuit of Fig. 2.24 works as a voltage source.
equivalent or voltage-source equivalent. We can now apply the basics of circuit Strictly speaking, it is not a source, because it cannot supply any power of its own.
theory to determine the characteristic behaviour of the electronic circuit. We need another voltage source for its operation. Once it is connected in an electrical
Figure 2.23a shows the V-1 characteristics of a semiconductor device called the circuit, it has V-1 characteristics similar to that of a constant voltage source. Loosely
zener diode. Its symbol is shown in Fig. 2.23b. For the time being, we will ignore the speaking, we can say that a zener diode is a constant de-voltage source.
details of this device. But, if you compare its characteristics with that of a de voltage Another important device is the transistor. It is a three-terminal device. These
source (as shown in Fig. 2.12b), you will find a marked similarity. The only differ- terminals are called emitter, base and collector. Its symbol is shown in Fig. 2.25a.
ence is that the characteristic curve of the zener diode is inverted. It is shown inverted The transistor is extensively used as an amplifying device. When connected in the
to emphasise that the zener diode is operated with reverse bias (the term reverse bias amplifier circuit, one of its terminals can be made common between input and output.
is explained in detail in Unit 4). This means that the current through the zener diode Figure 2.25b shows the output characteristics of a transistor connected in a common-
flows in a direction opposite to that of the arrow (in its symbol). base mode.

v-

=lmA

o.____._ __._ __._ __._--'-_~

(a) Characteristics (b) Symbol 0 2 4 6 8 10

Fig. 2.23 Zener diode VcsM-
(a) Symbol ofa transistor (NPN) ( b) Output characteristics
Let us see what happens if we connect a zener diode across a practical voltage Fig. 2.25 Transistor
source, as in Fig. 2.24. It the load impedance RL varies, the current h through it also
48 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
Current and Voltage Sources 49
The characteristics of the transistor are almost horizontal lines. For a given value
of the input current (emitter current /E), the collector current le remains constant Solution: The value of the current source in ac equivalent of the transistor is
when the collector voltage VcB is varied. Such characteristics are very similar to the lOOi. The current i can be calculated from the input circuit.
characteristics of a current source as shown in Fig. 2.14b. Thus, we say that a transis- 3
i=lOmV =lOxl0- =lOxl0-6A
tor behaves as a current source. Between its output terminals (collector and base),
1kQ 1x103
it can be represented by a current source as shown in Fig. 2.26a. Here, the current
source I c (= a/E) is dependent upon the input current TE- The resistance R 0 represents Therefore, the current source in the output circuit is
static (de) output resistance. lOOi = 100 x 10 x 10-6 = 10-3 A
The equivalent representation of the transistor as shown in Fig. 2.26a is not of
much significance to us. It is meant for the de operation of the transistor. Since, in This current divides itself into two branches. The current through the 2-kQ resistance
is
an amplifier circuit, the voltages and currents are changing all the time (because of
the input signal), we are interested in the transistor's ac behaviour. The ac behaviour 20 103
i = 10-3 x x · = 0.909 x 10-3 A
of the transistor can be represented by the circuit shown in Fig. 2.26b. Here, r0 is L (20 + 2) X 103
the ac resistance of the transistor between its collector and base. This resistance has
high value (typically, 1 MQ). This resistance represents the source resistance when Therefore, the output voltage v0 is given as
we look upon a transistor as a current source. The value of the ac current source ic 3
V 0 = iL X 2 X 10 = 0.909 X 10-3 X 2 X 103
depends upon the input ac current ie.
= 1.818V
.-------.----<>Collector .-------.----cc
• Review Questions o ~™-·--------
1. Name two sources of electrical power. Are they voltage sources or current
sources?
'------.----<> Base '--~---.----<>B 2. Draw the symbol of an ideal de voltage source.
(a) DC representation (b) AC representation 3. Draw the symbolic representation of a practical ac voltage source. Explaift the
necessity of includiftg an impedance in the representation.
Fig. 2.26 A transistor behaves like a current source between its output terminals 4. Explaift the condition under which a practical voltage source is considered to
be good voltage source.
5. Name at least one electronic device whose characteristics are very close to
Example 2.4 cfigure.2:2;?; shows the aG;equivale.flt \Jf:fm 'a,Ql'.plifierusiftg a tran- that of an ideal voltage source. Explain ill one or two lines its characteristics.
sistor. Cakulate tlie ouq}ut voltage Zfo; · · •A 6. State an application of an electronic device whose characteristics are similar
to that of an ideal voltage source.
r--------~·..,..,..1
7. Draw the symbol of an ideal current source.
Input I I Output
8. Draw the symbolic representation of a practical current source. Explaift the
I··· ······ I reason for putting an impedance ill this symbolic representation.
~kO I
IOmV ~:J·
L..... ..
~ :0
I
2kQ Vo
9. Name an electronic device which has characteristics similar to that of an ideal
current source. Justify your answer ill about three lilies.
10. A practical source can be represented either as a voltage source or as a current
L , ·. \ . I source. How can you convert one representation to the other?
'- - __
.·
.:... _._
-
--. -·-. - I
Transistor
• Objective-Type Questions •
Fig. 2.27 AC equivalent of a transistor amplifier
I. Below are some iftcomplete statements. Four alternatives are provided for each.
Choose the alternative that completes the statement correctly. •
50 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
Current and Voltage Sources 51
1. An ideal voltage source is one which has
8. In Fig. 0.2.1, the current drain from the battery is
(a) very high internal resistance
(a) 20 mA (b) 15 mA
(b) very low internal resistance
(c) 10 mA (d) 5 mA
(c) zero internal resistance
(d) infinite internal resistance 9. A constant current source supplies a current of 300 mA to a load of 1 kQ.
When the load is changed to 100 Q, the load current will be
2. An ideal current source is one whose internal resistance is
(a) 3 A (b) 30 mA
(a) very high (b) very low
(c) 300 mA (d) 600 mA
(c) zero (d) infinite
10. An ideal voltage source of 12 V provides a current of 120 mA to a load. If the
3. In a practical voltage source, the source resistance is
load impedance is doubled, the new load current becomes
(a) very low compared to load resistance
(a) 60 mA (b) 120 mA
(b) very high compared to load resistance
(c) 240 mA (d) none of the above
(c) equal to the load resistance
(d) zero II. Below are some statements. Indicate against each, whether it is TRUE(T) or
4. A device whose characteristics are very close to that of an ideal voltage source FALSE(F).
is a
1. A practical current source has low internal resistance.
(a) silicon signal diode
2. An ideal current source has low internal resistance.
(b) transistor in common-base mode
3. An ideal voltage source has low internal resistance.
(c) field-effect transistor
4. An ideal voltage source has zero internal resistance.
(d) zener diode
5. An ideal current source has infinite internal resistance.
5. A device whose characteristics are very. close to that of an ideal current source
is a 6. A practical voltage source has very high internal resistance.
(a) transistor in common-base mode 7. Solving an electrical circuit will give the same results whether the source is
treated as voltage source or as current source.
( b) crystal diode
8. A resistance is connected to a practical source. For finding the current through
(c) gas diode
this resistance, the only way is to represent the source as a current source.
(d) zener diode
6. Figure 0.2.1 shows the circuit of a simple constant-voltage supply, using a 9. The output side of a transistor connected in common-base mode should be
zener diode. The constant voltage available across the zener diode is 5 V. The treated as a constant voltage source, since its output impedance is very high.
current flowing through the 1-kQ load is
10. A zener diode has characteristics similar to that of an ideal current source.

Answers
'f( Cc) '/' o'

'~f ;(~),. 4. Jd>, .

Fig. 0.2.1 . 7 .. ,(d): :9. (c), lQ, (a)
(a) 20 mA
ICLiF 2. p·· 3:"F' 4; T.
(b) 15 mA
(c) 25 mA 7. T 8. F 9.. F. lO. F,: ~ ,,'
(d) 5 mA
7. The current flowing through the zener diode in Fig. 0.2.l is
(a) 20 mA (b) 15 mA
(c) 25 mA (d) 5 mA
 Current and Voltage Sources 53
Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
52

Tutorial Sheet 2.1

r---.,
1. Figure T. 2.1.1 a represents a voltage source. Convert it into an equivalent
current source. [Ans. ls= 1.25 mA; Rs= 8 kQ] h
IOV
FA
-T'------oB
~-------aA

IOkQ
Input 2 kn I
I
I
Amplifier
A;,,,50
.1
I
I
Output (v 01 )

(a)
(a) (b)

·h
r~--.,
Fig. T. 2.1.1

2. Figure T. 2.1.1 b represents an ac current source. Convert it into an equivalent t.

voltage source. [Ans. Vs= 25 V, Zs= 10 kQ]
3. Calculate the voltage available between the points A and B in the two situations Input
I ~piifi~, i
A.=50 '\•I Output(voz)
represented in Fig. T. 2. l.2a and b. State which situation represents a better
.I
voltage source condition.
[Ans. (a) 0.645 V; (b) 13.3 V; second case
represents a better voltage-source condition]

r-----., r----., A
(b)
A I
I I Fig. T. 2.1.3
I I
I I
I 60001
I I
200 I I 1.2 kQ • Tutorial Sheet 2.2 • - - - - - - -
I I
I
I
I I
I
,.t, 20 v'I 1. Calculate the current through the 10-kQ resistor shown in Fig. T. 2.2.1.

,_____ ,
I
I
B ,__ __ ,
I
.,_ B
Assume that the zener diodes have ideal voltage-source characteristics.
[Ans. 1 mA]
(a) (b)
A

Fig. T. 2.1.2
5V
lOkn
4. An electronic amplifier is used to amplify electrical signals. The voltage
5V
gain of an amplifier is defined as the ratio of its output voltage to its input
voltage. Figure T. 2.1.3 represents two amplifiers having different values of
input impedances Zin· Calculate the output voltage in the two cases. Assume a B
voltage gain A = 50 in both the cases. Fig. T. 2.2.1
[Ans. v 01 = 384.6 mV, v02 = 497.02 mV]
2. Calculate the voltage v 0 in Fig. T. 2.2.2. Identify the source impedance Zs.
[Ans. 7.5 V, Zs= 5 kQ]
 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
54

A UNIT
SEMICONDUCTOR PHYSICS
C£LLA !I rt
15 kQ

"Electronic aids, particularly domestic computers, will help the .

inner migration, the opting out of reality. Reality is no longer
B
going to be the stuff out there ..."
Fig. T. 2.2.2 JG Ballard (1930-2009)
[Ans. 161.29 mV] English novelist, short story writer
3. Calculate the voltage v 0 in Fig. T. 2.2.3.

l kQ

20kQ 2kQ

After completing this unit, students will be able to :

• state the names of a few conductors, insµlators and semi-
Fig. T. 2.2.3
conductors
• state the differences in conductors, insulators and semi-
conductors using energy-band diagrams
• state.the meaning of covalent bond, thermal generation, lifetime ·
of charge ·carriers, recombination, forbidden-energy gap, valenc~. ;,
band and conduction band, doping, donor impurity, acceptot;_\·
impurity, majority and minority carriers, drift current ant;\
diffusion current
• describe the mechanism of flow of current in an intrinsic semi..>
conductor on the basis of movement of electrons and holes
• state how extrinsie (P- and N-type} semiconductor material is-~
obtained from intrinsic semiconductor material · :··
• describe the mechanism of flow of current in·an extrinsic(P-.a11d.''
N~type) semiconductor · :n
• state the effect of temperature on the conductivity of an extrinsic'
semiconductor

3.1 WHY STUDY SEMICONDUCTOR PHYSICS SY@~

All of us are familiar with some of the simple applications of electronics like the
radio, television and calculator. If one looks inside any electronic equipment, one
'
 Semiconductor Physics 57

56 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

houses consists of a core made of conducting material like copper or aluminium. The
will find resistors, capacitors, inductors, transformers, semiconductor diodes, transis- core provides an easy path for the flow of electric current This core is covered with
tors and ICs. We already know something about resistors, capacitors, inductors, and some insulating material such as rubber, cotton, PVC, plastic, etc. These coverings
transformers, but small semiconductor devices like diodes and transistors are new provide protection against short circuits and also against electrical-shock hazards.
to most of us. In modem electronic systems, the whole electronic circuit, containing There is another group of materials, such as germanium and silicon. These are
many diodes, transistors, resistors, etc., is fabricated on a single chip. This is known neither good conductors nor good insulators. At room temperature these materials
as an integrated circuit (IC). have conductivities considerably lower than that of conductors, but much higher
Let us take a simple example of a semiconductor diode. It is a two-terminal device. than that of insulators. It is for this reason that these materials are classified as
It has a very important property of conducting in one direction only. Figure 3.la semiconductors. Table 3.1 gives the resistivities of some commonly used conductors,
shows a circuit having a battery, small bulb and diode, all connected in series. When semiconductors and insulators at room temperature.
the diode is connected in this manner, the bulb glows. This means the diode is
conducting and the current is flowing in the circuit. In Fig. 3.lb, the two terminals Table 3.1 Resistivities of some conductors, semiconductors and insulators (at room
of the diode are reversed. When the diode is connected in this manner, the lamp does temperature)
not glow. It means no current is flowing in the circuit, although the battery is present.
Condu,ctivity (S/m) Resistivity (Qm) .. .Classification
The diode does not permit the current to flow. Materia.ls

Bulb Bulb Silver 6.25 x 107 L6xlO-'}

5.88 x 10 7 1.7 x 10-8 Conductors
Copper
8
Aluminium 3.85 x 107 2.6x1T
1
Germanium (pure) 1.54 6.5 x 10- }
3
Semiconductors
+ - Silicon (pure) 5.0 x 10-4 2.0x10

Battery Battery
(b) Diode does not conduct
Porcelain 3.33 X 10-'IO
5.88 x 10-12
30xIO'}
1.7 x 10
11
. Insulators
(a) Diode conducts Glass
16 16
Hard rubber LO x 10- 1.0 x 10
Fig. 3.1 Unidirectional conducting property of a diode

Thus, we find that a diode conducts in one direction only. The unidirectional con- When we increase the temperature of a metal conductor such as copper, its resis-
ducting property of a diode finds great applications in electronics. The power avail- tivity increases. In this respect, the semiconductors behave in an opposite way. When
able at the mains in our homes is generally ac. Quite often, we require de power to we raise the temperature of a semiconductor, its resistivity decreases (at higher tem-
operate some appliances. The diode makes it possible to convert ac into de. perature, a semiconductor conducts better), i.e., the semiconductors have negative
The diode is one of the many components used in electronic circuits. Another im- temperature coefficient of resistance.
portant component is the transistor. It is used for amplifying weak electrical signals. The semiconductors have another very important property. The conductivity (or
Relatively newer devices, like junction field-effect transistor (JFET), metal-oxide resistivity) of a semiconductor can be changed, to a very large extent, by adding a
semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), silicon controlled rectifier (SCR), very small amount of some specific materials (called impurities). The conductivity
unijunction transistor (UJT), etc., are finding wide applications in electronics. All of the semiconductor can also be controlled by controlling the amount of impurity
these devices are made of semiconductor materials. To understand the operation of added to it. To understand the important properties of semiconductors, it is necessary
these devices (and many more that are likely to come in future), it is necessary to to study the structure of atom.
study the semiconductor materials in some detail.

. 3~2' SEMICONDUCTOR, MATERIALS·

We know that the most fundamental unit of matter which is capable of independent
We are familiar with conducting and insulating materials. Conducting materials are existence is the atom. According to a simplified picture, an atom consist of a central
good conductors of electricity. Examples of good conductors are copper, silver, alu- body, called the nucleus, about which a number of smaller particles (called electrons)
minium, etc. Insulating materials are bad conductors of electricity. Examples of in- move in approximately elliptical orbits. The nuclei of all elements (exc~pt that of
sulators are porcelain, glass, quartz, rubber, bakelite, etc. The electrical wire used in
58 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Physics 59

hydrogen, which has only one proton in its nucleus) contains two types of particles, 3.3.1 Atomic Structure of Some Elements
called protons and neutrons. A proton and a neutron have almost same mass. But the
proton is a positively charged particle whereas the neutron is electrically neutral. Al- Figure 3.2 shows the representations of the atomic structures of different elements.
most all the mass of the atom is concentrated in its nucleus. The electrons revolving Figure 3.2a is the simplest of all. It represents the hydrogen atom. It contains one
around the nucleus are very light in weight. An electron is about 1850 times lighter electron revolving around one proton which is the nucleus. Note that the nucleus
contains no neutrons.
than a proton (or neutron). An electron has the same amount of charge as a proton.
But the charge on an electron is negative. Since matter in its normal state is electri- 3rd shell---..___
cally neutral, the atom (which is the basic building block of matter) should also be
neutral. It means, that in an atom (in its normal state), the number of orbiting elec-
2nd shell---:::x
lstshell;y--•-,
~-----,
- •, ',
/ ,• ........ 'fit \

+ ('@)' \
trons must be the same as the number of protons in its nucleus. I I / ' \ \

There is no difference between an electron in an atom of copper and an electron in

an atom of aluminium or any other element. Similarly, there is no difference between ,.- /Electron
,'>/____ Proton
•
tI

\
1
I

\
I
',
J3p I
14N ,'
.,/
•

I
I
I
II

8
\ .. -·- I I
a proton in one atom and a proton in another atom of a different element. Likewise, I 1P :
\
', '
.... ._.._.... ,,,.•
//
I

...... _____ ..... ,,,.

' .... __ ....
\ I
the neutrons in the atoms of various elements are identical. Thus, it follows that elec- /

trons, protons and neutrons are the fundamental particles of the universe. If it is so,
then why do various elements behave differently? This is because of the difference (a) Hydrogen atom (1) (b) Aluminium atom (13)

-------, -------
in the number and arrangement of the electrons, protons, and neutrons of which each
........ ....
atom is composed. ,' /
,,,.----., ' ', '
,1
, - ,,,..----..... ' ' ',
The number of protons in an atom (or of electrons in a neutral atom) is called / •' ,... -• ... , \~ \ ~ l '(®_-•,,, '~ ~.
T (©4P \ 15 p
its atomic number. All the electrons of an atom do not move in the same orbit. The +
I
I I
',
14 N I
I
I
;
I
•
1
I
I
I
(
I 16N
I
I
I
I
I
I
/ ,' ~ ', / ~ ,'
electrons are arranged in different orbits or shells. The maximum number of electrons
.- "
\ \ \

that can exist in the first shell (the one nearest to the nucleus) is two. The second shell
\
', .......... ___ ........ ,,'
•, '•-"' I I \
•, ' ...._____
',
___
,.,._,,,. ,,1 I

' ........ ______ ........ "' / .......... ,,,.,,,. ,

can accommodate not more than eight electrons, the third not more than 18, the
2
fourth not more than 32, and so on. In general, a shell can contain a maximum of 2n (c) Silicon atom. (14) (d) Phosphorus atom (15)
electrons, where n is the number of the shell. But to this rule, there is an exception.
The outermost orbit in an atom cannot accommodate more than eight electrons. The
electrons present in the outermost orbit are called valence electrons.
All the elements have been arranged in a periodic table according to the electronic
arrangements in their atoms. The elements placed in one vertical column (called
group) have very similar properties. A part of this periodic table is shown in Table 3.2.
The atomic number of each element is shown within brackets along with its symbol.
We shall study in the next section, the atomic structure of some elements useful for
semiconductor devices.
(e) Germanium atom (32)
Table 3.2 A part of the periodic table of elements
Fig. 3.2 Diagrammatic representation of a few atoms (figures inside brackets represent
GroupNoA ,,. tn: IV v .··
·.· atomic numbers)
B (5) c (6)
P(15)
Figure 3.2b shows the structure of an aluminium atom. The nucleus of the alu-
Al (13) Si (14)
minium atom contains 13 protons (13 P) and 14 neutrons (14N). The positive charge
Ga (31) Ge (32) As(33) of 13 protons is just balanced by the negative charge of the 13 electrons (13 e) revolv-
In (49) Sb (51) ing around the nucleus in different shells. The atom as a whole is electrically neutral.
Note that there are two electrons in the first shell, eight electrons in the second, and
only three electrons in the. third (the outermost). The importance of the outermost
shell having only three electrons is explained in Section 3.6.2.
 Semiconductor Physics 61
60 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

The electrons in the im1er shells do not normally leave the atom. But the electrons of energy (usually expressed in eV*), but only certain permissible values. No
which revolve at a great speed in the outermost shell (near the edge of the atoms) do electron can exist at an energy level other than a permissible one. For a single atom, a
not always remain confined to the same atom. Some of them move in a random man- diagram can be drawn showing the different energy levels available for its electrons.
ner and may travel from atom to atom. Figure 3.3 shows how the electrons may move Figure 3.4 is the energy-level diagram for the hydrogen atom. The permissible energy
from one atom to another in a random manner. Electrons that are able to move in this levels are numbered n = 1, 2, ... in increasing order of energy.
fashion are known as free electrons. It is due to the presence of these free electrons in

n=3~~~~~~~ if-------:=~
a material, that it is able to conduct electric current. The electrons in the inner orbits
remain bound to the nucleus and are therefore, called bound electrons.
Figure 3.2c represents a silicon atom. Its nucleus contains 14 protons and 1
14 neutrons. There are 14 electrons revolving around the nucleus-two in the first n =n~ l~~:::::::: ~ Edge of nucleus n=
shell, eight in the second and.four in the third. Thus, there are four valence electrons.
The importance of this arrangement is explained in Section 3.5.l.
Fig. 3.4 Permissible energy levels in an isolated hydrogen atom
Figure 3.2d represents a phosphorus atom. There are 15 protons and 16 neutrons
in its nucleus. It has five valence electrons. The importance of this arrangement is In an atom, the greater the distance of an electron from the nucleus, the greater is
explained in Section 3.6.l. its total energy (the total energy includes kinetic and potential energies). An electron
Figure 3.2e shows a more complex structure. It represents a germanium atom orbiting very close to the nucleus in the first shell is tightly bound to the nucleus
(atomic number 32). Its nucleus contains 32 protons and 41 neutrons. There are two and possesses only a small amount of energy. It would be difficult to knock out this
electrons in the first shell, eight in the second, 18 in the third and four in the fourth electron. On the other hand, an electron orbiting far from the nucleus would have a
(outermost) shell. Thus, germanium, like silicon, has four valence electrons. Because greater energy, and hence it could easily be knocked out of its orbit. This is why it
of this similarity in atomic structure, many properties of the two materials are similar. is the valence electrons (i.e., the electrons in the outermost orbit, having maximum
energy) that take part in chemical reactions and in bonding the atoms together to
form solids.
When energy like heat, light or other radiations impinge on an atom, the energy
of the electrons increases. As a result, they are lifted to higher energy levels (larger
orbits). The atom is then said to be excited. This state does not last long. Very soon,
the electrons fall back to the original energy level. In this process, the electrons give
out energy in the form of heat, light or other radiations.·

3.3.3 Energy Bands in Solids

When atoms bond together to form a solid, the simple diagram of Fig. 3 .4, for
Fig. 3.3 Random movement of outermost electrons in aluminium atoms
the electron energies, is no longer applicable. In a solid, the orbit of an electron is
influenced not only by the charges in its own atom but by nuclei and electrons of
In Table 3.2, the elements B(5), Al(l3), Ga(31) and In(49) are placed in one group
every atom in the solid. Since each electron occupies a different position inside the
(group III) because all these have three valence electrons. Similarly, the elements
solid, no two electrons can see exactly the same pattern of surrounding charges. As a
P(15), As(33) and Sb(51) are all in group V, as they have.five valence electrons. The
result, the orbits of the electrons are different.
elements Si(14) and Ge(32) are in group IV, since they have.four valence electrons.
The simple energy-level diagram in Fig. 3 .4 now modifies to that shown in Fig. 3 .5.
There are millions of electrons, belonging to the first orbits of atoms in the solid.
3.3.2 Electron Energies Each of them has different energy. Since there are millions of first-orbit electrons, the
Each isolated atom has only a certain number of orbits available. These available
orbits represent energy levels for the electrons. Modem physics tells us that only * eV is the abbreviation of electron volt; a unit of energy. It is defined as that energy which
an electron acquires in moving through a potential rise of 1 V. This unit is commonly used
discrete values of electron energies are possible. An electron cannot have any value
in electronics and particle physics. In terms of joules, a more common unit of energy, an
19
electron volt is equivalent to 1.6 x 10- J.
 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Physics 63
62

closely spaced energy levels differing very slightly in energy, form a cluster or band. 3.4 METALS, INSULATORS AND SEMICONDUCTORS
Similarly, the second-orbit and higher-orbit electrons also form bands. We now have
first energy band, second energy band, third energy band, etc. A material is able to conduct electricity, if it contains movable charges in it. The free
electrons (that is, the electrons that exist in the conduction band) move randomly
inside a solid and can carry charge from one point to another, when an external field
\ Conduction band
!-----------' is applied. The free electrons thus work as charge carriers.
t ip
3rd band A metal such as copper or silver contains a large number of free electrons at
~ 1-----------'I (valence band) room temperature. In fact, there is no forbidden energy gap between the valence
j 1----------.
1-----------'1 2nd band
and conduction bands. The two bands actually overlap as shown in Fig. 3.6a. The
valence-band energies are the same as the conduction-band energies in the metal. It
!st band is very easy for a valence electron to become a conduction (free) electron. Therefore,
without supplying any additional energy such as heat or light, a metal already contains
a large number of free electrons and that is why it works as a good conductor.
Fig. 3.5 Energy-band diagram of a solid (silicon)

Silicon is a material commonly used in making transistors. Since, the atomic

number of silicon is 14, and each of its atoms has only four electrons in the third
(outermost) orbit, the third band becomes the valence band. Figure 3 .5 represents the
energy-band diagram of silicon. An additional band, called conduction band, is also
shown above the valence band. All the three lower bands, including the valence band,
are shown completely filled. Although the third shell of an isolated atom of silicon
is not completely filled (it has only four electrons whereas it could accommodate a
maximum of eight electrons), the third energy band (valence band) of solid silicon is
Valen;(~
completely filled. It is so, because in solid silicon each atom positions itself between
four other silicon atoms and each of these neighbours share an electron with the
~$~
(a) Metals (conductors) (b) Insulators (c) Semiconductors
central atom. In this way, each atom now has eight electrons filling the valence
band completely (for details see Section 3.5.1). When we say that a band is filled, it Fig. 3.6 Energy-band diagram for the three types or materials
means that all the permissible energy levels in the band are occupied by electrons.
No electron in a filled band can move, because there is no place to move(fhus, an An insulating material has an energy-band diagram as shown in Fig. 3.6b. It has
electron in a completely filled band cannot contribute to electric curren!l a very wide forbidden-energy gap (5 eV or more). Because of this, it is practically
The conduction band represents the next larger group of permissible energy impossible for an electron in the valence band to jump the gap, to reach the
levels. There is an energy gap, Ea, between the valence band and the conduction conduction band. Only at very high temper.:itures or under very stressed (electrically)
band. An electron can be lifted from the valence band to the conduction band by conditions, can an electron jump the gap{b.t room temperature, an insulator does not
adding to silicon some energy. This energy must be more than the energy gap Ea. If conduct because there are no conduction electrons in it. However, it may conduct if
we add energy less than Ea, silicon will not accept it because no permissible energy its temperature is very high or if a high voltage is applied across it. This is termed as
levels exists between the conduction band and valence band to which an electron can the breakdown of the insulator]
be lifted. For this reason, the gap between the valence band and the conduction band The energy-band diagram for a semiconductor is shown in Fig. 3.6c. In this case,
is called the forbidden energy gap. (For silicon, Ea= 1.12 eV and for germanium it the forbidden energy gap is not wide. It is of the order of 1 eV (for germanium,
is 0.72 eV). Ea= 0.72 eV and for silicon Ea= 1.12 eV). The energy provided by heat at room
The orbits in the conduction band are very large. An electron in the conduction temperature is sufficient to lift electrons from the valence band to the conduction
band experiences almost negligible nuclear attraction. In fact, an electron in the band. Some electrons do jump the gap and go into the conduction band. Therefore, at
conduction band does not belong to any particular atom. But, it moves randomly room temperature, semiconductors are capable of conducting some electric current.
throughout the solid. This is why the electrons in the conduction band are called free
electrons.
 Semiconductor Physics 65
64 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

3.5.2 Charge Carriers in Intrinsic Semiconductors

3.5 INTRINSIC SEMICONDUCTORS
We have seen that an intrinsic semiconductor behaves as an insulator at absolute
Semiconductor devices, such as diodes and transistors, are made from a single crystal zero because all the electrons are bound to the atoms. Let us now see what happens
of semiconductor material (germanium or silicon). To make a semiconductor device, at r;om temperature. Room temperature (say, 300K) may be sufficient to make a
the very first step is to obtain a sample of semiconductor in its purest form. Such ~ valence electron of a semiconductor atom to move away from the influence of its
semiconductor (in pure form) is called an intrinsic semiconductor. A semiconductor nucleus. Thus, a covalent bond is broken. When this happens, the electron becomes
is not truly intrinsic unless its impurity content is less than one part impurity in 100 free to move in the crystal. This is shown in Fig. 3.8a.
million parts of semiconductor. To understand the phenomenon of conduction of cur-
rent in a semiconductor, it is necessary to study iis crystal structure.

3.5.1 Crystal Structure of Semiconductors

When atoms bond together to form molecules of matter, each atom attempts to ac-
quire eight electrons, in its outermost shell. If the outermost shell of an atom has
eight electrons, it is said to be filled. It then becomes a stable structure. An intrinsic
semiconductor (such as pure Ge or Si), has only four electrons in the outermost orbit
of its atoms. To fill the valence shell, each atom requires four more electrons. This is
done by sharing one electron from each of the four neighbouring atoms. The atoms
align themselves in a uniform three-dimensional pattern so that each atom is sur-
rounded by four atoms. Such a pattern is called a crystal. (a) Crystal structure (b) Energy-band diagram
Figure 3. 7 shows a simplified two-dimensional representation of the crystalline
structure of a semiconductor (germanium or silicon). The core represents the nucleus Fig. 3.8 Generation of electron-hole pair in an intrinsic semiconductor
and all the orbiting electrons except the valence electrons. Since there are as many
protons in the nucleus as there are electrons orbiting it, the core will have an excess When an electron breaks a covalent bond and moves away, a vacancy is created
+4 charge since the valence electrons are four in number. (For silicon, the core will in the broken covalent bond. This vacancy is called a hole; Whenever a free electron
contain 14 protons but only 10 electrons). The valence electrons are shown around is generated, a hole is created simultaneously. That is, free electrons and holes are
each core. Each of the four valence electrons take part in forming covalent bonds always generated in pairs. Therefore, the concentration of free electrons and holes
with the four neighbouring atoms. A covalent bond consists of two electrons, one will always be equal in an intrinsic semiconductor. This type of generation of free
from each adjacent atom. Both the electrons are shared by the two atoms. At absolute electron-hole pairs is referred to as thermal generation.
zero, all the valence electrons are tightly bound to the parent atoms. No free electrons Let us examine whether a hole has any charge associated with it. The crystal
are available for electrical conduction. The semiconductor therefore behaves as a is electrically neutral. As soon as an electron-hole pair is generated, the electron
peifect insulator at absolute zero. leaves the covalent bond and moves away from it. Since, an electron is negatively
Core charged, the site of a hole will be left with a net positive charge (equal in magnitude
to the charge of an electron). Thus, we say that a positive charge is associated with
-~ , _____ \ .~,, _____ a\-~, --
I· ' 1 I I I

---e\ a hole or a hole is positively charged. We shall see in the next section how a hole
Covalent •
-
{!:4:.: •
.. I '
• i;i+: •
.,. ..
• ·:;i-4,:: -.
• I moves randomly in the same way as does a free electron. The hole too carries charge
bond, -- ,' • ' ---- ,' • ' . . ____ ,' • ,'--
------1
1
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
from one point to another. Although, strictly speaking, a hole is not a particle; for
---B-----'i-k----a\
• ~.·
•
. .~/ __ _
• ·:;r;'f: • ~·
all practical purposes we can view it as a positively charged particle capable of
conducting current. This concept of a hole as a positively charged particle merely
--- I 1-----f 1------~ ...... helps in simplifying the explanation of current flow in semiconductors.
Valence,.~ 1 •~ 1 •~
electron--........_ I I I I I I

. .~. ~-----\e··~/-----:e\
--~e·
• i.+4.:: • • ·:.+4:; •
. .~/---
• i.+4.:· •
,
___ ....,·..·:·, -------; ·..... . _____ ··.··,--- ~
Figure 3. 8a shows the generation of an electron-hole pair in a crystal. The amount
of energy required to break a covalent bond is 0.72 eV in case of germanium and
/ e \ I e I I e I
1.12 eV in case of silicon. Equivalently, we say that the energy needed fqr lifting an
I I I I I I
electron form the valence band to the conduction band is 0.72 eV for germanium and
Fig. 3. 7 Simplified representation of the crystalline structure of a semiconductor at
absolute zero
 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Physics 67
66

i.12 eV for silicon. When an electron jumps the forbidden gap. it leaves a hole in the
valence band as shown in Fig. 3.8b.
Note that the value of Ea is more in case of silicon (Ea= i .12 eV) than in case
of germanium (Ea= 0.72 eV). Therefore, less number of electron-hole pairs will be
generated in silicon than in germanium at room temperature. The conductivity of
silicon will be iess than that ofgermanium at room temperature.

3.5.3 Random Movement of Carriers

Both types of charge carriers move randomly or haphazardly in the crystal. The ran-
(a) (b)
dom movement of a free electron is easy to understar.d. A free electron moves in the
crystal because of the thermal energy. Its path deviates whenever it collides with a
nucleus (or other free electrons). This gives rise to a zigzag or random motion similar
to gas molecules moving in a gas container.
Let us see how the hole movement takes place. A hole is generated whenever an
electron breaks a covalent bond and becomes free. Consider that an electron-hole
pair is generated at point A in Fig. 3.9a. The free electron goes elsewhere in the
crystal leaving behind a hole at point A. The broken bond now has only one electron.
This unpaired electron has a tendency to acquire an electron (whenever it can) and
to complete the pair, forming the covalent bond. Due to thermal energy, an electron
from the neighbouring bond may get sufficiently excited to break its own bond. It (c)
may then jump into the hole. In Fig. 3.9b, the valence electron at B breaks its bond
and jumps into the hole at A. When this happens, the original hole at A vanishes and a
--~----~----d--
new hole appears at B. The original hole has apparently moved from A to B, as shown
in Fig. 3.9c. An instant later, the hole at B attracts and captures the valence electron ·~ ·~· ·~·
_,,,I
I
~

..,.,..c
I
·
\ .... __ ...I
I
',,,_;.,-,,,. ',•/
-~ \ ..., __ ... ,_:;...: \
I I
... _

from the neighbouring bond at C (see Fig. 3.9d). Apparently the hole has moved from
B to C, as shown in Fig. 3.9e.
--
\•/
--e·
• ;;.-,4:: • •
. --~-
/ e \\ I
----e·
---- ----
---~·
{+{ • • ;·+·( •
.
•'
...
I e \
Figure 3 .9fshows, by means of solid arrows, how the valence electrons successively I I 1 I l

jump from B to A and then from C to B. The net effect is as though the hole at A has
moved through the crystal from A to C. This movement of holes is shown by dotted
--e" ~ )----"e~)
• {+4":
_... , . \
~) --•
• • i+{ ----'e,
• • ;~{
... __ .... , . \ .._ __ ... / .. --
' • l I e I I e 1
arrows in Fig. 3.9f Thus, we find that the movement of a hole in a particular direction
actually consists of a series of discontinuous electron movements in the opposite (e) (f)
direction. It is for this reason that the holes appear to travel more slowly than the free
electrons. Conduction
band
Although the movement of holes actually consists of the movement of electrons,
this movement of electrons is different from the movement of free electrons. The free
electrons move in the conduction band, but the holes move because of the movement
of electrons in the valence band. The movement of the hole from A to C in the crystal Valence
band
can be shown in the energy-band diagram as in Fig. 3.9g. An electron jumps from the
valence band to the conduction band leaving behind a hole at A. The electron at B (g) (h)
moves to hole at A. An instant later, another electron at C moves to point B. The ef- Fig. 3.9 Movement of a hole through a semiconductor crystal
fect is as though the hole has moved from A to C. Actually the holes move because of
the jumpy movement of valence electrons from one position to the other. This jumpy
whenever we talk of electron movement, it would imply the movement of free elec-
movement of valence electrons need not be considered at all, since we are concerned
trons and not of the valence electrons. Free electrons move randomly in the conduc-
about the net effect (i.e., the movement of holes). Therefore, in future discussions,
tion band, whereas holes move randomly in the valence band as shown in Fig. '3.9h.
 68 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Physics 69

3.5.4 Recombination of Electrons and Holes semiconductor. This current is called diffusion current and it flows as a result of a
gradient of carrier concentration (i.e., the difference of carrier concentration from
In an intrinsic semiconductor, electrons and holes are produced continuously on
one region to another). A gradient of carrier concentration arises near the boundary
account of thermal agitation. Since the electrons and holes move in the crystal in a
ofa PN-junction (as we shall see in next chapter). The diffusion current is also due to
random manner, there is a possibility of an electron meeting a hole. When it happens,
the motion of both holes and electrons.
both the electron and hole disappear because the electron occupies the position of
a hole in a broken covalent bond. The covalent bond is again established. At any
temperature, the rate of this recombination is equal to the rate of generation of 3.5.6 Effect of Temperature on Conductivity of
electrons and holes. However, an electron (or a hole) travels some distance before it Intrinsic Semiconductors
recombines. The average time an electron (or hole) remains free is called its lifetime. A semiconductor (germanium or silicon) at absolute zero, behaves as a perfect insu-
At any instant, both types of charge carriers are present in equal numbers at a given lator. At room temperature, because of thermal energy, some electron-hole pairs are
temperature.
generated. For example, in a sample of germanium at room temperature (300 K) the
intrinsic carrier concentration (i.e., the concentration of free electrons or of holes)
3.5.5 Conduction in Intrinsic Semiconductors 19
is 2.5x10 per m 3 . The semiconductor has a small conductivity. Now, if we raise
Let us see what happens when we connect a battery across a semiconductor, as the temperature further, more electron-hole pairs are generated. The higher the tem-
in Fig. 3.10. The electrons experience a force towards the positive terminal of the perature, the higher is the concentration of charge carriers. As more charge carriers
battery; and holes towards the negative terminal. The random motion of electrons are made available, the conductivity of an intrinsic semiconductor increases with
and holes gets modified. Over and above the random motion, there also occurs a temperature. In other words, the resistivity (inverse of conductivity) decreases as the
net movement called drift. Since the random motion (or electrons or holes) does temperature increases. That is, the semiconductors have negative temperature coef-
not contribute to any electric current, we need not consider it. The free electrons ficient of resistance.
drift towards the positive terminal of the battery and the holes towards the negative
terminal. The electric current flows through the semiconductor in the same direction ·. 3.6 RXTRINSICSRMICONDUCTORS
as in which the holes are moving (the holes have positive charge). Since the electrons
are negatively charged, the direction of electric current (conventional) is opposite Intrinsic (pure) semiconductors are of little use (it may only be used as a heat or
to the direction of their motion. Although, the two types of charge carriers move in light-sensitive resistance). Practically all the semiconductor devices are made of
opposite directions, the two currents are in the same direction, i.e., they add together. a semiconductor material to which certain specified types of impurities have been
added. [he ~ess. of ~eliberately adding i~purities to a se~iconductor material is
Conventional _ +
Total current (J) - 1n 1p called dopin~opm!i.ls done after the semiconductor matenal has been refined to a
high degree ofpurity.l(&doped semiconductor is called an extrinsic semiconductor]
'~.:· ~ ~
·•· .. Electron flow 3.6.1 N-Type Semiconductors

[El_, fl:: II~~ •,_.

Let us consider what happens if a small
amount of pentavalent impurity, for example,
phosphorus is added to a sample of intrinsic
silicon. The size of the impurity atoms is
+ -
roughly the same as that of silicon. An impu-
Battery rity atom replaces a silicon atom in its crys-
talline structure. If the amount of impurity is
Fig. 3.10 Conduction of current in an intrinsic semiconductor very small (say, one part in one million), we
can safely assume that each impurity atom
When the flow of carriers is due to an applied voltage (as in Fig. 3.10), the re- is surrounded, all around, by silicon atoms. Fig. 3.11 N-type semiconductor
sultant current is called a drift current. A second type of current may also exist in a This is shown in Fig. 3.11, which represents
a part of the crystal.
 Semiconductor Physics 71
70 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

Let us now focus our attention on an impurity atom in the crystalline structure. these devices, we should consider all type of charged particles in the semiconductor.
Unlike a silicon atom, the phosphorus atom has five valence electrons. Four of these In an N-type semiconductor, there are a large number of free electrons, a few holes,
form covalent bonds with four neighbouring silicon atoms. The fifth electron has no and a sufficiently large number of immobile positive ions. In this book, we shall be
chance of forming a covalent bond. It is this electron that is important to us. Since it representing an electron by a black circle, a hole by a white circle and an immobile
is not associated with any covalent bond and is quite far from the nucleus, it is very positive donor ion by an encircled plus sign. Thus, we can represent an N-type semi-
loosely bound. It requires very little energy to free itself from the attractive force conductor as shown in Fig. 3.12.
of its nucleus (this energy is only 0.01 eV in the case of germanium and 0.05 eV Legends:
in the case of silicon). This energy is so small that at room temperature practically • • •
all such electrons become free. In other words,~ room temperature each impurity © © © ©• © • Free electron (negative charge)
• •
atom donates one electron to the conduction band. That is the reason why this type •© .©. •© © 007• 0 Hole (positive charge)
of impurity is called donor type. These donated electrons are called excess electrons, © Immobile ion (positive charge)
since they are in excess to the electrons which are thermally generated (by breaking •© •
©0 ©
• •© •ff>
covalent bonds).] •
· All the electrons which have been donated by the impurity atoms can take part
in the conduction of electric current. Besides, there will also be some electron-hole Fig. 3.12 Representation of an N-type semiconductor
pairs generated because of the breaking of covalent bonds. The number of thermally
generated electron-hole pairs will be very small compared to the number of free Note that no silicon (or germanium) atoms are shown in this figure. They should
electrons due to the impurity atoms. Further, as the number of electrons is very large, be assumed as a continuous struchrre over the whole background. The fixed ions are
the chances of their recombination with holes also increases. Consequently, the net regularly distributed in the crystal structure. But the holes and electrons, being free
concentration of holes is much less than its intrinsic value. Thus, the number of free to move, are randomly distributed at that moment.
electrons be~omes far greater than the num?er of holes.IThat is why we sa~ that an
N-type semiconductor has electrons (negatively charged)as majority earners, and 3.6.2 P-Type Semiconductor
holes as minority carrier8.1
IU-'(o:!';t.I.. For making an N-type semiconductor, we add a pentavalent impurity to an
Now, let us see what happens to the core of the impurity atom, when the fifth intrinsic semiconductor. Instead, if we add a trivalent impurity (such as boron,
electron leaves it. The core represents the atom without the valence electrons. Since aluminium, gallium and indium) to the intrinsic semiconductor, the result is a P-type
there are five valence electrons in the impurity atom, a charge of +5 is shown in its semiconductor. As an example, let us consider a sample of intrinsic (pure) silicon
core. When the fifth electron leaves the impurity atom, it then has +1 excess charge. to which a very small amount of boron is added. Since the impurity ratio is of the
It then becomes a positively charged immobile ion. It is immobile because it is held order of one part in one million, each impurity atom is surrounded by silicon atoms.
tightly in the crystal by the four covalent bonds. The boron atom in the crystal has only three valence electrons. These electrons form
covalent bonds with the three neighbouring silicon atoms (Fig. 3.13). The fourth
Representation of N-type semiconductor In the designation "N-type neighbouring silicon atom is unable to form a covalent bond with the boron atom
semiconductor'', the letter N stands for negative charges (electrons), because the because the boron atom does not have the fourth electron in its valence orbit.
electrons are the major charge carriers. But it does not mean that a sample of
N-type semiconductor is negatively charged. It is important to note that whether
·--a'
I

~} ---(±4)'
'

•• ·:'-~i-4:· •• '+4:·
~ •
I ' I ' Incomplete ~
.
; ___ , ~ / ___
I
, ',-- • I
~
I

a semiconductor is intrinsic or doped with impurity, it remains electrically neutral.

Free electrons and holes are generated in pairs due to thermal energy. The negative
• ,+4:.-
I • \ ( e
I --- \

e \
I--·
-_,, ....... ··~ ..... _- _.,. ·... _.......... ___ .,,. ....-_..... -- bond .~ •
--~'---""'~'-
Hole __..-----+--o ....,___ : •
9
.Q'. __• <+4:: • -
1
.,,. ··.:·
1
• 1
... _
charge of free electrons thus generated is exactly balanced by the positive charge of
the holes. In an N-type semiconductor, there are additional free electrons created __ G
I
• }, ___ Q \
__•.....-:+4:·
I

·: .. . .•--w
·~
I

---e\.}....-.· .. __-·
-:·~3:·
• ·.._. . .·. .•___•. . ··,+4:·
I I

~
--0'
I!~'
~} ___ ~}---a\~,,--· ,Q,
• {t-4<. • :::+3.:: • • ::~4:· •
__ , "'···,, __ _B) ....... , ____ ·..... '--
11

because of the addition of donor atoms['i!ze negative charge of these electrons is /. \ I e \ I e \

I. \ I e \ I e \
again balanced by the positive charge of the immobile ions. (The total number of I I I I I I
I I I I I I

holes and immobile ions is exactly same as the total number of free electrons createdTI --~ ---~---'iiy-- --:;.{---'i:h---~,--
__•.,,.,®-• ..., ,... ___·.®·
.--
As we shall see in the chapters that follow, the N-type semiconductor (and also ·iijj,'---""',
--"", • •@,•
·-~· ,.... ___•.®·
.,,. ....... _·-~· -~:~
I
·.. ,.... ___•<t1),•
~·

I I
.,,.
·~·· .... __
I
-~:~

I
I , I , I
P-type semiconductor, which is explained in the next section) is used in the fabrica-
(a) Boron added to silicon (b) Creation of a hole
tion of diodes and transistors. To understand the mechanism of current flow through
Fig. 3.13 P-type semiconductor
72 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Physics 73

There is a deficiency of an electron around the boron atom. The single electron in the additional thermal energy only serves to increase the thermally generated carriers.
the incomplete bond has a great tendency to snatch an electron from the neighbour- As a result, the concentration of minority carriers increase. Eventually, a temperature
ing atom. This tendency is so great that an electron in an adjacent covalent bond, is reached when the number of covalent bonds that are broken is very large, so that
having very small additional energy, can jump to occupy the vacant position. This the number of holes is approximately the same as the number of electrons. The
electron then completes the covalent bond around boron atom. The additional energy extrinsic semiconductor now behaves essentially like an intrinsic semiconductor (of
required for this is of the order of0.01 eV. At room temperature, the thermal energy course, with higher conductivity). This critical temperature is 85 °C for germanium
is sufficient of provide this energy so as to fill the incomplete bonds around all the and 200 °C for silicon.
boron atoms. This concludes our study of semiconductor physics. In the chapters that follow,
When an electron from the adjacent covalent bond jumps to fill the vacancy in we will study some important semiconductor devices. Practically, all of these contain
the incomplete bond around the boron atom, two things happen. First, a vacancy is extrinsic semiconductors of both types in one crystal. The simplest combination,
created in the adjacent bond from where the electron had jumped. This vacancy has a called a PN-junction, is the subject for the next chapter.
positive charge associated with it, hence it is a hole (see Fig. 3.l3b). Second, due to
the filling of the incomplete bond around boron, it now becomes a negative ion. It is
immobile, since it is held tightly in the crystal structure by covalent bonds. The boron • Review Questions •
atom becomes negative ion by accepting one electron from the crystal. That is why 1. Name at least two conductors. Give the order of their conductivities.
this type of impurity is called acceptor type. 2. Name any two insulators and give the order of their conductivities.
Besides the excess holes created due to the addition of acceptor-type impurity, 3. Name two commonly used semiconductors. Give the order of conductivities
there are some holes (and also equal number of free electrons) generated by breaking of these materials.
covalent bonds. Summarising; a P-type material has holes (positively charged car- 4. When atoms share electrons, what type of bonding is it called?
riers) in majority, and free electrons in minority. In addition, there are also negative
5. Explain why the discrete energy levels of an isolated atom split into a band of
immobile ions.
energy when atoms combine together to form a crystal.
Representation of P-type semiconductor Following the same convention as 6. Explain the difference between conductors, insulators and semiconductors
explained earlier, we can represent a sample of P-type semiconductor by a diagram using the energy-band diagrams.
(Fig: 3.14). The white circles represent holes, black circles the electrons, and encir- 7. What will happen to the number of electrons in the conduction band of a
cled minus signs the immobile negative ions. The majority charge carriers in a P-type semiconductor as the temperature of the material is increased?
semiconductor are holes which are positively charged. 8. Sketch the two-dimensional crystal structure of intrinsic silicon at absolute
zero of temperature. Also, sketch its energy-band diagram. Sketch the same
0 0 Legends: crystal structure at room temperature. Also sketch its energy-band diagram.
8 8 08
08 08 o Hole (positive charge) 9. Explain the reason why the conductivity of germanium is more than that of
0 silicon at room temperature.
80 8 8
• 90 • Electron (negative charge)
08 0 0 0
10. Why is a valence electron at the top of the valence band more apt to thermal
8 Immobile ion (negative charge) excitation than the one at the lower level in that band?
80
08 •
80 80
e0 11. Explain what a hole is? How do they move in an intrinsic semiconductor?
12. Explain why the temperature coefficient of resistance of a semiconductor is
Fig. 3.14 Representation of a P-type semiconductor negative?
13. What process is the opposite of thermal generation of electron-hole pairs?
3.6.3 Effect of Temperature on Extrinsic Semiconductors 14. Explain, say within five lines, why the concentration of free electrons and
holes is equal in an intrinsic semiconductor.
We have seen that addition of a small amount of donor or acceptor impurity produces 15. Explain what is the need of adding an impurity to an intrinsic semiconductor.
a large number of charge carriers in an extrinsic semiconductor. In fact, this number 16. Which of the following atoms could be used as N-type impurities and which
is so large that the conductivity of an extrinsic semiconductor is many times that of P-type impurities?
an intrinsic semiconductor at room temperature.
(a) Phosphorous; (b) Antimony; (c) Boron; (d) Arsenic; (e) Aluminium; (j)
Let us see what happens if we raise the temperature of an N-type semiconductor. Indium
Since all the donors have already donated their free electrons (at room temperature),
 74 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Physics 75

17. Explain why a pentavalent impurity atom is known as donor-type impurity. (a) behaves like an insulator
18. In an N-type semiconductor, does it take more energy to excite a valence
(b) has a large number of holes
electron thermally or to liberate an electron from the impurity atom? (5-7
lines). (c) has a few holes and same number of electrons
19. What are the majority current carries in an N-type semiconductor? Why (d) behaves like a metallic conductor
should there be any holes in this material? 6. When a voltage is applied to an intrinsic semiconductor which is at room tem-
20. Explain how holes are created in a P-type semiconductor. perature,
21. Of what polarity are the impurity ions in N-type and P-type semiconductors? (a) electrons move to the positive terminal and holes move to the negative
Justify your answer in brief (within 8 lines). terminal
22. Explain what happens to the concentration of the majority carriers when the (b) holes move to the positive terminal and electrons move to the negative
temperature of an extrinsic semiconductor is increased. terminal
23. Explain why at high temperatures, an extrinsic semiconductor behaves like an (c) both holes and electrons move to the positive terminal
intrinsic semiconductor. (d) both holes and electrons move to the negative terminal
24. In a P-type semiconductor, can the electrons ever outnumber the holes? 7. When temperature of an intrinsic semiconductor is increased,
Explain within 5-6 lines.
(a) resistance of the semiconductor increases
25. Explain, within 8 lines, why electrons are the majority carriers in an N-type
semiconductor. (b) heat energy decreases the atomic radius
(c) holes are created in the conduction band
(d) energy of the atoms is increased
8. The movement of a hole is brought about by
I. Below are some incomplete statements. Four alternatives are provided for each. (a) the vacancy being filled by a free electron
Choose the alternative that completes the statement correctly. (b) the vacancy being filled by a valence electron from a neighbouring atom
1. The conductivity of materials found in nature varies between extreme limits (c) the movement of an atomic core
18 9
of, say, 10- Sim to 10 Sim. The probable value of conductivity of silicon is (d) the atomic core changing from a +4 to a +5 charge
3
(a) 0.5 x 10- Sim (b) 1.0 x 102 Sim 9. lfa small amount of antimony is added to germanium
5
(c) 0.7 x 10 Sim (d) 1.8 x 10-12 Sim (a) the resistance is increased
2. A germanium atom contains (b) the germanium will be a P-type semiconductor
(a) four protons (b) four valence electrons (c) the antimony becomes an acceptor impurity
(c) only two electron orbits (d) five valence electrons (d) there will be more free electrons than holes in the semiconductor
3. When atoms are held together by the sharing of valence electrons, 10. Donor-type impurities
(a) they from a covalent bond (a) create excess holes
(b) the valence electrons are free to move away from the atom (b) can be added to germanium, but not to silicon
(c) each atom becomes free to move (c) must have only five valence electrons
(d) each shared electron leaves a hole (d) must have only three valence electrons
4. An electron in the conduction band 11. The conduction band
(a) is bound to its parent atom (a) is always located at the top of the crystal
(b) is located near the top of the crystal (b) is also called the forbidden energy gap
(c) has no charge (c) is a range of energies corresponding to the energies of the free electrons
(d) has higher energy than an electron in the valence band (d) is not an allowed energy band
5. An intrinsic semiconductor at absolute zero of temperature 12. The forbidden energy gap in semiconductors
(a) lies just below the valence band
 Semiconductor Physics 77
76 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

(b) lies just above the conduction band 2. The larger the orbit, the is the energy of the electron.
(c) lies between the valence band and the conduction band 3. The forces holding the silicon atoms together in a crystal are called _ _ __
(d) is the same as the valence band bonds.
4. The merging of a free electron and a hole is called ____ .
13. In an N-type semiconductor, the concentration of minority carriers mainly
depends upon 5. A pure germanium crystal is an semiconductor and a doped crystal
is an semiconductor.
(a) the doping technique
6. To get excess electrons in an intrinsic semiconductor, we can add _ _ __
(b) the number of donor atoms
atoms. These atoms have valence electrons.
(c) the temperature of the material
7. Free electrons are the carriers in N-type semiconductors, and holes
(d) the quality of the intrinsic material, Ge or Si
are the ____ carriers.
14. If the amount of impurity, either P-type or N-type, added to the intrinsic is
controlled to 1 part in one million, the conductivity of the sample
(a) increases by a factor of 106
An$wers·
(b) increases by a factor of 103 I. L (a) 2. (b) ·. 3. (a)· 4. (d) 5. (a) 6. (q)
(c) decreases by a factor of 10-3 7. (d) ' 8. (b) 9; (<l) · 10. (~J H. (c) · 12> (c)
. l~~ {c). ·..• 14:. (b) '15. (d) '16: (a) 11:. (c) . ·18. (q)
(d) is not affected at all
15. A semiconductor that is electrically neutral 11:: ' r. vafonc.e . ' 2. greater .3. covaforit
(a) has no majority carriers 4. recpttibination ..·.·. · 6; pentavltlent;five
"~ '•,. . ., ",· ·:~~~' ~'·: .~/:~. •" .' ,'

(b) has no free charges • • 7. µiaJqfity, nlin9rit)i·

, ·, ~ .'
(c) has no minority carriers .' ,

(d) has equal amounts of positive and negative charges

16. When a normal atom loses an electron, the atom
(a) becomes a positive ion
(b) becomes a negative ion
(c) becomes electrically neutral
(d) is then free to move about
17. Excess minority carriers are the minority carriers that
(a) are thermally generated
(b) are impurity generated
(c) are in excess of the equilibrium number
(d) are in excess of the number of majority carriers
18. Resistivity is a property of a semiconductor that depends on
(a) the shape of the semiconductor
(b) the atomic nature of the semiconductor
(c) the shape and the atomic nature of the semiconductor
(d) the length of the semiconductor

II. Read each of the following statements and complete them by filling in the blanks
with appropriate words:
1. The electrons in the outermost orbit are called - - - - electrons.
 Semiconductor Diode 79

UNIT • compare the performance of half-wave rectifier and full-wave

rectifier (both centre-tapped and bridge type)
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODE • derive in case ofhalf-wave and full-wave rectifiers, the expressions
for output de voltage, average or de current, rms current, ripple
factor, and rectification efficiency
"Jn this electronic age we see ourselves being translated more • state the important ratings of a rectifying diode
and more into the form of information, moving toward the 11
explain the need of filters in de power supply
technological extension of consciousness." • explain with the help of suitable waveforms, the working of
Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980)
half-wave and full-wave rectifiers using shunt-capacitor, series
inductor and n-filter
Canadian Communications Theorist,
Educator; Writer and Social Reformer • state typical applications of light-emitting dfode (LED), varactor
diode and zener diode

4.1 PN-JUNCTION
After completing this unit, students will be able to: By themselves, P-type and N-type materials taken separately are of very limited use.
[fwe join a piece of P-type material to a piece ofN-type material such that the crystal
• explain how barrier potential is set up in a PN-junction diode structure remains continuous at the boundary, a PN-junction is formed. Such a PN-
• state the approximate value of barrier potential in a germanium junction makes a very useful device. It is called a semiconductor (or crystal) diod~
and a silicon diode A PN-junction cannot be made by simply pushing the two pieces together; this
• explain the meaning of space-charge region (depletion region), would not lead to a single crystal structure. Special fabrication techniques are needed
zener breakdown, avalanche breakdown, static resistance and to form a PN-junction. For the time being, let us not bother how a PN-junction is
dynamic resistance formed.
• explain the conduction property of a forward-biased and reverse- A PN-junction itself is an important device. Furthermore, practically all semicon-
biased diode ductor devices contain at least one PN-junction. For this reason, it is very necessary
to understand how a PN-junction behaves when connected in an electrical circuit. In
• draw the forward and reverse characteristics of germanium and
silicon diodes this chapter, we shall discuss the properties ofa PN-junction. It will help us to under-
stand even those devices which have more than one PN-junction.
• explain the difference between germanium diodes and silicon
diodes on the basis of forward voltage drop and reverse saturation
current 4.2. JUNCTION THEORY
• explain the effect of temperature on the reverse saturation f}:_he most important characteristic of a PN-junction is its ability to conduct current in
current
one direction only. In the other (reverse) direction, it offers very high resistanc.€1How
• calculate the static and the dynamic resistance of a diode from its this happens is explained in the following sections.
V-1 characteristics
• draw the characteristics of an ideal diode 4.2.1 PN-Junction with no External Voltage
• explain the need of rectifiers in electronics
Figure 4.1 shows a PN-junction just immediately after it is formed. Note that it is a
• draw the circuit diagram and explain the working of half-wave single crystal. Its left half is P-type and right half is N-type. The P region has holes
rectifier, centre-tapped full-wave rectifier and bridge rectifier and negatively charged impurity ions. The N region has free electrons and positively
80 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 81

charged impurity ions. Holes and electrons are the mobile charges, but the ions are diffuse into the P region are repelled by the uncompensated negative charges
immobile. The sample as a whole is electrically neutral and so are the P region and N on the acceptor ions. As a result, total recombination of holes and electrons
region considered separately. Therefore in the P region, the charge of moving holes cannot occur.
equal the total charges on its free electrons and immobile ions. Similarly, in the N
region, the negative charge of its majority carriers is compensated by the charge of P-type N-type
its minority carriers and immobile ions. 8 °G •©e<:Bo<:B•
0

P-type N-type Go Go Go • •
<:B•o ©. ©
Go Go G Go 0 G •© ©. © •© 0
G G
0
G
0
•<:El •© •©
©· •°
••
0

©• • • •
0
OG OG G G 0 G 0 ©. © ·© •©
0
G G
0
G
• © © .©
•© •© •©o• ©o •©.
0 0
•o 0
Go G 0 Go Go 0 G
0
G
0
8 G
0
8°G ©• ©• ©. • ©• © •
0 L Depl~tion
reg10n
_j
• 0

Fig. 4.2 Space-charge region or depletion region is formed in the vicinity of the junction
Fig. 4.1 A PN-]unciton when just formed

6. The region containing the uncompensated acceptor and donor ions is called
Note that no external voltage has been connected to the PN-junction of Fig. 4.1.
depletion region. That is, there is a depletion of mobile charges (holes and
As soon as the PN-junction is formed, the following processes are initiated:
free electrons) in this region. Since this region has immobile (fixed) ions
1. Holes from the P region diffuse into the N region. They then combine with the which are electrically charged it is also referred to as the space-charge region.
free electrons in the N region. The electric field between the acceptor and the donor ions is called a barrier.
2. Free electrons from the N region diffuse into the P region. These electrons The physical distance from one side of the barrier to the other is referred to
combine with the holes. as the width of the barrier. The difference of potential from one side of the
3. The diffusion of holes (from P region to N region) and electrons (from N barrier to the other side is referred to as the height of the barrier. With no
region to P region) takes place because they move haphazardly due to thermal external batteries connected, the barrier height is of the order of tenths of a
energy and also because there is a difference in their concentrations in the two volt. For a silicon PN-junction, the barrier potential is about O. 7 V, whereas for
regions. The P region has more holes and the N region has more free electrons. a germanium PN-junction it is approximately 0.3 V
4. One would normally expect the holes in the P region and free electrons in the 7. The barrier discourages the diffusion of majority carrier across the junction.
N region to flow towards each other and combine. Thus, all the holes and free But what happens to the minority carriers? There are a few free electrons in
electrons would have been eliminated. But in practice this does not occur. the P region and a few holes in the N region. The barri~r helps these minority
The diffusion of holes and free electrons across the junction occurs for a very carriers to drift across the junction. The minority carriers are constantly
short time. After a few recombinations of holes and electrons in the immediate generated due to thermal energy. Does it mean there would be a current due
neighbourhood of the junction, a restraining force is set up automatically. This to the movement of these minority carriers ? Certainly not. Electric current
force is called a barrier. Further diffusion of holes and electrons from one side cannot flow since no circuit has been connected to the PN-junction. The drift
to the other is stopped by this barrier. How this barrier force is developed is of minority carriers across the junction is counterbalanced by the diffusion of
explained in the succeeding paragraphs. the same number of majority carriers across the junction. These few majority
5. Some of the holes in the P region and some of the free electrons in N region carriers have sufficiently high kinetic energy* to overcome the barrier and
diffuse towards each other and recombine. Each recombination eliminates a cross the junction. In fact, the barrier height adjusts itself so that the flow of
hole and a free electron. In this process, the negative acceptor ions in the P minority carriers is exactly balanced by the flow of majority carriers across the
region and positive donor ions in the N region in the immediate neighbourhood junction.
of the junction are left uncompensated. This situation is shown in Fig. 4.2.
Additional holes trying to diffuse into the N region are repelled by the * In a semiconductor, all the charge carriers do not have same kinetic energy.
Some have
uncompensated positive charge of the donor ions. The electrons trying to very high energy, whereas some have very low energy. The average energy depends upon
the temperature of the sample. ,
82 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 83

Thus, we conclude that a barrier voltage is developed across the PN-junction even P-type material and the positive terminal of the battery to the N-type material. The
if no external battery is connected. holes in the P region are attracted towards the negative terminal of the battery. The
electrons in the N region are attracted to the positive terminal of the battery. Thus
4.2.2 PN-Junction with Forward Bias the majority carriers are drawn away from the junction. This action widens the
Suppose we connect a battery to the PN-junction diode such that the positive terminal depletion region and increases the barrier potential (compare this with the unbiased
PN-junction of Fig. 4.1).
of the battery is connected to the P-side and the negative terminal to the N-side as
shown in Fig. 4.3. In this condition, the PN-junction is said to be forward biased. P-type N-type
0
P-type N-type 8 08
I
I
I
e:_....
......e:~-:e- ~~ _:=
_____ -:..- -------- .G§: :CB
I
I
I
rt •
C±l
8
0
80 e
0
©
• ©• ©
•© 0 0
8 08
I
I
e:_
_...---~---_-_
====..:---.
______- --------
......_G::-E J;El_ ..... .BJ _.:CB
I
I •C±l •C±l
0 0 0 •© • •
•© .© •C±l 0 01I
I
I
==:::;:-- .......
I
I
•
8 8 8 8 • 8 II e:~~~-:fj--
......._ ______ - J;El_ ..... .BJ ..... :CB
I
I
C±l C±l
•
0 0• • 0 --------
0 0 I

•© • • 0 I
===-----. I
• •
8 08 II e:_.8::~..-:..fi
I
8 08 0 8 .© C±l © - XB -...EB :CB
...... ---~-:..- - ·:::::.
I
C±l 0 C±l
~ - - -* I
0 0 • •
4' • -±t .0 •©
l'.l:I l'.l:I
I I
•
8 Go 8
Depletion
region
\.!./

'· Depletion region

·'
,_
Fig. 4.4 PN-junction showing reverse bias

Fig. 4.3 PN-junction showing forward bias

The increased barrier potential makes it more difficult for the majority carriers to
diffuse across the junction. However, this barrier potential is helpful to the minority
When the PN-junction is forward biased, the holes are repelled from the positive
carriers in crossing the junction. In fact, as soon as a minority carrier is generated, it
terminal of the battery and are compelled to move towards the junction. The electrons
is swept (or drifted) across the junction because of the barrier potential. The rate of
are repelled from the negative terminal of the battery and drift towards the junction.
generation of minority carriers depends upon temperature. If the temperature is fixed,
Because of their acquired energy, sonie of the holes and the free electrons penetrate
the rate of generation of minority carriers remains constant. Therefore, the current
the depletion region. This reduces the potential barrier. The width of the depletion
due to the flow of minority carriers remains the same whether the battery voltage is
region reduces and so does the barrier height. As a result of this, more majority car-
low or high. For this reason, this current is called reverse saturation current. This
riers diffuse across the junction. These carriers recombine and cause movement of
current is very small as the number of minority carriers is small. It is of the order of
charge carriers in the space-charge region.
nanoamperes in silicon diodes and microamperes in germanium diodes.
For each recombination of free electron and hole that occurs', an electron from the
There is another point to note. The reverse-biased PN-junction diode has a region
negative terminal of the battery enters the N-type material. It then drifts towards the
of high resistivity (space charge or depletion region) sandwiched inbetween two
junction. Similarly, in the P-type material near the positive terminal of the battery, an
regions (P and N regions away from the junction) of relatively low resistivity. The P
electron breaks a bond in the crystal and enters the positive terminal of the battery.
and N regions act as the plates of a capacitor and the space-charge region acts as the
For each electron that breaks its bond, a hole is created. This hole drifts towards the
dielectric. Thus, the PN-junction in reverse bias has an effective capacitance called
junction. Note that there is a continuous electron current in the external circuit. The transition or depletion capacitance.
current in the P-type material is due to the movement of holes. The current in the N-
type material is due to the movement of electrons. The current continues as long as
Reverse breakdown We have seen that a PN-junction allows a very small current
the battery is in the circuit. If the battery voltage is increased, the barrier potential is
to flow when it is reverse biased. This current is due to the movement of minority
further reduced. More majority carriers diffuse across the junction. This results in an
carriers. It is almost independent of the voltage applied. However, ifthe reverse bias is
increased current through the PN-junction.
made too high, the current through the PN-junction increases abruptly (see Fig. 4.5).
The voltage at which this phenomenon occurs is called breakdown voltage. At this
4.2.3 PN-junction with Reverse Bias voltage, the crystal structure breaks down. In normal applications, this condition is
I I
I

Figure 4.4 shows what happens when a battery with the indicated polarity is connected avoided. The crystal structure will return to normal when the excess reverse bias is
to a PN-junction. Note that the negative terminal of the battery is connected to the removed, provided that overheating has not permanently damaged the crystal.
 Semiconductor Diode 85
84 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

There are two processes which can cause junction breakdown. One is called same direction as the diode arrow. Hence, the diode is forward biased. Since current
zener breakdown and the other is called avalanche breakdown. When reverse bias is flows easily through a forward biased diode, a resistance R is included in the circuit
increased, the electric field at the junction also increases. High elect1ic field causes so as to limit the current. If excessive current is pennitted to flow through the diode,
covalent bonds to break. Thus a large number of carriers are generated. This causes it may get permanently damaged. The potentiometer helps in varying the voltage
a large current to flow. This mechanism of breakdown is called zener breakdown. applied to the diode. The milliammeter measures the current in the circuit. The volt-
meter measures the voltage across the diode.
In case of avalanche breakdown, the increased electric field causes increase in
the velocities of minority carriers. These high energy carriers break covalent bonds,
thereby generating more carriers. Again, these generated carriers are accelerated
by the electric field. They break more covalent bonds during their travel. A chain
reaction is thus established, creating a large number of carriers. This gives rise to a Easy direction for
conventional current
high reverse current. This mechanism of breakdown is called avalanche breakdown.
p R
p .... IN
0>--~---=--11....-M--.:..:_~~o

4.3 V-1 CHARACTERISTICS OF A Anode Cathode

PN-JUNCTION DIODE (a) Circuit used to obtain the V-1 characteristic (b) Symbol of the diode
of a diode for forward bias
We would like to know how a device responds when it is connected to an electrical
Fig.4.6
circuit. This infonnation is obtained by means of a graph, known as its V-I charac-
teristics, or simply characteristics. It is a graph between the voltage applied across
Figure 4.7 shows the magnified view of a silicon-diode characteristic when the
its terminals and the current that flows through it. For a typical PN-junction diode,
diode is forward biased. Note that the voltage is plotted along the horizontal axis,
the characteristic is shown in Fig. 4.5. It tells us how much diode current flows for a
as voltage is the independent variable. Each value of the diode voltage produces a
particular value of diode voltage.
particular current. The current, being the dependent variable, is plotted along the
vertical axis.
From the curve of Fig. 4. 7, we find that the
diode current is very small for the few tenths of
1
a volt. The diode does not conduct well until the rmax
external voltage overcomes the barrier potential.
0 As we approach 0.7 V larger number qf free
v- electrons and holes start crossing the junction.
Above 0.7 V, even a small increase in the voltage
produces a sharp increase in the current. The 0
Reverse voltage at which the current starts to increase
0.7V v-
rapidly is called the cut-in or knee voltage (V0) of Fig. 4.7 Forward characteristics
the diode. For a silicon diode, it is approximately of a silicon diode
Fig. 4.5 V-l characteristic of a PN-junction diode
0.7 V, whereas for a germanium diode, it is about
0.3 V. That is
To obtain this graph, we set up a circuit in the laboratory. This circuit is shown in
Fig. 4.6a. Note that in this circuit, the PN-junction is represented by its schematic V0 = 0. 7 V for Si
symbol. The details of the diode symbol appear in Fig. 4.6b. The P region of the Vo = 0.3 V for Ge
diode is called the anode, and the N region the cathode. The symbol looks like an
arrow pointing from the P region to the N region. It serves as a reminder to us that If too large a current passes through the diode, excessl.ve heat will destroy it. For this
the conventional current flows easily from the P region to the N region of the diode. reason, the manufacturer's data sheet specifies the maximum current Ip max that a
diode can safely handle. For instance, the silicon junction diode BY126 has a maxi-
In the circuit (Fig. 4.6a), the de battery VAA is connected to the diode through the
mum current rating of 1 A.
potentiometer P. Note that the de battery is pushing the conventional current in the
 Basic Eiectronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 87
86

To obtain the reverse-bias characteristics, we use the same circuit as in Fig. 4.6a,
except for a few changes. First, we reverse the terminals of the diode. Second, the
milliammeter is replaced by a microammeter. The resulting circuit is as shown in
Fig. 4.8a. The magnified view of the reverse characteristics of the diode is shown in
Fig. 4.8b.
Forward

0
v-
0 •1
Ideal diode
0 =

l R
Reverse

(a) (b)

(a) Circuit to plot reverse-bias characteristics of a diode

Fig. 4.9 (a) Ideal-diode characteristics; (b) Switch analogy

- -V Vz 0

No diode can act as an ideal diode. An actual diode does not behave as a perfect con-
i-J(µA)
ductor when forward biased, and as a perfect insulator when reverse biased. It does
not offer zero resistance when forward biased. Also its reverse resistance, though
(b) Reverse-bias characteristics
very large, is not infinite.
Fig. 4.8 Figure 4.10 shows the forward characteristics of a typical silicon diode. This diode
may be connected in a de circuit. When forward biased, it offers a definite resistance
In the reverse bias, the diode current is very small--only few µA for germanium in the circuit. This resistance is known as the de or static resistance (Rp) of the diode.
diodes and only a few nA for silicon diodes. It remains small and almost constant for It is simply the ratio of the de voltage across the diode to the de current flowing
all voltages less than the breakdown voltage Vz. At breakdown, the current increases through it. For instance, ifthe de voltage across the diode is 0.7 V, the current through
rapidly for small increase in voltage. (See Sec. 4.2.3) it can be found from Fig. 4 .10. The operating point of the diode is at point P, and the
corresponding current can be read as 14 mA. The static resistance of the diode at this
operating point will be given as
4.4 THE IDEAL DIODE
Rp= OA = 0.7V =SOQ
We have seen that a diode has a very important property. It permits only unidirec- AP 14mA
tional conduction. It conducts well in the forward direction and poorly in the reverse
directionft would have been ideal if a diode acted as a pe:fect conduc:or (w~}er()_.
voltag_e ~q@~s..it) wh~!2:DY'1:~ biased, and as a pe.rfect msulator. (with .no current
through it) when reverse biased)The~-J charact~nstics of such ~n 1de~l dwde would 20
be as shown in Fig. 4.9a. An 1Cieal d10de acts ltke an automatic swztch. When the
15
current tries to flow in the forward direction, the switch is closed. On the other hand,
when the current tries to flow the other way (against the direction of the diode arrow) 10

the switch is open. 5

0.2 0.4 B 0.6 A 0.8 VF(V) -+-

Fig. 4.10 Calculation of static and dynamic resistance of a diode

-----'
88 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 89

In general, the static resistance is given by the cotangent of the angle a. That is Now look at the reverse characteristic of the PN-junction diode (Fig. 4.8b). We
OA find that even for a large reverse voltage (but below breakdown) the current is very
RF= - - =cot a (4.1) small. The reverse current may be 1 µA at a voltage of 5 V. Then static resistance of
AP
the diode is
If the characteristic is linear, this ratio OA/AP will be a constant quantity. But, in case 5V
the characteristic is nonlinear, the de resistance will vary with the point of measure- RR=--=5MQ
lµA
ment.
In addition to 14 mA of de current, small ac current may be superimposed in the This is sufficiently high. It is much higher than the forward resistance RR. Since the
circuit. The resistance offered by the diode to this ac signal is called its dynamic or diode curve in the reverse bias is almost horizontal, its dynamic resistance rr will be
ac resistance. The ac resistance of a diode, at a particuiar de voltage, is equal to the extremely high in this region of operation.
reciprocal of the slope of the characteristic at the point, i.e.,

Change in voltage !',.V 4.6 USE,OF DIODES IN RECTifIERS

Tf = - - - - - - - - - -
Resulting change in current Af Electric energy is available in homes and industries in India, in the form of alternating
voltage. The supply has a voltage of 220 V (rms) at a frequency of 50 Hz. In the
Note USA, it is 110 V at 60 Hz. For the operation of most of the devices in electronic
The Greek letter/',. (delta) means "a change of", wherever it appears in formulae. equipments, a de voltage is needed. For instance, a transistor radio requires a de
So, AI is a change in current. Generally, it indicates a small-scale (or incremental) supply for its operation. Usually, this supply is provided by dry cells. But sometimes
change. we use a battery eliminator in place of dry cells. The battery eliminator converts
the ac voltage into de voltage and thus eliminates the need for dry cells. Nowadays,
We can calculate the ac resistance of a diode as follows. Around the operating almost all electronic equipments include a circuit that converts ac voltage of mains
point P, take two points M and N very near to it, as shown in Fig. 4.10. These two supply into de voltage. This part of the equipment is called power supply. In general,
points will then indicate incremental changes in voltage and current. The dynamic at the input of the power supply, there is a power transformer. It is followed by a diode
resistance is related to the slope of the line MN and is calculated as follows. circuit called rectifier. The output of the rectifier goes to a smoothing.filter, and then
to a voltage regulator circuit. A block diagram of such a power supply is shown in
r = AV = (0.73 - 0.66) V = 0.07 V _ .4 Q Fig. 4.11. The rectifier circuit is the heart of a power supply.
9 6
r Af (17.5 -10) mA 7.5 mA
~-----------------------~
I I
I' I
The smaller the incremental changes AV and Af, the closer is the above result to the I I

exact value of the dynamic resistance. For making these incremental values smaller,
the points M and N have to be closer. It then becomes difficult to read the voltage
and current values accurately from the graph. We can circumvent this difficulty if we
remember that as AVbecomes smaller and smaller, the slope of the line MN becomes
·---------
I

'
L------------------------l
Regulated
de output

the same as that of the tangent to the curve at point P. In this alternative approach, we
first draw a tangent to the curve at point P. This tangent meets the x-axis at point B Fig. 4.11 Block diagram of a power supply
(see Fig. 4.10). The dynamic resistance of the diode is then given as
BA 4.6.1 Half-Wave Rectifier
rr =·-=cot /3 (4.2)
AP The unidirectional conducting property of a diode finds great application in rectifiers.
From the graph, we can calculate the dynamic resistance as These are the circuits which convert an ac voltage into de voltage.
Figure 4.12 shows the circuit of a half-wave rectifier. Most electronic equip-
rr= BA= (0.7 - 0.57) V = 0.13 V = 9 _3 Q ments have a transformer at the input. The transformer serves two purposes. First, it
AP 14 mA 14 mA allows us to step the voltage up or down. This way we can get the desired level of de
This may be seen to be almost the same as the value obtained earlier.
90 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 91

voltage. For example, the battery eliminator used with a transistor radio gives a de
voltage of about 6 V. We can use a step-down transformer to get such a low ac volt-
V·tVm
I

age at the input of the rectifier. On the other hand, the cathode-ray tube used in an
oscilloscope needs a very high de voltage--of the order of a few kV. Here, we may
use a step-up transformer. The second advantage of the transformer is the isolation it
provides from the power line. It reduces the risk of electrical shock.
In Fig. 4.12, the diode forms a series circuit with the secondary of the transformer
and the load resistor RL· Let us see how this circuit rectifies ac into de.
Diode

220V (b) Output voltage waveform

50Hz
power mains
Fig. 4.13 Half-wave rectifier

To sum up, when the input voltage is going through its positive half-cycle, the
Fig. 4.12 Half-wave rectifier circuit voltage of the output is almost the same as the input voltage. During the negative
half-cycle, no voltage is available across the load. The complete waveform of the
The primary of the transformer is connected to the power mains. An ac voltage voltage v 0 across the load is shown in Fig. 4.l3b. This voltage, though not a perfect
is induced across the secondary of the transformer. This voltage may be less than, de, is at least unidirectional.
or equal to, or greater than the primary voltage depending upon the turn ratio of the
transformer. We can represent the voltage across the secondary by equation Peak inverse voltage Let us again focus our attention on the diode in Fig. 4. l 4b.
During the negative half-cycle of the input, the diode is reverse biased. The whole
(4.3)
of the input voltage appears across the diode (as there is no voltage across the load
Figure 4. l3a shows how this voltage varies with time. It has alternate positive and resistance ).(When the input reaches its peak value Vm• in the negative half-cycle,
negative half-cycles. Voltage Vm is the peak value of this alternating voltage. the voltage across the diode is also maximum']rhis maximum voltage is known as
During the positive half-cycles of the input voltage, the polarity of the voltage the peak inverse voltage (PIVfJit represents the maximum voltage the diode must
~>;

across the secondary is as shown in Fig. 4. l 4a. This polarity makes the diode forward withstand during the negative half-cycle of the input. Thus, for a half-wave rectifier,
biased, because it tries to push the current in the direction of the diode arrow. The PIV = Vm (4.4)
diode conducts, and a current iL flows through the load resistor RL. This current A A
makes the terminal A positive with respect to terminal B. Since a forward-biased
diode offers a very low resistance, the voltage drop across it is also very small (about +D
+l D

~ -J
0.3 V for Ge diode and about 0. 7 V for Si diode). Therefore, the voltage appearing
v RL Vo v No RL
across the load terminals AB is practically the same as that the voltage vi at every current
instant.
+
in the
circuit
During the negative half-cycle of the input voltage, the polarity gets reversed. The
voltage v tries to send current against the direction of diode arrow. See Fig. 4.14b. B B
The diode is now reverse biased. It is shown shaded in the figure to indicate that it is (a) During positive half-cycle (b) During negative half-cycle
non-conducting. Practically no current flows through the circuit. Therefore, almost
Fig. 4.14 Half-wave rectifier circuit
no voltage is developed across the load resistance. All the input voltage appears
across the diode itself. This explains how we obtain the output waveshape as shown.
in Fig. 4. l3b.
Output de voltage The average value of a sine wave (such as that in Fig. 4. l3a)
over one complete cycle is zero. If a de ammeter (moving coil type) is connect-
ed in an ac circuit, it will read zero. (The de meter reads average value of current
in a circuit.) Now, if the de ammeter is connected in the half-wave rectifier circuit
•
92 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 93

(Fig. 4.12), it will show some reading. This indicates that there is some de current The de voltage developed across the load RL is
flowing through the loading RL· We can find the value of this current in a half-wave
I
rectifier circuit. Vde =Ide X RL = -2!!. X RL (4.9)
7t
In Fig. 4.13b, we had plotted the waveform of the voltage across the load resis-
tor RL· If we divide each ordinate of this curve by the value of resistance RL, we get While writing Eq. (4.7), we had assumed that
the current waveform. This is shown in Fig. 4.15. Note that the two waveforms (for 1. the diode resistance in forward bias is zero and
current and for voltage) are similar. Mathematically, we can describe the current 2. the secondary winding of transformer has zero resistance.
waveform as follows :
The second assumption is often very near the truth. The winding resistance is almost
iL =Im sin mt; for o:::;;mt:::;;1t (4.5) zero. But, the forward diode resistance rd is sometimes not so small. If it is compa-
and iL = 0; for 7t:::;; mt:::;; 27t (4.6) rable to the load resistance RL, we must take it into consideration. Equation (4.7) for
Here, Im is the peak value of the current iL. It is obviously related to the peak value peak current then gets modified to
of voltage Vm as
1 = Vm (4.10)
1 = vm (4.7) m (RL +rd)
m RL
The de voltage across the load resistor RL can now be written with the help of
since the diode resistance in the conducting state is assumed to be zero. To find the Eq. (4.9) as
de or average value of current, we find the net area under the curve in Fig. 4.15 over
Vde = VmRL = Vm
one complete cycle, i.e., from 0 to 27t (curve repeats itself after the first cycle), and
7t(RL +rd) 7t(l + rd!RL)
then divide this area by the base, i.e., 27t. We first integrate and then use Eqs. (4.5)
and (4.6) to find the area. ~ Vm (ifrd ~ RL) (4.11)
7t

Example 4.1 ·The turns rati~ of a trai;i.~former us.ed ~ ihalf.:wave rectifier

(such as iJ:i Fig. 4.12) is. n 1 : n2 = 12:1.The priip.aryds conn~cted tothe power
pains : .220 V, ·50 Hz,: ,A§~mlnng tile dioge re!li~ta.nce ,itt'.'((}tWar,g bia~ to be· zero,
calculate the d9 voltage:across die lqad.. \\Thati~ the J.>:I¥cifthe diode? ~
rot- ' . . .. "' ,.
0 7t 37t

Fig. 4.15 Waveform of the current flowing through load RL in a half-wave rectifier Solution: The maximum (peak value) primary voltage is

r2it VP = .J2Vrms = .J2 X 220 = 311 V

· Area =Jo iLd(mt)
Therefore, the maximum secondary voltage is

= J Im sin mt d(mt) + J:it0 d(mt)

it
0
v.
m
= ni
ni
v.
P
= _!__ x 311=25.9 v
12
7t
= Im[-cos mt] 0 + O The de load voltage is
= Im[-cos 7t- (-cos O)] Vde = Vm = 25.9 = 8.24 V
7t 7t
=2Im
The peak inverse voltage is
Average value of the load current is then
PIV = Vm = 25.9V
1avg = 1deb = area = 2Im
ase 27t 4.6.2 Full-Wave Rectifier
or -
1de-- Im (4.8) In a half-wave rectifier, discussed above, we utilise only one half-cycle of the input
7t •
wave. In a full-wave rectifier we utilise both the half-cycles. Alternate half-cycles are
94 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 95

inverted to give a unidirectional load current. There are two types of rectifier circuits Peak inverse voltage Figure 4.17 shows DI
that are in use. One is called centre-tap rectifier and uses two diodes. The other is the centre-tap rectifier circuit at the instant +
called bridge rectifier and uses four diodes. the secondary voltage reaches its positive
maximum value. The voltage Vm is the
Centre-tap rectifier The circuit of a centre-tap rectifier is shown in Fig. 4. l 6a. It maximum (peak) voltage across half of
uses two diodes D 1 and D2. During the positive half-cycles of secondary voltage, the the secondary winding. At this instant,
diode D 1 is forward biased and D2 is reverse biased. The current flows through the diode D 1 is conducting and it offers almost
diode D 1, load resistor RL and the upper half of the winding as shown in Fig. 4.16b. zero resistance. The whole of the voltage
During negative half-cycles diode D2 becomes frmvard biased and D 1 reverse bi- Vm across the upper half winding appears D2
ased. Now D2 conducts and Dl becomes open. The current flows through diode D2, across the load resistor RL· Therefore, the
load resistor RL and the lower half of the winding, as shown in Fig. 4.16c. Note that reverse voltage that appears across the Fig. 4.17 The PIV across the non-
the load current in both Figs. 4. l 6b and c is in the same direction. The waveform of non-conducting diode is the summation of conducting diode D2 in a
centre-tap rectifier is 2Vm
the current iL, and hence of the load voltage v0 is shown in Fig. 4. l6d. the voltage across the lower half winding
and the voltage across the load resistor RL·
~ DI
From the figure, this voltage is Vm + Vm = 2Vm. Thus,
PIV =2Vm (4.12)

Power Bridge rectifier A more widely used full-wave rectifier circuit is the bridge recti-
mains fier shown in Fig. 4.18. It requires four diodes instead of two, but avoids the need for
220V
SO Hz

Power
D2 mains
(a) 200V
50Hz
DI DI

..
(a)
v
RL
+

v v
+
_}) +

v
02 D2

(b) (c)

(b) (c)

v~~l--; ..._~n1 .~oz··-·-·-·­

(d)
mt-
o
~ n 2n 3n mt~

(d)
Fig. 4.16 Centre-tap full-wave rectifier
Fig. 4.18 Bridge rectifier
 96 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 97

a centre-tapped transformer. During the positive half-cycles of the secondary volt- We can mathematically derive Eq. (4.14). The output voltage ofa full-wave rectifier
age, diodes D2 and D4 are conducting and diodes DI and D3 are non-conducting. (see Fig. 4.18b) is described as
Therefore, current flows through the secondary winding, diode D2, load resistor RL
O~ mt~ n
a~d D4 as shown in Fig. 4.18b. During negative half-cycles of the secondary voltage,
d10des D 1 and D3 conduct and the diodes D2 and D4 do not conduct. The current rn
= -V sin rot n ~ rot ~ 2n
therefore flows through the secondary winding, diode DI, load resistor RL and diode A minus sign appears in the second equation because during the second half-cycle
D3 as shown in Fig. 4.18c. In both cases, the current passes through the load resistor the wave is still sinusoidal, but inverted. The average or the de value of voltage is
in the same direction. Therefore, a fluctuating, unidirectional voltage is developed
2
across the load. The load voltage wavefonn is shown in Fig. 4.18d. Vdc =_I_ f nv0 d(mt)
2nJo
Peak inverse voltage Let us now find the peak inverse voltage that appears across

2~ [f J:n (-Vm sin mt) d(mt)]

a non-conducting diode in a bridge rectifier. Figure 4.19 shows the bridge rectifier
= 0\vm sin mt) d(mt) +
circuit at the instant the secondary volt-
age reaches its positive peak value, Vm· A

2~ [ 1-Vrn cos mt I~ + IVrn cos mt \!n J

+
The diodes D2 and D4 are conducting, =
whereas diodes DI and D3 are reverse bi-
ased and are nonconducting. The conduct-
=
v.
-2!!.. [-cos n +cos 0 +cos 2n - cos n] = - -
2~
ing diodes D2 and D4 have almost zero 2n n
resistance (and hence zero voltage drops ......
:i D3 This is same as Eq. (4.14).
across them). Point B is at the same po-
tential as the point A. Similarly, point D is
Why bridge rectifier drcuits are preferred As mentioned earlier, the bridge
at the same potential as the point C. The c
rectifier is the most widely used full-wave rectifier. It has many advantages over
entire voltage Vm across the secondary Fig. 4.19 The PIV across the non-con- a centre-tap rectifier. It does not require centre-tapped secondary winding. (If
winding appears across the load resistor ducting diode Dl or D3 is v;,, stepping up or stepping down of voltage is not needed, we may even do away with the
RL· The reverse voltage across the non-
transformer.) The peak inverse voltage of each diode is equal to the peak secondary
conducting diode DI (or D3) is also Vm. Thus,
voltage Vm• whereas the PIV of the nonconducting diode in a centre-tap rectifier is
PIV = Vm (4.13) 2Vm· This fact is of vital importance when higher de voltages are required.
Suppose we need a certain de output voltage (say, 2Vmin) from a full-wave
Output de voltage in various rectifiers The voltage waveform in Fig. 4. l 8d is rectifier. If it is a bridge rectifier, the transformer secondary voltage need have a peak
exactly the same as that in Fig. 4.I6d. In both the rectifier circuits, the load voltage is value of only Vm· But if it is a centre-tap rectifier, the secondary must have 2V as rn
the same. However, there is one difference. In the bridge rectifier, Vm is the maximum its peak voltage. This is twice the value needed for a bridge rectifier. It means that
voltage across the secondary winding. But in the centre-tap rectifier, Vm represents for a centre-tap rectifier, the transformer secondary must have double the number
the maximum voltage across half the secondary winding. of turns. Such a transformer is costlier. Furthermore, each of the two diodes in a
Now let us compare the full-wave rectified voltage waveform (of Fig. 4. l 8d or centre-tap rectifier must have a PIV rating of2Vm. But the diode in a bridge rectifier
Fig. 4.16d) with the half-wave rectified voltage waveform (of Fig. 4.13b). In a half- is required to have PIV rating of only Vm· Hence, the diodes meant for use in a centre-
wave rectifier, only positive half-cycle are utilised for the de output. But a full-wave tap rectifier are costlier than those meant for a bridge rectifier.
rectifier utilises both the half-cycles. Therefore, the de or average voltage available The main disadvantage of a bridge rectifier is that it requires four diodes, two
in a full-wave rectifier will be double the de voltage available in a half-wave rectifier. of which conduct on alternate half-cycles. This creates a problem when low de
If the resistance of a forward-biased diode is assumed zero, the de voltage of a full- voltages are required. The secondary voltage is low and the two diode voltage drops
wave rectifier (refer to Eq. 4.11) is (1.4 V, in case of Si diodes) become significant. These diode voltage drops may be
compensated by selecting a transformer with slightly higher secondary voltage. But
(4.14) then the voltage regulation becomes poor. For this reason, in low-voltage applications
we prefer the centre-tap rectifier which has only one diode drop(= 0.7 V). By using
germanium diodes instead of silicon, the diode drop may further be reduced to 0.3 V.
98 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 99

components of different frequencies. These undesired ac components are called

Example 4.2 The turns ratio of the transformer used in a bridge rectifier is
ripples. The lowest ripple frequency in case of a half-wave rectifier is the same as the
n 1 : n2 = 12: 1, The primary is connected to 220 V, 50 Hz power ~ahis. Assuming power-mains frequency. But, for full-wave rectifier it is not so. As ca~ be ~een from
that the diode voltage drops to be zero, find the de voltage across.the load. What Figs. 4.20d and a, the period of the output wave of a full-wave rect~fier 1s half the
is the PIV of each diode? If the same· de voltage is obtained by using a centre-tap period of the input wave. The variation in current (or voltage) repe~ts 1ts~lf after each
restifier, wh~t is the PIV? _4 angle n of the input wave. Therefore, the lowest frequency of the npple m the output
of a full-wave rectifier is twice the input frequency. That is, the ripple frequency,
Solution: The maximum primary voltage is
fr= fi = 50 Hz (half-wave rectifier) (4.15)
VP = .J2 v_rms = .J2 X 220 = 311 V and fr= 2fi = 100 Hz (full-wave rectifier) (4.16)
Therefore, the maximum secondary voltage is How effectively a rectifier converts ac power into de power is described quantitatively
n2 1 by terms such as ripple factor, rectification efficiency, etc.
V: =-V: =-x311 =25.9V
m n1 P 12
The de voltage accross the load is

Vctc = 2Vm = 2x25.9=16.48V t-

1t 1t

The PIV (for bridge rectifier) is

PIV = Vm = 25.9 V
For the centre-tap rectifier, the PIV is
PIV = 2Vm = 2 x 25.9 = 51.SV
' '~ ' .,,,. ,. '.; ,,>,< ' .~ ~ .' ,' l

.···4llLJ•·•.:HO\V1.EF.f'ECT.IV:EJ.¥,A.·REGTIFlER···• (b)

60N\lERTS·~ClNT<J.;fJC••:1.···
Ifwe connect a load resistor RL directly accross an ac power mains, the current :flow-
ing through it will be purely ac (sinusoidal having zero average value). This current
;Ji.~
ldc~·-·-·~·-·-5B
A- A
0 t-
is shown in Fig. 4.20a. In some applications, we require a de current to flow through
the load. The de current* is unidirectional and, ideally, has no :fluctuations with time. (c)
The ideal de current is shown in Fig. 4.20b. To see how effectively a rectifier converts

;,t~:~ ::-__AAc+:\-=-
ac into de, we compare its output current waveshape with the ideal de current.
If the load takes current from a half-wave rectifier, the current waveform will be
as in Fig. 4.20c. It is unidirectional, but fluctuates greatly with time. The waveform
0
~~ t-
of the load current, when the load is connected to a full-wave rectifier, is shown
(d)
in Fig. 4.20d. This too is unidirectional and fluctuates with time. A unidirectional,
:fluctuating waveform may be considered as consisting of a number of components. It Fig. 4.20 Comparison of half-wave and full-wave rectifiers with an ideal ac-to-dc
has an average or de value over which are superimposed a number of ac (sinusoidal) converter

* The terms ac and de were originally used as the abbreviation of alternating current and The ripple factor is a measure of purity of the de output of a rectifier, and is
direct current, respectively. Therefore, it may seem odd from the language point of view
to use terms "an ac current, a de current, a de voltage, etc." However, the adjectives ac and
defined as
de have now been adopted for referring to any quantity whose variation with time is of rms value of the components of wave (4.17)
r=
"alternating" and "direct" type, respectively. average or de value
 100 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 101

The rectification efficiency tells us what percentage of total input ac power is

I~ rn: (1- cos 2mt) d(mt)
converted into useful de output power. Thus, rectification efficiency is defined as
21t Jo 2
de power delivered to load
~ =~--------------~
ac input power from transformer secondary _- -I~
- - Imt - - 2mtln
sin- -
p 21t x 2 2 0
or ~=~ (4.18)
Pac or 1rms =Im (4.21)
Here, Pac is the power that would be indicated by a wattmeter connected in the 2
rectifying circuit with its voltage terminals placed across the secondary winding and This is therms value of the total current (de value and ac components). As can be
Pde is the de output power. seen from Fig. 4.21, the instantaneous value ofac fluctuation is the difference of the
We shall now analyse half-wave and full-wave rectifiers to find their ripple factor instantaneous total value and the de value. That is, the instantaneous ac value is given
and rectification efficiency. as

4.7.1 Performance of Half-Wave Rectifier

Therefore, the rms value of ac components is given as
The half-wave rectified current wave is plotted in Fig. 4.21 and is described math-
ematically as
iL =Im sin mt; for 0 ::.;; mt::.;; 1t (4.19) I~s= -
1 J21t (iL - 2
Ide) d(mt)
21t 0
and iL =0; for n::.;; mt::.;; 21t (4.20)
For determining the ripple factor or rectification efficiency, we first find the rms value
of the current.

or (4.22)

Ripple factor From Eq. (4.17), the ripple factor is given as

(4.23)
mt-
Fig. 4.21 Half-wave rectified current wave (The instantaneous ac component of current
is the difference between instantaneous total current and de current, i.e., Using Eqs. (4.8) and (4.21), for half-wave rectifier, the ratio
i' =ii- Ide)
Irms = Im/2 = 1.57
Ide Im/1t
RMS value of current The rms or effective value of the current flowing through
the load is given as Therefore, the ripple factor is given as

r = ~(1.57)2-1 = 1.21 (4.24)

Thus, we see that the ripple current (or voltage) exceeds the de current (or voltage).
where current iL is described by Eqs. (4.19) and (4.20). Therefore,
This shows that the half-wave rectifier is a poor converter of ac into de.
102 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 103

=~I!re x~2
Rectification effidency For a half-wave rectifier, the de power delivered to the
load is

Pde =I~cRL = (1: JRL or 1

rms
=Im
J2 (4.27)
and the total input ac power is
Note that this is the same as therms value of the full sinusoidal ac wave.
Pac =I~8 (rd +Rd= (1; J(rd +Rd The de or average value of the current is

Therefore, the rectification efficiency is

Ide= -1 i7t.zLd(rot) = -1 i7tImsm. rotd(rot)
2 re 0 re 0
_Pde_
11 - -- (Im/re) RL x 10001
/0
Pac Um/2)2(rd +Rd = 2Im (4.28)
re
40.6 % (4.25)
1 + rd!RL This current, as it should be, is double the de current of a half-wave rectifier.

If rd« RL, 71 ._.., 40.6 per cent. It means that under the best conditions (i.e., no Ripple factor Equation (4.22) is valid for a full-wave rectifier too. We can there-
diode loss), only 40.6 % of the ac input power is converted into de power. The rest fore use Eq. (4.23) to calculate the ripple factor of a full-wave rectifier.
remains as ac power in the load.
2 2

4.7.2 Performance of Full-Wave Rectifier r= (Irms ) - l = (Im!J'i.) - l

Ide 2Im/re
Figure 4.22 shows a full-wave rectified current wave. Its period may be seen to be re.
The wave repeats itself after each re. Therefore, while computing the average or rms = 0.482 (4.29)
values, we should take the integration between the limits 0 to re, instead of 0 to 2re.
The waveshape between 0 to re is described as
Rectification efjidency For a full-wave rectifier, the de power delivered to the
load is
iL =Im sin rot
where OJ(= 2ref) is the angular frequency of the input ac voltage.
(4.26)
Pde= I~cRL = (
2
~m J
RL

and the total input ac power is

Pac =I~s(rd +Rd= ( ]

Therefore, the rectification efficiency is
r
(rd+ Rd

Fig. 4.22 Full-wave rectified current wave - Pde

11 - -- - (2Imlre)2 x 100 o1
/0
2
Pac UmJ'i.) (rd +Rd
RMS value of current Effective or rms value of current is given as
81.2 % (4.30)
1 + rd/RL
-1 i7t ifd(rot) = -1 i7t I!sin rotd(rot)
2
re 0 re 0 This shows that the rectification efficiency of a full-wave rectifier is twice that .of a
half-wave rectifier under identical conditions. The maximum possible efficiency can
I! fit(l-cos2rot)d(rot)= I!lrot _sin2rotlit be 81.2 % (when rd« RL).
re Jo 2 re 2 4 0
 104 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
Semiconductor Diode 105

Example 4.3 In a centre-tap full-wave rectifier, the load resistance RL = 1 kQ. Table 4.1 Comparison between different rectifiers
Each diode has a forward-bias dynamic resistance rd of 10 Q. The voltage across
Full~wave
half the secondary winding is 220 sin 314t volts. Find (a) the peak value of cur-
.~Half-wave .'
rent, (b) the de or average value of current, (c) therms value of current, (d) the >Centre.,fap. Bridge·
ripple factor, and (e) the rectification efficiency. ~ Number of diodes 1 2 4
Transformer necessary Not Yes Not
Solution: The voltage across half the secondary winding is given as Peak secondary voltage vm V*
m Vm
v = 220 sin 3l4t V Peak inverse voltage v.** 2Vm
m vm
(a) The peak value of voltage is Peak load current, Im Vml(rd + RL) Vml(rd + RL) Vm1(2rd + RL)
Vm =220V RMS current, Inns Im12 Im1J2 Im1J2
Therefore, peak value of current is DC current, Ide Imht 2Im11t 2Im11t
Ripple factor, r 1.21 0.482
v. 220 0.482
Im =-m-= =0.2178A Rectification efficiency (max) 40.6% 81.2 % 81.2 %
I(! + RL 10 + 1000 Lowest ripple frequency,fr Ii 2/i 2/i
=217.8 mA
* It is the voltage between centre tap and one of the terminals.
(b) The de or average value of current is
** With a capacitor-input filter, the PIV ofa half-wave circuit becomes 2Vm, as we shall see
later.
Ide= 2Im = 2 X 217.8 = 138.66 mA t Transformer may be used for isolation even if not required for stepping up (or down) the
1t 1t input ac.
(c) The rms value of current is

l
I
154 mA
4.s aow fo:.GEf'A.'BEtTERfi:n:::;
rms
=
J2
__.!!!_ = ', <,.<.,'

(d) The ripple factor is given as

The object of rectification is to provide a steady de voltage, similar to the voltage
from a battery. We have seen that a full-wave rectifier provides a better de than a half-
2 wave rectifier. But, even a full-wave rectifier does not provide ripple-free de voltage.
( ~)
2

r= Irms ) - I= - 1 = 0.482 These rectifiers provide what we may call "a pulsating de". We can.filter or smooth
( 138.66
Ide out the ac variations from the rectified voltage. For this we use a filter or smoothing
circuit (see Fig. 4~ 11 ). In this section, we shall discuss different types offilter circuits.
(e) The rectification efficiency is given as
p 4.8.1 Shunt Capacitor Filter
1J = --E£
Pac This is the simplest and the cheapest filter. You just have to connect a large value
But Pde = I~cRL = (138.66 3 2
X 10- ) X 1000 = 19.2265 W capacitor C in shunt with the load resistor RL as shown in Fig. 4.23a. The capaci-
tance offers a low-reactance path to the ac components of current. To de (with zero
and Pac = I~ 8 (rd + RL) = (154 X 10- 3
)2 X (10 + 1000) = 23.953 W frequency), this is an open circuit. All the de current passes through the load. Only
192265 a small part of the ac component passes through the load, producing a small ripple
1J = Pac = = 0.8026 = 0.8026 X 100 % = 80.26 % voltage.
Pac 23.953
The capacitor changes the conditions under which the diodes (of the rectifier)
A full-wave rectifier is preferred to a half-wave rectifier, because its rectification conduct. When the rectifier output voltage is increasing, the capacitor charges to the
efficiency is double and its ripple factor is low. Table 4.1 gives the comparison peak voltage Vm. Just past the positive peak, the rectifier output voltage tries to fall
between different rectifiers discussed so far. Unless otherwise indicated, all rectifiers (see the dotted curve in Fig. 4.23b). But at point B, the capacitor has +Vm volts across
discussed from now on are full-wave rectifiers (either centre tap or bridge). it. Since the source voltage becomes slightly less than Vm, the capacitor willi try to
106 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 107

send current back through the diode (of the rectifier). This reverse-biases the diode, A much more steadier load voltage can be obtained if a capacitor of too large a
i.e., it becomes open-circuited. value is used. But, the maximum value of the capacitance that can be employed is
The diode (open circuit) disconnects or separates the source from the load. The limited by another factor. The larger the capacitance value, the shorter is the period
capacitor starts to discharge through the load. This prevents the load voltage from of charging the capacitor (from point C to D), and hence the greater is the current
falling to zero. The capacitor continues to discharge until the source voltage (the required to charge the capacitor to a given voltage. The maximum current that can be
dotted curve) becomes more than the capacitor voltage (at point C). The diode again safely handled by a diode is limited by a figure quoted by the manufacturer. This puts
starts conducting and the capacitor is again charged to peak value Vm. During the a limit on the maximum value of the capacitance used in the shunt capacitor filter.
time the capacitor is charging (from point C to point D) the rectifier supplies the
charging current ic through the capacitor branch as well as the load current iL. When 4.8.2 Series Inductor Filter
the capacitor discharges (from point B to point C), the rectifier does not supply any
An inductor has the fundamental property of opposing any change in current flowing
current; the capacitor sends current iL through the load. The current is maintained
through it. This property is used in the series inductor filter of Fig. 4.24. Whenever
through the load all the time.
the current through an inductor tends to change, a 'back emf' is induced in the
The rate at which the capacitor discharges between points Band C (in Fig. 4.23b) inductor. This induced back emf prevents the current from changing its value. Any
depends upon the time constant CRL· The longer this time constant is, the steadier is sudden change in current that might have occurred in the circuit without an inductor
the output voltage. If the load current is fairly small (i.e., RL is sufficiently large) the is smoothed out by the presence of the inductor.
capacitor does not discharge very much, and the average load voltage Vdc is slightly
Since the reactance of the inductor increases with frequency, better filtering of
less than the peak value Vm (see Fig. 4.23b).
the higher harmonic ripples takes place. The output voltage waveform will therefore
consist principally of the second harmonic frequency (the lowest ripple frequency),
Power
as shown in Fig. 4.24b. It shows a large de component and a small ac component.
mains FuJJcwave c
220V rectifier
50Hz
Filter ' Load Power
mains RL
I Vo
(a)
_l
vJ B D
Filter Load
(a)
vm
I R

1+
I

I
I
v,
I
,...)
I \
0 1t 21t 3Jt 4n rot- VJc vdc

(b) _J_
vJ B D F (b)
t-
(c)
vm
Fig. 4.24 Full-wave rectifier with series inductor filter

For de (zero frequency), the choke resistance R in series with the load resistance
RL forms a voltage divider as shown in Fig. 4.24c. If VJc is the de voltage from a full-
(c) wave rectifier, the de voltage Vdc across the load is given as
Fig. 4.23 Full-wave rectifier with shunt capacitance filter
v:d = _!i_ V:d' (4.31)
c R+RL c
An increase in the load current (i.e., decrease in the value of Rd makes the time
constant of the discharge path smaller. The capacitor then discharges more rapidly, Usually, R is much smaller than RL; therefore, almost all of the de voltage reaches
and the load voltage is not constant (see Fig. 4.23c). The ripple increase with increase the load.
in load current. Also, the de output voltage, Vdc decreases.
 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 109
108

The operation of a series inductor filter depends upon the current through it. The fundamental frequency of the ac component in the output of the rectifier is
Therefore, this filter (and also the choke-input LC filter discussed in the next section) 100 Hz (twice the line frequency). For this ac, the reactance XL(= 2n-fL) is high. The
can only be used together with a full-wave rectifier (since it requires current to flow ac current has difficulty in passing through the inductor. Even if some ac current
at all times). Furthermore, the higher the current flowing through it, the better is its manages to pass through the choke, it flows through the low reactance Xe(~ l/2rc/C)
filtering action. Therefore, an increase in load current results in reduced ripple. rather than through load resistance RL· The ripples are reduced very effectively
because XL is much greater than Xe, and Xe is much smaller than RL· The circuit
works like the ac voltage divider of Fig. 4.25d. If v; is the rms value of the ripple
4.8.3 Choke-Input LC Filter
voltage from the full-wave rectifier, then therms value of the output ripple is given as
Figure 4.25 shows a choke-input filter using an inductor L in series and capacitor C in
shunt with load. We have seen that a series inductor filter has the feature of decreas- Vr~ Xe v; (4.32)
ing the ripples when the load current is increased. Reverse is the case with a shunt XL
capacitor filter. In this case, as the load current is increased the ripples also increase. The reactancesXe and XL are computed at 100 Hz. Typical values for Lare 5 to 30 H
An LC filter combines the features of both the series inductor filter and shunt capaci-
and for C, 5 to 40 µF.
tor filter. Therefore, the ripples remain fairly the same even when the load current
In the capacitor-input filter, the current flows through the transformer in a series
changes.
of pulses. But in the choke-input filter, the current flows continuously. This means,
The choke (iron-core inductor) allows the de component to pass through easily the transformer is utilized more efficiently. A further advantage of the choke-input
because its de resistance R is very small. For de, the capacitor appears as open circuit filter is that the ripple content at the output is not only low but is also less dependent
and all the de current passes through the load resistance RL· Therefore, the circuit
on the load current.
acts like a de voltage divider of Fig. 4.25c, and the output de voltage is given by
Eq. (4.31). Bleeder resistor Since an inductor depends upon current for its operation, it
functions best under large current demands. For optimum functioning, the induc-
tor should have a minimum current flowing at all times. If the current through the
L
inductor falls below this minimum value, the output voltage rises sharply. The volt-
Power Full-wave c RL
mains rectifier age regulation becomes poor. In order to provide this minimum current through the
choke, a bleeder resistor Rb is usually included in the circuit. Figure 4.26 shows a
Filter Load bridge rectifier with a choke-input filter using a bleeder resistor.
(a) Circuit L

vJI R D2
Power
vdc 't I
mains
I 220V
V'
r vdc 50Hz
D3
0
1-
J
(b) Output (c) DC equivalent circuit Fig. 4.26 Bridge rectifier with a choke-input filter, using a bleeder resistor (The bleeder
resistor maintains minimum current in L, discharges C and is used for varying
the output)

In Fig. 4.26, even if load resistance RL becomes open circuit, the bleeder resistor
Rb maintains the minimum current necessary for optimum inductor-operation. The
j bleeder resistor can serve a number of other functions as well. For example, it can
be used as a voltage divider for providing a variable output voltage. It can also serve
(d) AC equivalent circuit as a discharge path for the capacitor, so that voltage does not remain across the
Hg. 4.25 Full-wave rectifier with choke-input filter output terminals after the load has been disconnected, and the circuit de-energised.
 110 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 111

This reduces the hazard of electrical shock when the load is connected to the output 2. PIV rating
terminals next time. 3. Forward and reverse ac resistances
4. Junction capacitance
4.8.4 1t Filter 5. Behaviour in breakdown region

Very often, in addition to the LC filter, we use an additional capacitor C 1 for provid- One or more of these characteristics may be of prime importance depending upon
ing smoother output voltage. This filter is called n: filter (its shape is like the Greek the intended application of the diode. The main types of diodes used in electronic
letter n:). Such a filter is shown in Fig. 4.27. The rectifier now feeds directly into the circuitry are :
capacitor C 1• Therefore, the filter is also called capacitor-input filter. 1. Signal diodes
L 2. Power diodes
D
3. Zener diodes
4. Varactor diodes
5. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs)

4.9.1 Signal Diodes

Fig. 4.27 A half-wave rectifier feeding into an-filter These diodes are not required to handle large currents and/or voltages. The usual
requirements are a large reverse-resistance/forward-resistance ratio and a minimum
Since the rectifier feeds into the capacitor C 1, this type of filter can be used together of junction capacitance. Some of the commercially available signal diodes are listed
with a half-wave rectifier. (The choke-input filter cannot be used with a half-wave in the data book as general-purpose diodes. Some are best suited to a particular type
rectifier.) Typical values for C 1 and C2 for a half-wave rectifier are 32 µF each; and of circuit application, such as a radio waves detector or as an electronic switch in logic
for L, 30 H. The half-wave rectifier ripple frequency being 50 Hz, these components circuitry. The maximum reverse voltage or peak inverse voltage, that the diode may
have reactances of XL = I 00 Q and Xe = 9492 Q approximately. The reactances of L be required to handle is usually not very high and neither is the maximum forward
and C2 act as an ac potential divider. This reduces the ripple voltage to approximately current. Most types of diodes have a PIV rating in the range 30 V to 150 V: The
100/9426 times its original value. maximum forward current range may be somewhere between 40 mA and 250 mA.
In the full-wave rectifier, the ripple frequency is 100 Hz. It means that a filter using
the same component values would be more efficient in reducing the ripple. In other 4.9.2 Power Diodes
words, for a given amount of ripple smaller components can be used. Typical values Power diodes are mostly used in rectifiers. The important parameters of a power
are C 1 = C2 = 8 µF and L = 15 H. Electrolytic capacitors have fairly large capaci- diode are the peak inverse voltage, the maximum forward current, and the reverse-
tances values and yet occupy minimum space. Usually both capacitors C 1 and C2 are
resistance/forward-resistance ratio. The peak inverse voltage rating is likely to be
made inside one metal container. The metal container serves as the common ground
somewhere between 50 V and 1000 V: The maximum forward current may be per-
for the two capacitors.
haps 30 A or even more. As semiconductor technology advances, diodes capable of
The disadvantages of the capacitor-input LC filter are the cost, weight, size and handling larger and larger power are being made available. Power diodes are usually
external field produced by the series inductor. These disadvantages can be overcome silicon diodes. A power diode must have a forward resistance as low as possible. This
by replacing the series inductor with a series resistor of 100 to 200 Q. It is then called helps in reducing the voltage drop across the diode when a large forward current
capacitor-input RC filter. But this has the disadvantage of increasing the de voltage flows. The forward resistance is usually not very much more than an ohm or two. The
drop in the filter. The voltage regulation becomes poorer. It also requires adequate reverse resistance of a power diode must be as high as possible. Almost no current
ventilation to conduct away the heat produced in the resistor. As a result, it is only should flow through the diode when reverse biased.
used to supply de power to equipments taking only a small current.
4.9.3 Zener Diodes
4.9 TYPES OF DIODES Zener diodes are designed to operate in the breakdown region without damage. By
varying the doping level, it is possible to produce zener diodes with breakdown ii!
The important characteristics of semiconductor diodes are:
voltages from about 2 V to 200 V:
1. Maximum forward current
112 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 113

As discussed in Section 4.2.3, the large current at breakdown is brought about by The simplest regulator circuit consists merely of a resistor Rs connected in series
two factors. known as the zener and avalanche effects. When a diode is heavily doped, with the input voltage, and a zener diode connected in parallel with the load (Fig. 4.29).
the depletion layer is very narrow. When the voltage across the diode is increased (in The voltage from an unregulated power supply is used as the input voltage Vi to the
reverse bias) the electric field across the depletion layer becomes very intense. When regulator circuit. As long as the voltage across RL is less than the zener breakdown
this field is about 3xl0 7 V/m, electrons are pulled from the covalent bonds. A large voltage Vz, the zener diode does not conduct. If the zener diode does not conduct, the
number of electron-hole pairs are thus produced and the reverse current sharply resistors Rs andRL make a potential divider across Vi- At an increased Vi, the voltage
increases. This is known as the zener effixt. across RL becomes greater than the zener breakdown voltage. It then operates in its
Avalanche effect occurs because of a cumulative action. The external applied breakdown region. The resistor Rs limits the zener current from exceeding its rate
voltage accelerates the minority carriers in the depletion region. They attain sufficient maximum /zmax·
kinetic energy to ionise atoms by collision. This creates new electrons which are again
accelerated to high-enough velocities to ionise more atoms. This way, an avalanche
of free electrons is obtained. The reverse current sharply increases.
The zener effect is predominant for breakdown voltages less than about 4 V The uniegiJI~ted
·· p()wet :: 1·
avalanche breakdown is predominant for voltages greater than 6 V Between 4 and ·;.suppJy> ;;:. .:
6 V.. both effects are present. ft is the zener effect that was first discovered and the
term 'zener diode' is in wide use for a break-down diode whether it uses zener effect
or avalanche effect or both. If the applied reverse voltage exceeds the breakdown
voltage, a zener diode acts like a constant-voltage source. For this reason, a zener Fig. 4.29 The zener-diode voltage regulator

...
diode is also called voltage reference diode.
The current from the unregulated power supply splits at the junction of the zener
The circuit symbol of a zener diode is shown in
Fig. 4.28. A zener diode is specified by its break- o~---f---<o diode and the load resistor. Therefore,
Anode Cathode
down voltage and the maximum power dissipation. (4.33)
The most common application of a zener diode is Fig. 4.28 Circuit symbol of a
zenerdiode When the zener diode operates in breakdown region, the voltage Vz across it remains
in the voltage stabilising or regulator circuits.
fairly constant even though the current lz :flowing through it may vary considerably.
If the load current h should increase (because of the reduction in load resistance),
Example 4.4 A zener diode is specified as having a breakdown voltage of the current lz through the zener diode falls by the same percentage in order to main-
9.1 V, with a maximum power dissipation of 364 mW What is the maximum cur- tain constant current 18 . This keeps the voltage group across Rs constant. Hence, the
rent the diode can handle? ~ output voltage V0 remains constant. If, on the other hand, the load current should
decrease, the zener diode passes an extra current lz such that the current ls is kept
constant. The output voltage of the circuit is thus stabilised.
Solution: The maximum permissible current is
Let us examine the other cause of the output voltage variation. If the input voltage
I = .!..._ = 364 x 10-3 = 40 mA Vi should increase, the zener diode passes a larger current so that extra voltage is
Zmax Vz 9.1 dropped across Rs. Conversely, if Vi should fall, the current lz also falls, and the
voltage drop across Rs is reduced. Because of the self-adjusting voltage drop across
Zener diode voltage regulator After the ripples have been smoothed or filtered Rs, the output voltage V0 :fluctuates to a much lesser extent than does the input
from the rectifier output, we get a sufficiently steady de output. But for many appli- voltage Vi-
cations, even this sort of power supply may not serve the purpose. First, this supply
does not have a good enough voltage regulation. That is, the output voltage reduces 4.9.4 Varactor Diodes
as the load (current) connected to it is increased. Secondly, the de output voltage
A reversed-biased PN-junction can be compared to a charged capacitor. The P and
varies with the change in the ac input voltage. To improve the constancy of the de
N regions (away from the space charge region) are essentially low resistance areas
output voltage as the load and/or the ac input voltage vary, a voltage-regulator circuit
due to high concentration of majority carriers. The space-charge region, which is
is used. The stabilizer circuit is connected between the output of the filter and the
depleted of majority carriers, serves as an effective insulation betweeri the P and N
load (see Fig. 4.11 ).
regions. The P and N regions act as the plates of the capacitor while the space-charge
 114 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
Semiconductor Diode 115

region acts as the insulating dielectric. The reverse-biased PN-junction thus has an
effective capacitance, whose value is given as Here, V= 4 V; C= 18 pF = 18 x 10-12 F.

C= cA .. 18 x 10-12 = !5._
.,/4
(4.34)
w
or K = 36x10-12
where E (the Greek letter "epsilon") is the permittivity of the semiconductor material,
A is the area of the junction, and Wis the width of the space-charge region. The width Hence, when the voltage has increased to 8 V, the capacitance becomes
W of the space-charge region is approximately proportional to the square root of the
reverse bias voltage V. The area A and permittivity E being constant, we can write C = _!!._ = 36x10-12 = 12.728 x 10-12 F
Eq. (4.34) as JV .J8
K = 12.728 pF
C= JV (4.35)

As the reverse bias increases, the space-charge region becomes wider, thus effec- 4.9.5 Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs)
tively increasing the plate separation and decreasing the capacitance. Silicon diodes When a PN-junction diode is forward-biased, the potential barrier is lowered. The
optimised for this variable-capacitance effect are called varactors. Figure 4.30 shows majority carriers start crossing the junction. The conduction-band electrons from
the symbol used to represent a varactor diode. It also shows graphically how the the N region cross the barrier and enter the P region. Immediately on entering the
capacitance of a varactor diode varies with the reverse-bias voltage. Typically, the P region, each electron falls into a hole and recombination takes place: Also, some
capacitance variation might be 2-12 pF, or 20-28 pF, or perhaps 28-76 pF. holes may cross the junction from the P region into the N region. A conduction-band
electron in the N region may fall into a hole even before it crosses the junction. In
either case, recombination takes place around the junction.

tT Each recombination radiates energy. In an ordinary diode (power diode or signal

diode), the radiated energy is in the form of heat. In the light-emitting diode (LED),
Symbol the radiated energy is in the form of light (or photons),
Germanium and silicon diodes have less probabilities of radiating light. By using
materials such as gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP) and gallium phosphide (GaP),
--=--=--=-=--------- - - --------- - a manufacturer can produce LEDs that radiate red, green or orange lights. Infra-
red LEDs use gallium arsenide (GaAs), and they emit invisible (infrared) radiation.
These find applications in burglar-alarm systems and other areas requiring invisible
radiation.
Fig. 4.30 Varactor diode characteristic and its symbol
Figure 4.3 la shows the schematic symbol of an LED. The LEDs that emit vis-
Varactor diodes are replacing mechanically tuned capacitors in many applica- ible light find applications in instrument displays, panel indicators, digital watches,
tions. A varactor diode in parallel with an inductor gives a resonant tank circuit. The calculators, multimeters, intercoms, telephone switch boards, etc. A seven-segment
resonant frequency of this tank circuit can easily be changed by varying the reverse display unit as shown in Fig. 4.31 b is made by using a number of LEDs. By activating
voltage across the diode. suitable combination of LEDs in this unit, any digit from 0 to 9 can be displayed by it.

Example 4.5 A varactor diode has a capacitance of 18 pF when the reverse

bias voltage applied across it is 4 V. Determine the capacitance if the diode bias
voltage is increased to 8 V. ~
\\
0>-----~~11---0
Anode Cathode
Solution: The capacitance of a varactor diode is inversely proportional of the (a) (b)
square root of the bias voltage, i.e.,
Fig. 4.31 (a) Schematic symbol of an LED; (b) A seven-segment display using LEDs
K
C=-
JV
 Semiconductor Diode 117

116 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

17. Draw the circuit diagram of a full-wave rectifier using (a) centre-tap
LEDs have a number of advantages over ordinary incandescent lamps. They work connection, and (b) bridge connection. Explain the working of each. What is
on low voltages (1 or 2 V) and currents (5 to I 0 mA) and thus consume less power. the PIV in each case?
They require no heating, no warm-up time, and hence are very fast in action. They 18. Explain why a bridge rectifier is preferred over a centre-tap rectifier. Is there
are small in size and light in weight. They are not affected by mechanical vibrations any application where a centre-tap rectifier is preferred over a bridge rectifier?
and have long life (more than 20 years). 19. Prove that the ripple factor of a half-wave rectifier is 1.21 and that of a full-
wave rectifier is 0.482.
20. Show that the maximum rectification efficiency of a half-wave rectifier is
Review Questions
40.6%.
1. (a) What causes majority carriers to flow at the moment when a P region and 21. Derive an expression for the rectification efficiency of a full-wave rectifier.
an N region are brought together? (b) Why does this flow not continue until 22. Draw the output voltage waveform of a half-wave rectifier and then show the
all the carriers have recombined? effect, on this waveform, of connecting a capacitor across the load resistance.
2. Explain the formation of the 'depletion region' in an open circuited PN- 23. Repeat Q. 4.22 for a full-wave rectifier.
junction. 24. Explain the need of using smoothing circuits in a power supply.
3. State what you understand by barrier potential across a PN-junction. Also 25. Explain why a series-inductor filter cannot be used with a half-wave rectifier.
explain its significance. 26. Explain the working of a choke-input filter.
4. The barrier potential developed across an open-circuited PN-junction aids 27. What is a bleeder resistor? What functions can it serve in a power supply?
the flow of minority carriers. Explain how this flow of charge carriers is 28. Draw the circuit diagram, including typical component values, for a 12-V, 2-A
counterbalanced. power supply using bridge rectifier and an-filter.
5. Explain why the peak inverse voltage of a semiconductor diode is an important
29. What are the important specifications of semiconductor diodes?
parameter. 30. State the difference between the specifications of a signal diode and a power
6. Sketch, on the same axes, typical static characteristics for germanium and
silicon diodes. Label clearly the values of forward voltage drop and reverse diode.
31. Name the two types ofreverse breakdowns which can occur in a PN-junction
saturation current. diode. Which type occurs at lower voltages?
7. What do you understand by 'an ideal diode'? Draw its V-I characteristics.
32. Explain why is it necessary to use a voltage regulator circuit in a power supply.
8. What limits the number of reverse current carriers? 33. Draw the block diagram of a regulated power supply. Explain in brief the
9. Why is the reverse current in a silicon diode much smaller than that in a
functioning of each block.
comparable germanium diode ? 34. Draw the circuit diagram of a voltage regulator circuit using a zener diode.
10. Explain how the process of avalanche breakdown occurs in a PN-junction Explain its working. Is there any limitation on the value of the series resistor
diode. How is it different from zener breakdown?
used in this circuit?
11. Explain why a PN-junction possesses capacitance. 35. In what respect is an LED different from an ordinary PN-junction diode?
12. Which carriers conduct forward current in a diode? Draw the symbol for a State applications of LEDs. Why should you prefer LEDs over conventional
PN-junction diode showing the direction of forward current.
incandescent lamps ?
13. Roughly how much forward voltage is needed to cause current to flow in (a) a
silicon diode; (b) a germanium diode?
14. Draw the circuit diagram of a half-wave rectifier. Explain its working. What is • Objective-Type Questions •
the minimum frequency of ripple in its output? Below are some incomplete statements. Four alternatives are provided for each.
15. If Vm is the peak value of the voltage across the secondary winding in a half-
Choose the alternative that completes the statement correctly.
wave rectifier, what is the value of the de component in its output voltage?
Derive this relationship. 1. The potential barrier at a PN-junction is due to the charges on either side of
16. Draw the circuit of a half-wave rectifier with a capacitor-input filter. (live the junction. These charges are
typical component values and describe the operation of the circuit. What is (a) minority carriers
the peak inverse voltage across the diode: (a) without the capacitor connected., (b) majority carriers
and (b) with the capacitor connected?
 Semiconductor Diode 119
118 IJusi,; Electronics and Linear Cirrnits

(c) both majority and minority carriers (b) only minority carriers are crossing the junction
(d) fixed donor and acceptor ions (c) the junction is unbiased
2. In an unbiased PN-junction, the junction current at equilibrium is (d) the potential barrier is zero
(a) due to diffusion of minority carriers only 9. When forward bias is applied to a junction diode, it
\h) due to diffusion of majority carriers only (a) increases the potential barrier
(c) zero. because equal but opposite carriers are crossing the junction (b) decreases the potential barrier
(d) zero. because no charges are crossing the junction (c) reduces the majority-carrier current to zero
3. In a PN-junction diode, holes diffuse from the P region to the N region be- (d) reduces the minority-carrier current to zero
cause 10. The depletion or space-charge region in a junction diode contains charges that
(a) the free electrons in the N region attract them are
(b) they are swept across the junction by the potential difference (a) mostly majority carriers
(c) there is greater concentration of holes in the P region as compared to N (b) mostly minority carriers
region (c) mobile donor and acceptor ions
(d) None of the above (d) fixed donor and acceptor ions
4. ln a PN-junction diode, if the junction current is zero, this means that 11. Avalanche breakdown in a semiconductor diode occurs when
(a) the potential barrier has disappeared (a) forward current exceeds a certain value
(b) there are no carriers crossing the junction (b) reverse bias exceeds a certain value
(c) the number of majority carriers crossing the junction equals the number (c) forward bias exceeds a certain value
of minority carriers crossing the junction (d) the potential barrier is reduced to zero
(d) the number of holes diffusing from the P region equals the number of
12. When a PN-junction is biased in the forward direction
electrons diffusing from the N region (a) only holes in the P region are injected into the N region
5. In a semiconductor diode, the barrier potential offers opposition to only (b) only electrons in the N region are injected into the P region
(a) majority carriers in both regions (c) majority carriers in each region are injected into the other region
(b) minority carriers in both regions
(d) no carriers move
free electrons in the N region
(c) The forward bias applied to a PN-junction diode is increased from zero to
13.
(d) holes in the P region higher values. Rapid increase in the current flow for a relatively small increase
6. When we apply reverse bias to a junction diode, it in voltage occurs
(a) lowers the potential barrier (a) immediately
(b) raises the potential barrier ( b) only after the forward bias exceeds the potential barrier
(c) greatly increases the minority-carrier current (c) when the flow of minority carriers is sufficient to cause an avalanche
(d) greatly increases the majority-carrier current breakdown
7. The number of minority carriers crossing the junction of a diode depends (d) when the depletion area becomes larger than the space-charge area
primarily on the 14. The capacitance of a reverse-biased PN-junction
(a) concentration of doping impurities (a) increases as the reverse bias is decreased
( b) magnitude of the potential barrier (b) increases as the reverse bias is increased
(c) magnitude of the forward-bias voltage (c) depends mainly on the reverse saturation current
( d) rate of thermal generation of electron-hole pairs (d) makes the PN-junction more effective at high frequencies
8. The reverse saturation current in a junction diode is the current that flows
when
(a) only majority carriers are crossing the junction
120 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 121

15. In a half-wave rectifier, the load current flows for (c) gives a light output which increases with increase in temperature
(a) the complete cycle of the input signal (d) depends on the recombination of holes and electrons
(b) only for the positive half-cycle of the input signal
(c) less than half-cycle of the input signal Answers ·.· ..
(d) more than half-cycle but less than the complete cycle of the input signal
1. (d) 2. (c); 3. (c) 4. (c) 5; (a) 6, (b)
16. In a full-wave rectifier, the current in each of the diodes flows for {0. (d) . .. 12. (c)
.7. (d) 8. (/J) ;9. (b) , ; '
110: (/J)
(a) the complete cycle of the input signal ,c,/.,,'·,

13. (b) 14, (a) 15. (b)

;-'·'
tK (b) 17 (d) 18. (a)
(b) half-cycle of the input signal
19. (c) 20. (c) :21, (l!) ... ~.'f,,(d)
( c) less than half-cycle of the input signal
(d) zero time
17. In a half-wave rectifier, the peak value of the ac voltage across the secondary
• Tutorial Sheet 4.1 •
of the transformer is 20.Ji V. Ifno filter circuit is used, the maximum de volt-
age across the load will be 1. Calculate the maximum de voltage available from a half-wave rectifier shown
(a) 28.28 V (b) 14.14V in Fig. T. 4.1.1. Also find the reading of the milliammeter.
(c) 20V (d) 9V [Ans. 4.95 V; 4.95 mA]
18. If Vm is the peak voltage across the secondary of the transformer in a half-
wave rectifier (without any filter circuit), then the maximum voltage on the
reverse-biased diode is
Load
(a) Vm (b) .!.vm 1 k.Q
2
(c) 2Vm (d) none of these
19. In the above question, if we use a shunt capacitor filter, the maximum voltage
that occurs on the reverse-biased diode is Fig. T. 4.1.1
(a) Vm (b) .!.vm
2 2. Calculate the PIV rating of the diodes used in the full-wave rectifier shown in
(c) 2Vm (d) none of these Fig. T. 4.1.2. Also find the maximum de voltage that can be obtained from this
20. In a centre-tap full-wave rectifier, Vm is the peak voltage between the centre- circuit. Mark the polarity on the milliammeter and determine how much de
tap and one end of the secondary. The maximum voltage across the reverse- current it will indicate. [Ans. 9.9 V; 9.9 mA]
biased diode is
DI
(a) Vm
(c) 2Vm (d) none of these
21. A zener diode
(a) has a high forward-voltage rating
(b) has a sharp breakdown at low reverse voltage 02
(c) is useful as an amplifier
Fig. T. 4.1.2
(d) has a negative resistance
22. The light-emitting diode (LED) 3. It is desired to obtain a maximum of 15 V (de) from a bridge rectifier circuit. It
(a) is usually made from silicon uses silicon diodes (the voltage drop across each diode is 0. 7 V). It is energised
(b) uses a reverse-biased junction from an ac mains supply (220 V, 50 Hz) through a step-down transformer. Find
the turns ratio of this transformer. [Ans. 12 : 1]
122 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 123

4. In Fig. T. 4. l.3, calculate the load current h and zener diode current f 1. Dl
Breakdown voltage of the zener diode may be assumed to be 5 V .. mA
[Ans. 4.16 mA; 10.84 mA]
\
\
\

1 Jill.
+

Fig. E. 4.1.1

Fig. T. 4.1.3 Brief Theory A diode conducts in forward bias (i.e., when its anode is at higher
potential than its cathode). It does not conduct in reverse bias. When the diode is
5. The silicon diode shown in Fig. T 4.1 A is rated for a maximum current of forward biased, the barrier potential at junction reduces. The majority carriers then
100 mA. Calcuiate the minimum value of the resistor RL· Assume the forward diffuse across the junction. This causes current to flow through the diode. In reverse
voltage drop across the diode to be 0.7 V bias, the barrier potential increases, and almost no current can flow through the di-
[Ans. 93 n ~we can take a safer value of J 00 Q]
ode.
The external battery is connected so that its positive terminal goes to the anode
and its negative terminal goes to cathode. The diode is then forward-biased. The
amount of forward bias can be varied by changing the externally applied voltage. As
shown in Fig. E. 4.1.1, the external voltage applied across the diode can be varied by
the potentiometer R1• A series resistor (say, 1 kQ) is connected in the circuit so that
excessive current does not flow through the diode. We can note down different value
of the current through the diode for various values of the voltage across it. A plot
Fig. T. 4.1.4 between this voltage and current give the diode forward characteristics.
At a given operating point we can determine the static resistance (Rd) and dynamic
•......, .•~m,,·~~"=~·~=·· ;I'); Experimental Exercise 4.1 11; "'·~~-~~- resistance (rd) of the diode from its characteristic. The static resistance is defined as
the ratio of the de voltage to de current, i.e.,
Title Semiconductor (or crystal) diode characteristics. v
Rd=-
Objectives To !

1. trace the circuit meant to draw the diode-characteristics; The dynamic resistance is the ratio of a small change in voltage to a small change in
2. measure the current through the diode for a p:irticular value of forward voltage; current, i.e.,
3. plot the forward characteristics of a germanium and a silicon diode·
4. compare the forward characteristic of a Ge diode with that of a Si diode·
5. calcul~te the_forward static and dynamic resistance of the diode at a particular Procedure
operatmg pomt.
1. Find the type number of the diodes connected in the experimental board.
Apparatus ~equi~ed Experimental board, regulated power supply, milliam- 2. Trace the circuit and identify different components used in the circuit. Read
meter, electromc multimeter. the value of the resistor using the colour code.
3. Connect the milliammeter and voltmeter of suitable ranges, say 0 to 25 mA for
Circuit Diagram The circuit diagram is given in Fig. E. 4.1.1. ammeter and 0 to 1.5 V for voltmeter.
 Semiconductor Diode 125
124 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

2. The values of static and dynamic resistance of the two diodes are as given
4. Switch on the power supply. With the help of the potentiometer R 1' increase below:
the voltage slowly.
5. Note the milliammeter and voltmeter readings for each setting of the Diode type No. _ Diode type No. _
potentiometer. Tabulate the observations.
6. Draw the graph between voltage and current. Rd
7. At a suitable operating point, calculate the static and dynamic resistance of the rd
diode, as illustrated in Fig. E. 4.1.2.
8. Bring the other diode in the circuit and repeat the above.
• Experimental Exercise 4.2 •
A
Title Zener diode characteristics.

Objectives To
1. trace the circuit;
2. plot the V-I characteristic of a zener diode under reverse-biased condition;
0 N V(volts) - 3. calculate the dynamic resistance of the diode under reverse-biased condition
(when conducting).
Fig. E. 4.1.2
Apparatus Required Experimental board, milliammeter, electronic multi-
Observations meter, regulated power supply.
1. Type number of the diode= _ __
2. Information from the data book: Circuit Diagram The circuit diagram is shown in Fig. E. 4.2.1.
(a) Maximum forward current rating= _ _ _mA
A
(b) Maximum peak inverse voltage rating= _ _ _V
3. Characteristics :

Type No. _ _ Type No. _ _

Sr.No.
Voltage (in V) Current (in mA) Voltage (in V) Current (in mA)
c
1.
2. Fig. E. 4.2.1
3.
Brief Theory A PN-junction diode normally does not conduct when reverse
Calculations biased. But if the reverse bias is increased, at a particular voltage it starts conducting
heavily. This voltage is called breakdown voltage. High current through the diode can
. . R V
1. Static resistance, d = - = - - - permanently damage it. To avoid high current, we connect a resistor in series with
I
it. Once the diode starts conducting, it maintains almost constant voltage across its
. . t..V terminals whatever may be the current through it. That is, it has very low dynamic
2 . Dynamic resistance, rd = - = ---
M resistance. A zener diode is a PN-junction diode, specially made to work in the break-
Results down region. It is used in voltage regulators.
1. The V-I characteristics of the diodes are shown in the graph.
 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 127
126

Procedure . . AVz AB ,....

Calculations Dynailllc resistance rd= - - = -
' Mz CD
= --=
--
:..!<
l. Note the type number of the zener diode. Find breakdown voltage, wattage
and maximum current ratings of the diode from the data book. Results
2. Trace the circuit. Note the value of the current-lin1iting resistor. l. The V-1 characteristic of the zener diode is shown in the graph.
3. Connect milliammeter and electronic voltmeter of suitable range. (The 2. The dynamic resistance of the diode, rd = ___ Q.
information obtained from the data book will help in choosing suitable range
of the meters).
4. Connect the negative lead of the voltmeter to point C (Fig. E. 4.2.1). By - - • Experimental Exercise 4.3 @

connecting positive lead to point A, you can read the input de voltage Vi. By
connecting positive lead to point B, you get the voltage Vz across the zener Title Half-wave rectifier.
diode.
5. Switch on the power supply. Inc;rease slowly the supply voltage in steps.
Objectives To
Measure the voltages Vi and Vz, and current /z. Once break-down occurs, Vz 1. trace the circuit of half-wave rectifier;
remains fairly constant even though lz increases. 2. draw the waveshape of the electrical signal at the input and output points (after
6. Plot graph between Vz and fz. This is the V-1 characteristic of the zener diode. observing it in CRO) of the half-wave rectifier:
7. Calculate the dynamic resistance of zener diode in breakdown region, as 3. measure the following voltages:
illustrated in Fig. E. 4.2.2. (a) AC voltage at the input of the rectifier,
(b) AC voltage at the output points,
(c) DC voltage at the output points;

AB 0 4. verify the formula Vdc = Vm

11
11
v- 1t
I
5. verify that ripple factor for a half-wave rectifier is 1.21.
: -------------
1p c
I
I Apparatus Required Half-wave rectifier circuit, a CRO, an electronic (or
-------------- D ordinary) multimeter.

Fig. E. 4.2.2 Circuit Diagram As shown in Fig. E. 4.3.1.

BY126
Observations
l. Type number of the zener diode =
2. lnformationfrom the data book:
(a) Breakdown voltage= _ _V
--.-
Power{]i0
mains
220V
SO Hz
1 kQ

(b) Maximum current rating = _ _mA

(c) Maximum wattage rating = ___W Fig. E. 4.3.1
3. V-1 characteristics:
Brief Theory A diode is a unidirectional conducting device. It conducts only
S.No. Vi(in V) Vz(in V) /z (in mA) when its anode is at a higher voltage with respect to its cathode. In a half-wave
rectifier circuit, during positive half-cycle of the input, the diode gets forward biased
1. and it conducts. Current flows through the load resistor RL and voltage is developed
2. across it. During negative half-cycle of the input, the diode gets reverse biased. Now
3. no current (except the leakage current which is very small) flows. The voltage across
4.
 128 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
Semiconductor Diode 129
the load resistance during this period of input cycle is zero. Thus a pure ac signal is
converted into a unidirectional signal. It can be shown that 5. "Verification of theoretical formula :

I. Vctc = Vm Quantity Theoretical value Practical value

1t
1. Output de voltage
where, Vdc is the output de voltage and Vm is peak ac voltage at the input of 2. Ripple factor 1.21
rectifier circuit
..,, t ac voltage at the output
2. Ripp le iac or= = 1.21 Results
de voltage at the output
1. Input and output waveshapes are seen on CRO.
Procedure 2. Practical value of de voltage is little less than the theoretical value.
1. Look at the given circuit of the half-wave rectifier. Trace the circuit. Note the
Difference is only V.
type number of the diode. Also note the value of the load resistor used in the 3. The practical value of ripple factor is more than its theoretical value. The
circuit. difference is _ __
2. Connect the primary side of the transformer to the ac mains. Connect the
CRO probe to the output points. Adjust different knobs of the CRO so that a • Experimental Exercise 4.4 •
good and stable waveshape is visible on its screen. Plot this waveform in your
record book. Take the CRO probes at the input points of the rectifier. Note the Title Full-wave rectifier (centre-tap type).
waveshape of the signal. Compare them.
3. Now, use a multimeter to measure the ac voltage at the secondary terminals of Objectives To
the transformer. This gives the rms value. Also measure the ac and de voltages 1. trace the circuit of a full-wave rectifier;
at the output points.
2. draw the waveshape of the electrical signal at the input and output points (after
4. Multiply this rms value by J2
to get the peak value. Calculate the theoretical observing it in CRO) of the full-wave rectifier;
value of de voltage using formula:
3. measure the following voltages :
vdc = vm (a) AC voltage at the input points,
1t (b) AC voltage at the output points,
Compare this value with the practically measured value of output de voltage. (c) DC voltage at the output points,
5. Using the measured values of de and ac output voltages, calculate ripple 4. verify the formula:
factor. This value should be about 1.21.
Vdc = 2Vm
Observations 1t
5. verify that the ripple factor for a full-wave rectifier is 0.482.
1. Code number or type ofdiode = _ __
2. Information from data book: Apparatus Required Full-wave rectifier circuit, CRO, an electronic (or ordi-
nary) multimeter.
(a) Maximum forward de current =
- - - mA
(b) Peak inverse voltage (PIV) = _ _ _ V
3. Waveformsfrom CRO:
Circuit Diagram As shown in Fig. E. 4.4.1.
4. Measurement ofdifferent voltages: DI
(a) AC voltage at the input= _ _ _ V
(b) DC voltage at the output= V
(c) AC voltage at the output= V

Fig. E. 4.4.1
 Semiconductor Diode 131
130 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

5. Verification of the formula :

Brief Theory In a full-wave rectifier circuit there are two diodes, a transformer
and a load resistor. The transformer has a centre tap in its secondary winding. It (a) Output de voltage
provides out-of-phase voltages to the two diodes. During the positive half-cycle of Practical value
Quantity Theoretical value
the input, the diode D2 is reverse biased and it does not conduct. But diode D 1 is
forward biased and it conducts. The current flowing through D 1 also passes through 2Vm =
the load resistor, and a voltage is developed across it. During the negative half-cycle, I. Output de voltage
1t
the diode D2 is forward biased and D 1 is reverse biased. Now, current flows through
D2 and load resistor. The current flowing through load resistor RL passes in the same
2. Ripple factor 0.482 Vac =
direction in both the half-cycles. The de voltage obtained at the output is given as
Vctc
Vdc = 2Vm
1t
where v;n is the peak value of the ac voltage between the centre-tap point and one Results
of the diodes. It can be proved that the ripple factor of a full-wave rectifier is 0.482. 1. The waveshapes at input and output are observed on the CRO and they are
plotted. .
Procedure 2. The output de voltage is a little less than the theorehcal value. f
1. Trace the circuit. Note the value of the load resistor and the type number of the 3. There is a little difference between the theoretical value and measured value o
two diodes. ripple factor.
2. Connect the mains voltage to the primary of the centre-tapped transformer.
Connect the output terminals to the vertical plates of the CRO. Adjust different • Experimental Exercise 4.5 e -
knobs of the CRO and obtain a stationary pattern on its screen. Now touch the
CRO probes at the centre tap and one of the diodes. Observe the waveshape Title Bridge rectifier circuit.
on the CRO. Plot both the waveshapes in your record book. Compare the two
voltage waveshapes. Objectives To
3. Measure ac voltage at the input (centre tap and one of the diodes) and output
1. trace the given circuit ofbridge rectifier; . .
points. Also measure the de voltage across the load resistor. 2. draw the electrical waveshape at the input and output points after observmg 1t
4. From the measured ac voltage, calculate the de voltage. Compare it with
onCRO;
the measured value of de output voltage. Now calculate the ripple factor by
3. measure the following voltages:
dividing ac voltage (at the output) by de voltage at the output. How much does
it differ from the theoretical value of 0.482? (a) AC voltage at the input ofrectifier,
(b) AC voltage at the output points,
Observations (c) DC voltage at the output points;
1. Type numbers of the diodes = _ _ 4. verify the following formula
2. Information from data book: v.de __2Vm
__
1t
(a) Maximum forward-current rating = ___ mA
(b) Peak inverse voltage (PIV) rating= _ _ V 5. verify that the ripple factor for bridge-rectifier circuit is 0.482.
3. Waveshape at the input and output points:
Apparatus Required Bridge-rectifier circuit, a CRO and an electronic multi-
4. Measurements of voltages:
meter.
(a) AC voltages at the input points (between centre tap and one of the diodes)
(b) AC voltage at the output points= _ _ _V Circuit Diagram As shown in Fig. E. 4.5.1.
(c) DC voltage at the output points= V
132 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
Semiconductor Diode 133

A
2. Information from data book:
(a) Maximum forward current rating = _ _ _ mA
Power
mains (b) Peak inverse voltage (PIV) rating = _ _V
220V 3. Waveshape at the input and output points:
SO Hz
4. Measurement of voltages:
(a) AC voltage at the input points (across the secondary winding terminals)
B v
Fig. E. 4.5.1 (b) AC voltage at the output points = _ _ _ V
(c) DC voltage at the output points = _ _ _ V
Brief Theory In a bridge rectifier circuit there are four diodes, a transformer 5. Verification of the formula:
and a load resistor. When the input voltage is positive at point A diodes D2 and D4 (a) Output de voltage
conduct. The current passes through the load resistor RL. During the other half of the
input signal, the point A is negative with respect to point B. The diodes Dl and D3 Quantity Theoretical value Practical value
conduct. The current passes through the load resistor in the same direction as during
the positive half cycle. DC voltage is developed across the load. It can be proved that 1. Output de voltage 2Vm =
the output de voltage is given by 1t
Vdc = 2Vm 2. Ripple factor 0.482 Vac =
1t
Vdc
where Vm is the peak ac voltage at the input of the rectifier. Also we can show that its
ripple factor is 0.482.
Results
Procedure 1. The waveshapes at input and output are observed on CRO and are plotted.
2. The output d~ voltage is a little less than the theoretical value. Why? We had
1. Find the type number of the diodes connected in the circuit. Trace the circuit not taken the voltage drop across the diodes into consideration while deriving
and note down the value of the load resistor.
the formula Vdc = 2Vm11t.
2. Energise the rectifier with the ac mains. Connect the output of the rectifier to
the CRO. Adjust different knobs of CRO till you get a stable pattern on the
screen. Similarly observe the voltage waveshape at the input of the rectifier. • Experimental.Exercise 4.6 •
Compare the two waveshapes.
3. Now, measure the ac voltage at the secondary of the transformer. Also measure Title Different filter circuits.
ac and de voltage at the output points.
4. Using the theoretical formula Objectives To
Vdc = 2Vm 1. plot the waveshape of the electrical signal at the output point with and without
1t shunt capacitor filter in a half- and full-wave rectifier;
calculate the de voltage at the output. Compare this value with the measured 2. plot the waveshape of the electrical signal at the output points, with and
de voltage. without series inductor filter in a half- and full-wave rectifier;
5. Use the measured values of ac and de voltage at the output points to calculate 3. plot the waveshape of the electrical signal at the output points, with and
the ripple factor. Compare this value with the theoretical value, which is 0.482. without Tr: filter in a half- and full-wave rectifier;
4. measure the output de voltage, with and without shunt capacitor filter in a
Observations half-wave and full-wave rectifier circuit;
1. Type numbers of the diodes = ___ 5. measure the output de voltage, with and without series inductor filter in a half-
and full-wave rectifier circuit;
 134 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Semiconductor Diode 135

6. measure the output de voltage with and without 7t filter in a half- and full-wave result, the output across the load has very low ac content. The output becomes a much
rectifier circuit; better de.
7. verify that de voltage at the output is approximately equal to the peak value A 7t filter utilises the filtering prope11ies of both the inductor and capacitor. It uses
of the input ac signal when shunt capacitor (and n) filter is used in a half- and two capacitors (in shunt) and one inductor (in series). With this type of filter, the
full-wave rectifier. rectified output becomes almost free from ac.

Apparatus Required Rectifier circuit with different filters, a CRO and an Procedure
electronic (or an ordinary) multimeter.
1. Trace the given rectifier circuit with different filter components. Identify every
component in the circuit. Note down their values. Identify the switches S 1, Si, S3
Circuit Diagram As shown in Fig. E. 4.6.1. and S4.
2. With switch S1 on, diode D 2 is in the circuit. It behaves as a full-wave rectifier.
When switch S 1 is open, it becomes a half-wave rectifier. By closing switches
S3 and S4, the capacitors C 1 and C2 respectively can be brought into the circuit.
If the switch S2 is closed, the inductor L becomes out of circuit (the whole
of the current passes through the closed switch S2). When S2 is open, the
inductor comes in series with the load resistor RL.
3. Keep switch S 1 open. The circuit becomes a half-wave rectifier. Open the
switches S3 and S4, and close the switch S2. Observe output voltage waveshape
on CRO and plot it. Measure the output voltages (ac as well as de). To obtain
Fig. E. 4.6.1 a shunt capacitor filter, switch on S3.. Observe and plot output-voltage
waveshape. Again measure output ac and de voltages. To have larger values of
Brief Theory The output of a half-wave or full-wave rectifier contains an shunt capacitor, switch on S4 also (capacitors C 1 and C2 are in parallel). Again
appreciable amount of ac voltage in addition to de voltage. But, what we desire is observe the output-voltage waveshape. Measure ac and de voltages.
pure de without any ac voltage in it. The ac variations can be filtered out or smoothed 4. Switch on S 1 (to make it full-wave rectifier) and repeat the above.
out from the rectified voltage. This is done by filter circuits. 5. Switch off S 1. Also switch off S2, S3 and S4. It becomes a half-wave rectifier
In a shunt capacitor filter, we put a high-value capacitor in shunt with the load. with series inductor filter. Observe and plot the output-voltage waveshape.
The capacitor offers a low impedance path to the ac components of current. Most of Measure output de and ac voltages.
the ac current passes through the shunt capacitor. All the de current passes through 6. Switch on S 1 and repeat the above.
the load resistor. The capacitor tries to maintain the output voltage constant at Vm· 7. Switch offS 1 and switch on S3 and S4 (switch S2 is in off position). It becomes

v;!t=r=::::
This is shown in Fig. E. 4.6.2, for half-wave rectifier. a half-wave rectifier with 7t filter. Observe and plot the output-voltage
waveshape. Measure output voltage (ac as well as de).
8. Switch on S 1 and repeat the above.
9. Measure the ac voltage between the centre tap and one of the end-terminals of
the secondary of the transformer. From this, calculate the peak value Vm of the
input voltage. Now, keeping the switch S 1 open, make a shunt capacitor filter
0 t- by switching on S3. (Switch S4 is open and switch S2 is closed.) Measure the
output de voltage. Compare it with Vm. Now switch on S4. Again measure the
Fig. E. 4.6.2 output de voltage. It becomes nearer to Vm·
10. Switch on S 1 and repeat the above.
In a series inductor filter, an inductor is used in series with the load. The inductor
offers high impedance to ac variations of current and low impedance to de. As a
136 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

Observations
1. Filters
UNIT

Rectifier type Filter type

BIPOLAR JUNCTION
Vac(volts) Vd 0 (volts)
Half-wave 1. No filter
TRANSISTORS (BJTs)
2. Shunt capacitor filter m "illff"'PIE i ti ll!l-ll-lllllllmll&BlalWlllfaB•iil!ll!llll!llll"!IEP'B!!lll!M!l'IBRllfllllMilll•
3. Series inductor filter
4. 1t filter

Full-wave
"The new electronic independence re-creates the world in the
1. No filter
2. Shunt capacitor filter image of a global village."
3. Series inductor filter Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980)
4. 1t filter
Canadian Communications Theorist,
Educator, Writer and Social Reformer
2. Input ac voltage, Vm = _ _ V (rms)

Peak value, Vm = _ _ x J2 = _ _ V
Output de voltage when shunt capacitor filter is used in half-wave rectifier
circuit= V
Output de voltage when shunt capacitor filter is used in full-wave rectifier
circuit = _ _ V
After completing this unit, students will be able to :
Results
• explain the construction of a transistor
1. With the use of shunt capacitor filter in half-wave and full-wave rectifier • explain the action of transistor on the basis of current flow dtieto;;
circuits, ripple voltages are very much reduced. the movement of electrons and holes ···· ·
2. When a 7t filter is used, output of half-wave and full-wave rectifier is almost a
pure de.
• explain the flow of leakage current in a transistor in ca.'
configuration
• draw the symbols of NPN and PNP transistors
• mark the direction of different currents in th~ symbols of NPN.
and PNP transistors
• explain the effect of temperature on leakage current
• connect the external batteries and ac input signal to a transistor:
in its three configurations (CB, CE and CC) ·
• explain the meaning of a (alpha), f3 (beta), I c80, /CEO• input dynamic··
resistance and output dynamic resistance ...
• draw the input and output characteristics of ~ transistor In C.B;<·
and CE configurations ·
• calculate transistor parameters from its characteristics.
• derive the relationship between alpha and beta of a transistor >
• compare the CB and CE configurations ·
• explain the superiority of CE configuration over CB configuration '
in amplifier circuits
 Bipolar junction Transistors (BjTs) 139
138 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

Base
• write code numbers (or type numbers) of at least five commonly Emitter Collector
used Ge and Si transistors manufactured in India •• • •• 0
••••••••
• draw the circuit diagram of a basic transistor amplifier in CE
• •• • • •
•••• 0
• • c
E ••.N• •. P • • N • • • •
•• • • •••••
configuration
• draw the de loadline on the output characteristics, for the given
: •.•
. .•.•
.•. .•. 0 • • • •• ===>
amplifier circuit
• calculate the current gain, voltage gain, and the power gain for a B

simple amplifier circuit, by using the de load line· (a) NPN-type (b) NPN-transistor symbol

• explain the phase reversal of the signal when it is amplified by CE

,C}.rnplifier Base
• explC}.in ·the basic construction of alloy junction transistors and Emitter I Collector
·silicqnplanar transistors 0 00 Oo e 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 00 0 0 0 • • 0 0 0 0 0
• refer to the transistor data sheet for a given transistor E
o ooPooo N o po o o c
0 0 o'O 0 0 •• - 0 0 0 0
• explain the phenomenon of thermal runaway of a transistor o0
o 00
OOoOOo•
° 0 0 Oo
o
0 ===>
• explain the use· of heat sinks in power transistors

B
(c) PNP-type (d) PNP-transistor symbol
5.1 INTRODUCTl()1'J
Fig. 5.1 junction transistor
The transistor was invented in 1948 by John Bardeen, Walter Brattain and William
Shockley at Bell Laboratory in America. They were awarded the Nobel Prize in rec- A transistor has two PN-junctions. One junction is between the emitter and the
ognition of their contributions to Physics. This invention completely revolutionised base and is called the emitter-base junction or simply the emif!!!t)U1!:_<?_!ion. The other
the electronics industry. Since then, there has been a rapidly expanding effort to junction is between the base and the collector and is calleocollectoi-fiase junction or
utilise and develop many types of semiconductor devices such as FET, MOSFET, simply the collector junction. Thus, a transistor is like two PN-junction diodes con-
UJT, SCR, etc. nected back-to-back. Tlie PN-junction theory, learnt in the last chapter, will be used
to discuss the action of a transistor.
5.2 JUNCTION TRANSISTOR. STRUCTtJRE Figure 5.lb shows the symbol for an NPN transistor. Note that in the symbol, the
emitter (not the collector) has an arrowhead. The arrowhead points in the direction of
A transistor is basically a silicon or germanium crystal containing three separate the conventional emitter current (from P region to N region).
regions. It can either be NPN-type or PNP-type. Figure 5. la shows an NPN transistor. Figure 5.lc shows the structure of a PNP transistor and Fig. 5.ld shows its sym-
It has three regions. The middle region is called the base and the two outer regions bol. Note the direction of the arrowhead in the emitter. In a PNP transistor, the con-
are called the emitter and the collector. Although the two outer regions are of tile ventional emitter current will flow from the emitter to the base. That is why the direc-
same type (N-type), their fuilctroiis-camiot be interchanged. The two regions have tion of arrowhead is inward (from P region to N region).
_dj.ff~:t:~J:ltpliysicaLandelectricalproperti~§. In most transistors, tne coTiectorregfonis Both types (PNP and NPN) of transistors are widely used; sometimes together in
made physically larger than the emitter region since it is required to dissipate more same circuit. We shall study both the types. However, to avoid confusion, the discus-
heat. Th~ base is xecylightly_,.d_Qp_~rj ~D-4.iLY<e.ry_th_f!l. T~-~~i!!~E}~J1_e~vil)' doged. sion in this chapter will concentrate on the NPN type. Since a PNP transistor is the
The dopmg of the collector is between the heavy doping of the emitter and the light complement of an NPN transistor, it is mer~ly necessary to read hole for electron,
doping of the base. The function of the emitter is to emit or inject electrons (holes in electron for hole, negative for positive, and positive for negative, for the correspond-
case ofa PNP transistor) inh>tileb~se. The base passes most of these electrons (holes ing operation of a PNP transistor. Th~-~~i~-~-?.!.~~~~-!fan,sJ!!.!?!J~~f..2~~-~~-:-1?.,e
in case of PNP) onto the collecfor. The collector has the job of collecting or gathering more suitable because the major part of the current is transported by electrons whioh
~-~~~,---~~,:•-··-- ~M~·~·~-~-~~~-------·---~•-· - ._.,.~

these electrons (holes in case of a PNP) from the base. have higher mooiHfy compareu to hole~.
 '\.' l ~
't
L\·.S~
9·'1
~-·1_'._
140 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Bipolar function Transistors (B]Ts)
v
....----; I )

y}o 141

5.3 THE SURPRISING ACTION OF A TRANSISTOR the base to the emitter. The total current flowing across the junction is the sum of
the electron diffusion current and the hole diffusion current. In a transistor, the base
A transistor has two junctions-emitter junction and a collection junction. There are region is deliberately doped very lightly compared to the emitter region. Because of
four possible ways of biasing these two junctions (see Table 5 .1 ). Of these four pos- this, there are very few holes in the base region. As a result, over 99 % of the total
sible combinations, only one interests us at the moment. It is condition I, where emit- current is carried by the electrons (diffusing from the emitter to the base). The emitter
ter junction is forward biased and collector junction is reverse biased. This condition current IE and the base current Ia in Fig. 5.3 are quite large. The two currents must be
is often described as forward reverse (FR). equal (IE = la). The collector current le is zero.

N p N
Table 5.1 Four ways of biasing a junction transistor
'·,
:©18: :88 1©©:
Condition .EmitterjunctiOn Collector junction Region ofoperation · E :©18: :881©©: c
'' '
• :ffi 18: '881©©'
I I I

I.
II.
III.
FR
FF
RR
Forward biased
Forward biased
Reverse biased
Reverse biased
Forward biased
Reverse biased
Active
Saturation
Cutoff
[, :ff.l18:
I
1©181
I

Reduced
barrier
I
D

B
:88 1©©:
:881©©:

Iv. RF Reverse biased Forward biased Inverted /Bt

Let us connect a junction transistor in the circuit shown in Fig. 5.2. For the sake
of clarity, the base region has been shown very wide. (Remember, the base is actually
made very narrow.) The battery VEE acts to forward bias the emitter junction, and the Fig. 5.3 On(y emitter junction is forward-biased-a large current flows
battery Vee acts to reverse bias the collector junction. Switches S 1 and S2 have been
provided in the emitter and collector circuits. When the two switches are open, the Next, we close switch S2 and keep the switch S 1 open in Fig. 5.2. This situation
two junctions are unbiased. We thus have depletion or space-charge regions at the is shown in Fig. 5.4. The collector junction is reverse biased. Very small current
two junctions. · flows across this reverse-biased junction. The reverse leakage current is due to the
movement of minority carriers. These carriers are accelerated by the potential barrier.
Just as in the PN-junction diode, this leakage current is very much temperature
N N dependent. The current flows into the collector lead and out of the base lead. There is
: © © 18 8: :8 8 1© ©: no emitter current (IE= 0). The small collector current is called the collector leakage
E :© ©18 8: :8 81© ©: c current. It is given a special symbol, Ieao· The subscript CBO in this symbol signifies
Emitter : © 8:)18 8: Base :8 818:) ©: Collector that it is a current between Collector and Base, when the third terminal (i.e., emitter)
:©©:88: :88:©©: is Open.
:© ©18 9: :9 81© ©:
j__ Space _j B j__ Space _j Electron
charge charge N P N

Fig. 5.2 Biasing an NPN transistor for active operation

Ifwe close the switch S 1 and keep the switch S2 open, the emitter junction will be
forward biased as shown in Fig. 5.3. The barrier at the emitter junction is reduced. '----'--------11111-+_ _ ___,
Since the emitter and base regions are just like those in a PN diode, we can expect a
large current due to forward biasing. This current consists of majority carriers diffus- Vee
ing across the junction. Electrons diffuse from the emitter to the base and holes from Fig. 5.4 Only co/Jector junction is reverse biased-a sma/J leakage current flows
 142 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 143

Refer again to Fig. 5.2. What should we expect if both switches S 1 and S2 are that only 0.5 % of the emitter current consists of the holes passing from the base to
closed? As discussed above, we would expect both IE and / 8 to be large and le to be the emitter.
very small. However, the result of closing both switches turns out to be very surpris-
Once the electrons are injected by the emitter into the base, they become minority
ing. The emitter cunent IE is large, as expected. But 18 turns out to be a very small
carriers (in the base region). These electrons do not have separate identities from
current, and le turns out to be a large current. It is entirely unexpected. It is because
those which are thermally generated in the base region itself. (Note that these
of this unexpected result that the transistor is such a great invention. In the next sec-
electrons are emitted by the emitter, and are in addition to the thermally generated
tion, we shall investigate the reason for le being large and / 8 being small.
minority carriers in the base region.) The central idea in transistor action is that the
base is made very narrow (about 25 µm) and is very lightly doped. Because of this,
5.4 THE WORKING OF A TRANSISTOR most of the minority carriers (electrons) travelling from the emitter end of the base
region to its collector end do not recombine with holes in this journey. Only a few
Let us consider an NPN transistor biased for active operation. As shown in Fig. 5.5, electrons (like 3) may recombine with holes (like 6). The ratio of the number of
the emitter-base junction is forward biased by VEE> and the collector-base junction is electrons arriving at collector to the number of emitted electrons is known as the base
reverse biased by Vee· The directions of various currents that flow in the transistor transportation factor. It is designated by symbol* {3'. Typically, /3' = 0.995.
are also indicated in Fig. 5 .5. As is the usual convention, the direction of current flow Refer to Fig. 5.5. Movement of hole 8 from the collector region and electron 5
has been taken opposite to the direction of electron movement. To understand the from the base region constitutes leakage current, Ie 80 . Movement of electron 3 and
action of the transistor, we have numbered some of the electrons and holes. This will hole 7 constitute a part of emitter current IE- These two currents are not equal. Actu-
simplify the description.
ally, the number of electrons (like 3) and holes (like 7) crossing the emitter-base junc-
N p tion is much more than the number of electrons (like 5) and holes (like 8) crossing
N
• • • • •1 7 0 81© • • •• the collector-base junction. The difference of these two currents in the base region
E • • • •• • 2 I
G:© •• • c
makes the base current / 8 .
• • ••
0

e:<±> 08 • • • •
D I
I

[, •.••. •·.··.;·1 6
The collector current is less than the emitter current. There are two reasons for

.,]
• 0
·e·<±> • this. First, a part of the emitter current consists of holes that do not contribute to the
•• I
I 5 -'+ • •• collector current. Secondly, not all the electrons injected into the base are successful
/E B in reaching the collector. The first factor is represented by the emitter injection ratio
t/B y, and the second, by the base transport factor /3'. Hence the ratio of the collector
'--~~--.... ~+~~~~~~--+~~~---11!11--+~~~~~--' current to the emitter current is equal to /3' y. This ratio is called de alpha ( adc) of the
transistor. Typically, adc = 0.99.
Vee

Fig. 5.5 An NPN transistor biased for active operation 5.4.1 Relations between Different Currents in a Transistor
Let us now examine the role played by the batteries VEE and Vee in Fig. 5.5. These
The emitter junction is forward biased (may be, by a few tenths of a volt). The batteries help in maintaining the current flow in the transistor. To understand this,
barrier potential is reduced. The space-charge region at the junction also becomes see Fig. 5.6.
narrow. As such, majority charge carriers diffuse across the junction. The resulting
We have seen that the emitter region emits a large number of electrons into the
current consists of electrons travelling from the emitter to the base and holes pass-
base region. Also, some holes diffuse from base to the emitter region. These holes
ing from the base to the emitter. As will soon be evident, only the electron current
recombine with electrons available in the emitter region. This way, the emitter region
is useful in the action of the transistor. Therefore, the electron current is made much
becomes short of electrons temporarily. This shortage is immediately made up by the
larger than the hole current. This is done by doping the base region more lightly than
battery VEE· The negative terminal of this battery supplies electrons to the emitter re-
the emitter region. In Fig. 5.5, we have shown electrons I, 2, 3 and 4 crossing from
gion. After all, the battery is a storehouse of charge; they can supply as much charge
the emitter to the base, and hole 7 from the base to the emitter. The total sum of these
as needed. To make matters simple, let us assume that l 00 electrons are supplied by
charge-carrier movements constitutes the emitter current IE. Only a portion of this
the negative terminal of the battery VEE· (In actual practice, the electrons that flow are
current is due to the movement of electrons I, 2, 3 and 4. These are the electrons
injected by the emitter into the base. The ratio of the electron current to the total emit-
* We are using the symbol /3' to represent base transport factor, so as not to confuse it with
ter current is known as emitter injection ratio, or the emitter efficiency. This ratio is the f3 of the transistor. The f3 of a transistor stands for its short-circuit current gain in CE
denoted by symbol y(greek letter gamma). Typically, yis equal to 0.995. This means mode.
 Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 145
144 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

The total current flowing into the transistor must be equal to the total current
very large in number.) These 100 electrons enter the emitter region and constitute the
flowing out of it. Hence, the emitter current is equal to the sum of the collector and
current IE in the emitter terminal. The conventional current (flow of positive charge
or holes) flows in a direction opposite to that of the electron flow. The current IE is base currents. That is, (5.1)
shown coming out of the emitter terminal. This is why the symbol of an NPN transis-
tor has an arrow in the emitter lead, pointing outward (Fig. 5.lb). This equation is a simple statement of what we have discussed up to now; the emitter
current distributes itself into the collector current and base current.
There is another point. From the discussions above we can state th~t the collector
I
E E
le current is made up of two parts: (i) The fraction of emitter current ~h1ch reaches the
c~
fGoo N p N
-98.... collector; and (ii) The normal reverse leakage current Ieo· In equat10n form, we can
write
(5.2)
le= + feo
'1100 18 t 12 981
'
adch

..,._
100 100
'
I
98 ..,._
98
where adc is the fraction of the emitter current IE that reaches the collector.
..... t.-
- + . . ~I• + 5.4.2 DC Alpha ( adcl
VEE Vee
We can solve Eq. (5.2) for adc and write
- .... Electron flow
- Conventional current flow le-Ieo
adc = IE
Fig. 5.6 Relationship between different transistor currents
Usually, the reverse leakage current Ieo is very small compare_d to the total collector
What happens to the 100 electrons that enter the emitter region? The majority of current. Neglecting this current, the above equation can be wntten as
these electrons (say 99 electrons) are injected into the base region. One electron is
lost in the emitter region because of the recombination with a hole that has diffused adc = ~~ (5.3)
from the base region. Out of the 99 electrons injected into the base, say, only one
recombines with a hole; the rest of them (98 electrons) reach the collector region. Here it is simply given as the ratio of the de collector to de emitter current in the
This happens because of the special properties of the base region (it is lightly doped transistor. If, for instance, in a transistor, we measure an le of 4.9 mA and an IE of
and very thin). In this manner, the base region loses only two holes (one diffuses to 5 mA, its de alpha will be
the emitter region and the other is lost in the base region itself, due to recombina- adc = 4.9 = 0.98
tion.) The loss of these two holes is made up by creation of two fresh holes in the 5
crystal near the base terminal. In the process of creation of holes, two electrons are The thinner and more lightly doped the base is, the greater is the value of adc· But
generated. These two electrons flow out of the base terminal and constitute the base de alpha of a transistor can never exceed unity. Many transistors have adc greater
current. The conventional base current 18 flows into the transistor and is very small than 0.99, and almost all have adc greater than 0.95.
in magnitude.
The 98 electrons reaching the collector region experience an attractive force due
to the battery Vee· They travel out of the collector terminal and reach the positive
Example 5..1 A c~rtaih tr~sis.tor?a~ ~de e~ o.;~ ai,i~ ~ c~~~e:t~rle,~~~ge cur'-
terminal of the battery Vee· The conventional collector current le (due to the flow of rehf fi_/0"g({µt\'. ·C~lctl~~t{r#~.~l)ll~Ctqr ~~ the ~~~e, cvn-ents~ \\'.h~~.JE, =) mJ\·~
' ,'' ~
98 electrons) flows into the transistor. The current le is almost equal to, but slightly
less than the emitter current IE· Solution: With IE= 1 mA, we can use Eq, (5.2) to calculate the collector current.
The negative terminal of the battery Vee gives out as many electrons as are re-
ceived by its positive terminal. These 98 electrons from the negative terminal of Vee le = adcIE + Ieo
3
and the 2 electrons from the base tem1inal combine together (at the junction) to make = 0.98 x 1 x 10-3 + 1x10-6 = 0.981 x 10-
up a total of 100 electrons. These 100 electrons reach the positive terminal of the bat- =0.981 mA
tery VEE· The circuit is thus complete. The battery VEE had given out 100 electrons
from its negative terminal.
 146 Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 147
Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

N . .
ow, us mg Eq. (5 .1 ), the base current can be calculated as is negative, whereas both the base current and the collector current are positive. In a
PNP transistor (Fig. 5.7c) the emitter current is positive, but the base and collector
/13 = /E - le
currents are negative. In many textbooks, however, to avoid confusion, the actual
= 1x10'- 0.981x10-3=0.019x 10 3=0.019rnA
direction of current flow is indicated in the diagrams.
= 19 µA
In Figs. 5.7b and c, the transistors are connected in common-base configuration.
Note that le and hare almost equal and hi is very small. The base is common to the input and the output. The potential (or voltages) of the
emitter and collector terminals are written with reference to the common terminal
5.4.3 Sign Conventions (here, base). Thus, voltage VEB is the voltage of emitter with respect to base. The ref-
erence direction of the voltage is indicated by a single-ended arrow (as in Fig. 5.7b),
~~~0 ~;~ i~oan~:~~;:i./~~t~r~u~~~~1~~ ~n; v~ltages
1
in a transistor is the same as or by a double-ended arrow with a plus and a minus sign (as in Fig. 5.7c). The volt-
port on the left (with terminals .1 l') . th a s 1ows a general two-port network. The age. VeB represents the voltage of the collector with respect to the base. In case, the
terminals 2 2') . ti ' . is e mput port and the one on the right (with common (reference) terminal is at higher potential, the voltage is given negative sign.
is 1e output port. Usually one terminal . i
and the output, and is often grounded. Fig~ire 5 7a also s~s ma~~ co~rnon to the input For an NPN transistor, biased to operate in active region (as is done in Fig. 5.6), the
of input and output currents as well as v~ltage~. ows ere erence directions voltage VEB is negative and voltage VCB is positive (since the battery VEE sets the
emitter at lower potential and the battery Vee sets the collector at higher potential
with respect to the base). ·
tI Two-port o 2
v1 network v+ 5.4.4 Other Conditions of Operation
o----r--~r-----+-----0 /
1

I' ! To understand the operation of a transistor completely, we should briefly discuss

other conditions of operation given in Table 5 .1. Condition II has FF bias (both the
junctions are forward biased). The transistor is in saturation. The collector current
becomes almost independent of the base current. The transistor acts like a closed
(a) Two-port network
switch.
Condition III has RR bias, and it represents cut-off operation. In this condition,
_,
IE I- - - - - - -I
,_ le 1E I - - - - - -, le
E I
I
C
Er--'
+
'
I
I
I
1- I
C
+
both junctions are reverse biased. The emitter does not emit carriers into the base.
There are no carriers to be collected by the collector. The collector current is thus
zero (except a little current because of thermally generated minority carriers). The
VEB : ~B I ~B transistor acts like an open switch in this condition. We will talk more about satura-
I
I
I I
I
tfs I
tion and cut-off when we discuss transistor characteristics.
I B I I B I Condition IV has RF bias, and it leads to inverted operation. This operation is
L------J L------J
quite different from the normal operation (condition I, active). Since the emitter and
(b) NPN transistor (c) PNP transistor the collector are not doped to the same extent, they cannot be interchanged. The RF
Fig. 5.7 Sign convention for currents and voltages bias will result in very poor transistor action and is rarely used.

mo~ t~ai~~~:o~~~ ~~~;~~-~:~~~~~t~ev~ce. If ~ne of the terrnimls is .considered com-

an NPN transistor as a t~o- ort net~ ecomes .a two-p~rt device. Figure 5.7h shows
and the output. Similarly
'
Fiu
5 7 . ·hork I~ wPNh1ch bas~ is made common to the input
o· .. ( s ows d • p transistor.
Though a transistor can perform a number of other functions, its main use lies in
amplifying electrical signals. Figure 5.8 shows a basic transistor amplifier. Here, the
As a standard convention, all the currents enter·1110u . t J7 .. .. . • transistor (NPN) is connected in common-base configuration. The emitter is the input
he po1·itive A curre t fl · . - ll1 ° t e trnn.11sto1 are taken to
terminal and the collector is the output terminal. The transistor is biased to operate
tional, curr~nt flows !In t~;·~n7 ~u~ is .negative. In other words, if the actual conven-
in the active region. That is, the battery VEE forward biases the emitter-base junction,
the magnitude. Hence for a~ ~;N d1_rect1on, a negative sign is included along with
' tians1stor (see Fig. 5.7b), the emitter current /E and the battery Vee reverse biases the collector-base junction. A signal source Vs is
connected in the input circuit. A load resistance RL of 5 kQ is connected in the output
circuit. An output signal voltage V0 is developed across this resistor.
 Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 149
148 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

-iE

+
E

11 EB 11 CB
I
c
I
+ -
ic
A =Vo
v V'.
s
2·5 = 125
RL 20x10-3
" '----· ./
B The transistor's amplifying action is basically due to its capability of transferring
i--~~--4..----lll•i---t-~~~ its signal current from a low resistance circuit to high resistance circuit. Contracting
the two terms transfer and resistor results in the name transistor; that is,
I VEE Vee i
R;n = 40 Q R0 = 500 kQ transfer + resistor ~ transistor
Fig. 5.8 A basic transistor amplifier in common-base configuration
5.5.1 Standard Notation for Symbols
:"he~ the .signal V~ is superimposed on the de voltage VEE> the emitter voltage vEB When a transistor is used in a circuit, we talk of various quantities to explain its work-
vanes with time. As a result, the emitter current iE also varies with time. Since the ing. A standard notation of symbols to denote these quantities has been adopted by
collector current is a function of the emitter current, a similar variation occurs in the the Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The notation is sum-
collector current ic. This varying current passes through the load resistor R and a
varying voltage is developed across it. This varying voltage is the output volt~ge v0 •
merised as follows:
1. Instantaneous values of quantities which vary with time are represented by
The output signal _V0 is many times greater than the input signal voltage Vs· To
italic lower case (small) letters (for example, i for current, v for voltage, and p
understa~d how the signal voltage is magnified (or amplified), let us consider how
t~e tran~1stor responds to the ac signal. Since the emitter-base junction is forward
for power).
2. Italic upper case (capital) letters are used to indicate either the de values or the
biased, it offers very low impedance to the signal source V5 • In the common-base
~onfi~ration, the input resistance typically varies from 20 Q to 100 Q. The output
effective (rms) values ofac.
Jun~t10n (the collector-base junction) being reverse-biased, offers high resistance.
3. Average (or de) values and instantaneous total values are indicated by the
!yp1cal.ly, the output resistance may vary from 100 kQ to 1 MQ. Assume that the roman (upright) capital subscripts of the proper electrode symbol (E for
mput signal v~ltage is ~O mV (rms or effective value). Using an average value of emitter, C for collector, and B for base; and S for source, D for drain, and G
40 .Q. for the mput resistance, we get the effective value of the emitter-current for gate in case ofFET).
vanat10n as 4. Time varying components (ac components) are indicated by roman lower case
(small) letter subscripts of the proper electrode symbol.
3
1 - 20x10- - 5. The current reference direction is indicated by an arrow. The voltage reference
e- -0.5 mA
40 polarity is indicated by plus and minus signs or by an arrow that points from
S~nce the collector current is almost the same as the emitter current (in fact it is the negative to the positive terminal. For example, in Fig. 5.8, instantaneous
slightly less), the effective value of the collector current variation is . total value of the emitter-to-base voltage is written as VEB• but if the base
terminal is understood to be common and grounded, we may shorten the
le ~ le = 0.5 mA
symbol VEB to simply vE. Here, the voltage VE is the voltage of emitter (with
~ow, the_ output resistance of the transistor is very high (say, 500 kQ) and the load re- respect to the common terminal base) and is negative.
sistance 1s comparatively low (5 kQ). The output side of the transistor acts like a con- 6. The conventional current flow into an electrode from the external circuit is
stant current source; almost all the current le passes through the load resistance RL. taken as positive.
Therefore, the effective value of output signal voltage is 7. The magnitude of de supply is indicated by using roman capital· double
subscripts of the proper electrode symbol. For instance, in Fig. 5.8, Vee
Vo= lcRL represents the magnitude (the sign is taken care of separately) of the de supply
= (0.5 x 10- 3) x (5 x 10 3) = 2.5 v
in the collector circuit.
The ~atio ?f the output voltage V0 to the input voltage V~ is known as the voltage
For better understanding of the above rules, let us examine the input circuit of
amplification or voltage gain Av of the amplifier. For the amplifier in Fig. 5.8,
Fig. 5.8. Before the signal voltage V8 is connected to the input circuit, the emitter-to-
base voltage is VEB (or simply VE)· This voltage is the same as the de supply voltage
 150 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 151

~EE with a negative. si~. ~at is, VEB = VE = - VEE- See Fig. 5.9a. The variation of electrode. For example, in the circuit of Fig. 5.8, the base terminal has been made
signal voltage vs. with time 1s shown in Fig. 5.9b. When this signal voltage is con- common to both input and output. This connection is called common-base connec-
necte~ the ~ota~ mstantaneou~ val.ue of the emitter voltage (with respect to the base) tion. The input signal is fed between the emitter and the base. The output signal is
VE vanes with time as shown m Fig. 5.9c, since developed between the collector and the base. By making the emitter or the collector
common, we can have what are known as common-emitter (CE) or common-collector
VE =-VEE +vs
(CC) configurations, respectively. In all the configurations, the emitter-base junction
~t any instant ti. the instantaneous value of the ac component (ve) of the voltage (vE) is always forward-biased and the collector-base junction is always reverse-biased.
is also shown. In the figure, note that the voltage ve is the same as signal voltage vs. Figure 5.10 shows three configurations from the ac (signal) point of view. None
of the configurations shows de biasing. But it is understood that in all the three con-
t
lI VE
0 i--~~~~~~~~~~~
Time-
figurations, the transistor is working in the active region (i.e., it has FR bias). In
common-emitter configuration (see Fig. 5.lOb) the base is the input terminal and the
collector is the output terminal. The input signal is connected between the base and
the emitter and the load resistor is connected between the collector and the emitter.
i
-VEE r------------ The output appears across this load resistor.
(a) c E

(a) (b) (c)

Fig. 5.10 Three conft9urations in which a transistor may be connected

Figure 5.1 Oc shows common-collector (CC) configuration. Here, the input signal is
connected between the base and the collector. The output appears between the emitter
and the collector. This circuit is popularly known as emitter follower. The voltage
(c) gain of this amplifier is poor (it never exceeds unity). But it has got an important
characteristics of having very high input resistance and very low output resistance.
Fig. 5. 9 When si9~al voltage Vs is connected in the input circuit, the instantaneous value This property of the emitter follower makes it very useful in certain applications.
of the emitter volta9e chan9es with time

Knowing adc (de alpha) of a transistor does not describe its behaviour, many more
details about a transistor can be studied with the help of curves that relate transistor
In the p_revious section, we have seen how a transistor amplifies ac signals when con-
currents and voltages. These curves are known as static characteristic curves. Though
~ecte~ m comm~n-base configuration. Is common-base (CB) the only configuration
many sets of characteristic curves can be plotted for a given configuration, two of them
m which a.tran~1stor can work as an amplifier? No. In fact, a transistor can be used
are most important. In fact, these two sets of characteristics completely describle the
as an amplifier man~ one of the three configurations. Any of its three electrodes can
static operation of the transistor. One is the input characteristic and the other is the
be made common to m~ut and output. (This common terminal is usually grounded or
output characteristic. Each curve of the input characteristic relates the input current
connected to the chassis.) The connection is then described in terms of the common
with the input voltage, for a given output voltage. The output characteristic curve
relates the output current with the output voltage, for a given input current.
 152 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 153

Although, it is possible to draw the CC characteristics of a transistor, usually they Vc8 =-10V
are not needed. The common-collector configuration can be treated as a special case --I
r-· -LivEB (5.4) Vca=O
1 Lii
of common-emitter configuration (with feedback applied). The details (or the design) E Vc8 =const.
of a CC amplifier can be known from the CE characteristics. The static characteristics 1.0
The dynamic input resistance ri is
of a transistor in CC configuration are therefore not required. This is why the CC
characteristics are not discussed in this book. very low (20 to 100 0). Since the curve
is not linear, the value of ri varies with
0.5
the point of measurement. As the emitter-
5.7.1 Common-Base (CB) Configuration base voltage increases, the curve tends to
The circuit arrangement for determining CB characteristics of a transistor (here, we become more vertical. As a result, ri de-
have taken PNP type) is shown in Fig. 5. l l. The emitter-to-base voltage vrn can be creases.
varied with the help of a ponentiometer R 1. Since the voltage vEB is quite low (less The input characteristics of an NPN
than one volt) we include a series resistor Rs (say, I kQ) in the emitter circuit. This transistor are similar to those in Fig. 5.12, Fig. 5.12 Common-base input character-
helps in limiting the emitter current iE to a low value; without this resistor, the cur- differing only in that both iE and VEB istics for a typical PNP silicon
rent iE may change by large amount even if the potentiometer (R 1) setting is moved would be negative and VcB would be transistor
slightly. positive.

Example 5.2 The input characteristics of a PNP transistor. in common-base

configur~tion .are giveri in Fig. 5..12. Determine the clynantlc input resistance of
the transistor at a point where IE= 0.5 mA and VCB =AO V. _.4

Solution: Around IE= 0.5 mA, we take a small change LiiE. Let
LliE = 0.7 - 0.3 = 0.4 mA
From the curve for VCB = -10 V (see Fig. 5.12), the corresponding change LivEB in
Fig. 5.11 Circuit arrangement for determining the static characteristics of a PNP emitter-base voltage is
transistor in CB configuration LlVEB = 0,70- 0.62 = 0.08 V

The collector voltage can be varied by adjusting the potentiometer R2 . The required The dynamic input resistance is
currents and voltages for a particular setting of the potentiometers can be read from
the milliammeters and voltmeters connected in the circuit. - LivEB I 0.08
ri - LiiE (VcB =-lOV) 0.4x10-3
Input CB characteristics The common-base input characteristics are plotted =2000
between emitter current iE and the emitter-base voltage vEB• for different values of
This value of the input resistance is somewhat higher than what is expected. When the
collector-base voltage Vrn. Figure 5.12 shows a typical input characteristics for a
transistor is operated as an amplifier, the emitter current may be a few milliamperes.
PNP transistor in common-base configuration.
For higher values of emitter currents, the input characteristics curve becomes steeper.
For a given value of Vcs, the curve is just like the diode characteristic in forward- The input resistance ri decreases to a very low value (say, 20 0).
bias region. Here, the emitter-base is the PN-junction diode which is forward biased.
This junction becomes a better diode as VCB increases. That is, there will be a greater Output CB characteristics For the same PNP transistor in CB configuration, a
ir: for a given vEB as Vcs increases, although the effect is very small. set of output characteristics are shown in Fig. 5 .13. The output characteristic curve
For a diode, we had seen that its dynamic resistance is calculated from the slope indicates the way in which the collector current ic varies with change in collector-
of its fonvard characteristic curve. In a similar way, from the slope of the input char·· base voltage vcB, with the emitter current IE kept constant. As per standard conven-
actcristic we can ge1 the dynamic input resistance of the transistor: tion, a current entering into a transistor is positive. For a PNP transistor, current ic
is :flowing out of the transistor and is negative. Since the collector junction is rev<!rse
154 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Bipolar ]unction Transistors (B]Ts) 155

biased, the voltage Vcs is negative. The emitter is entering into the transistor and is current for a diode. This too is temperature sensitive. At room temperature,
taken as positive. typical values of Ieao ranges from 2 µA to 5 µA for germanium transistors and
0.1 µA to 1 µA for silicon transistors.
ic
(mA)
t
/----·--+i--- ------ Active region - - - - - - - - - , c

-2.5 ------------------------- - /'f:o=Ico -

IE= 2.5 mA B CCL Emitter Open -;-Vee
+
-2.0 Collector and Base
,...------------------ =2.0mA
Saturation
region Fig. 5.14 Reverse leakage current in CB configuration
= l.5mA
From the output characteristics of Fig. 5.13, we can determine a number of
-1.0
= 1.0 mA important transistor parameters, such as dynamic output resistance (r0 ), de current
gain ( adc), and ac current gain (a). The dynamic output resistance is defined as
-0.5
r
0
= .6.vea
.6..
I (5.5)
le IE=const.
0 -I -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 -8 Vcs(V)-
where .6.vea and .6.ie are small changes in collector voltage and collector current
t._______~_ Cut-offregion _ _ _ _ _ _ J around a given point on the characteristic curve (for given /E)· Since the output
curves are very flat, for a given .6.vea, the .6.ie is very small. It means the output re-
Fig. 5.13 Common-base output characteristics for a PNP transistor
sistance is very high (of the order of 1 MQ).
A close look at the output characteristics of Fig. 5.13 reveals the following inter- The de alpha of the transistor is defined as
esting points :
le (5.6)
I. The collector current le is approximately equal to the emitter current IE. adc =IE
This is true only in the active region, where collector-base junction is reverse The characteristics tell us that at any point (in the active region) on the curve, le is
biased. less than /E and the difference is very small. The value of adc is less than, but very
2. In the active region, the curves are almost flat. This indicates that ie (for a close to unity. A typical value is 0.98.
given IE) increases only slightly as Ves increases. Is it not what happens in a A transistor is use~ as an amplifier. The amplifier handles ac (varying) signals.
constant current source? The transistor characteristic (in CB configuration) is Under such a condition, we are more interested in the small changes in the voltages
similar to that of a current source. It means that the transistor should have high and currents rather than their absolute (de) values. Specifically, we would like to
output resistor (r 0 ).
know what change occurs in collector current for a given change in emitter current.
3. As Vrn becomes positive (the collector-base junction becomes forward This information is given by a parameter called ac current gain or ac alpha (a or
biased), the collector current ic (for a given /E) sharply decreases. This is the
hfb)*. It is defined as
saturation region. In this region, the collector current does not depend much
upon the emitter current. .6..
hfb or a = __!£. I (5.7)
.6.iE
4. The collector current is not zero when IE = 0. It has a very small value. This is Vce=const.
the reverse leakage current leo· The conditions that exist when IE= O for CB
configuration is shown in Fig. 5.14. The notation most frequently used for Ieo * The symbol htb comes from the analysis based on h-parameters or hybrid parameters. The
is lcso, as indicated in the figure. In this notation, the subscript CBO means letterfin the subscript stands for forward. And letter b indicates a common-base connec-
that it is the current between the collector and base when the third terminal tion. For details about h-parameters, the reader is advised to see Unit 8 on 'Small-Signal
(the emitter) is open. Mind you, the current lcso is like the reverse saturation Amplifiers' (Sec. 8.4.2).
156 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 157

In the above definition of hfb (or a), we have stated that Vcs =constant (see Fig. 5.8).
When you apply an ac signal to the input, the current will change, and so will the
collector voltage. The only way to keep Vcs constant (even when the ac signal is c
c
- le

applied to the input) is to short circuit the load resistor RL· Therefore, the current gain
hfb should have been more appropriately called short-circuit current gain. However,
very often, hfb is simply referred to as current gain, with the understanding that it is B
N

-=-
+
Vee
-
IB

E
+
-=- Vee
defined under short-circuit condition. The value of hfb is in the range from 0.95 to N
+
0.995. VBB iJE
Summarising the common-base configuration, we can say that the current gain -1 E

hfb (or a) is less than unity (typical value is 0.98), dynamic input resistance ri is very
low (typical value is 20 Q), and dynamic output resistance is very high (typical value - -
is 1 MQ). The leakage current IcBo is quite low (typically, 4 µA for germanium and (a) (b)

20 nA for silicon transistors). This current is temperature dependent. Fig. 5.15 FR biasing of an NPN transistor in common emitter {CE) configuration

Example 5.3 In a certain transi('ltor; a ch~nge in.emitter current of l mA In Fig. 5. l 5b, the transistor is replaced by its symbol. The directions of actual cur-
' produces a change in collector current of 0.99 mA. Determine the short-circuit rents are also marked in the figure.
current gain of the transistor. ~
Current relations in CE configuration We have seen that in CB configuration
IE is the input current and le is the output current. These currents are related through
Solution: The short-circuit current gain of the transistor is given as Eqs. (5.1) and (5.2) (rewritten below for convenience):
Ilic /E =le+ IB (5.1)
aorhfb =--
lliE le = adc IE+ lcBo (5.2)
3
0.99x10- = 0.99 In CE configuration, /B becomes the input current and the le is the output current.
1x10-3 We are interested in knowing how the output current le is related with the input cur-
rent /B. That is, we should find a relation such as
5.7.2 Common-Emitter (CE) Configuration
le= f(!B) (5.8)
In CE configuration, the emitter is made common to the input and the output. The
To obtain this relation, we simply substitute the expression of IE from Eq. (5.1) into
signal is applied between the base and emitter and the output is developed between
the collector and emitter. Whether the transistor works in CB or CE configuration, Eq. (5.2), so that
it is to be ensured that it works in the active region. It means that the emitter-base le = adc(lc + /B) + ICBo
junction is forward biased and the collector-base junction is reverse biased. Such or (1 - adc)lc = adcfB + IcBo
biasing (FR biasing) is achieved in CE configuration by connecting the batteries VBB 1
and Vee as shown in Fig. 5.15a. Here an NPN transistor is used. The emitter-base or 1C = -adc /,
- - B + - - - 1CBO (5.9)
1-adc 1-adc
junction is forward biased by the battery VBB· This forward biasing needs a very
small voltage (say, 0.6 V). The battery Vee (say, 9 V) is connected between emitter In this equation, le is given in terms of JB. The equation can be simplified somewhat
and collector. Since the base is at +VBB potential with respect to the emitter, and by defining
the collector is at +Vee potential with respect to the emitter, the net potential of the a _ adc (5.10)
Pde - ---
collector with respect to the base is Vee - VBB· The collector-base junction is reverse 1-adc
biased by this potential. Since Vee is much larger than V8 B, the reserse-bias voltage _ IcBo
and ICEo - - - - (5.11)
may be taken as merely Vee· 1-adc
Thus, Eq. (5.9) becomes
(5.12)
 Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 159
158 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

This equation states that le is equal to f3de multiplied by the input current JB, plus or f3de = ade (1 + f3de)
a leakage current ICEo· This leakage current is the current which would flow between a _ f3de (5.15)
the collector and the emitter, if the third terminal (base) were open. This is illustrated or de - /3de +1
in Fig. 5.16. The magnitude of IcEo is much larger than that of ICBo as indicated by
Eq. (5.11 ). For example, if ade = 0.98, the value of IcEo is fifty times that of ICBo· For Thus, knowing the value of f3de> we can calculate ade using the above equation.
silicon transistors, IcEo would typically be a few microamperes, but it may be a few When a transistor is used as an amplifier, we are more interested in knowing the
hundred microamperes for germanium transistors. ratio of small changes in the collector and base currents, rather than the ratio of their
·--------- absolute values. This ratio is called ac or dynamic beta (/Jae or simply /3). Thus, the
c ~- l_h ac beta is
I /IEO
I )\_ Base Open -=- Vee /3= Aie
AiB
I (5.16)
E Collector and VcE=eonst.
Emitter
To a very close approximation, the value f3de is same as the ac beta (/3). Like /3de> the
Fig. 5.16 Reverse leakage current in CE configuration typical values of /3 vary from 20 to 300. ·
Just as f3dc is related to ade> so is /3 related to a. We can establish this relation by
The factor f3de is called the common-emitter de current gain. It relates the de out- considering that
put current le to the input current!B. Equation (5.10) indicates that f3de can be very h =le+ Ia
large. For example, if ade = 0.98, the value of f3de is Ifwe let le and Ia change by small amounts Aic and Aia, so that IE changes by AiE>
we would still have
/3 = 0.98 = 49
AiE = Aic + Aia
de 1- 0.98
Typically f3de can have values in the range from 20 to 300. Dividing the above equation by Aic and rearranging the terms, we get

Ifwe solve Eq. (5.12) for f3de, we obtain AiE =l+Aia

Aic Aic
f.I - le -IeEO (5.13)
Pde - JB
or .!.=1+.!.
If IeEO is very small compared to le (as is the case usually) then
a /3
a (5.17)
or /3 =
~~
1-a
f3de = (5.14)

Thus, /3de is the ratio of de collector current to de base current.

How beta of a transistor is related to its alpha The de current gain of a

transistor when connected in CE configuration, is f3de· It is defined by Eq. (5 .14). The
same transistor connected in CB configuration gives a de current gain of ade· There-
fore, there is nothing surprising ifbeta (/3de) of a transistor is related to its alpha ( ade).
Solution:
This relation is given by Eq. (5.10). If the value of ade of a transistor is known, its f3de
can be calculated. Manipulating Eq. (5.10), we get (a) Common-base short circuit current gain is given by
3
a= Aic
/3 - ade
de _ _ _ = 0.995 x 10- = 0. 995
1-ade AiE 1 xl0-3
or f3de - f3de ade = ade (b) Common-emitter short circuit current gain is

/3 = __!!..__ = 0.995 = 199

1-a 1-0.995
160 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Bipolar function Transistors (B]Ts) 161

Example 5.5 The de current gain ofa transistor in common.iemitter con.:. ·· The value of ri is typically l k.Q, but can range from 800 Q to 3 k.Q.

.figuration is ·100. Find its de cilrrell.t gain in c()mmon-base configuration. ,.i VCE=-2V
-6V
Solution: We can use Eq. (5.15) to calculate the de current gain in common- -IOV
base configuration -70 ···--1··---·-------------------------:
a. 100
a = _Pd_c_ = - - = 0.99 --60 M8 p i
.Bdc + 1 100 + 1
de
-50 ___ J ___________________________ i;
Input CE characteristics In CE configuration, iB and vBE are the input variables. -40
The output variables are ie and vCE. We can use the circuit arrangement of Fig. 5 .17
to determine the input characteristics of a PNP transistor (for an NPN transistor, -30
terminals of all the batteries, milliammeters and voltmeters will have to be reversed). -20
Typical input characteristics are shown in Fig. 5.18. They relate iB to vBE for differ-
ent values of VCE. These curves are similar to those obtained for CB configuration -10
(Fig. 5.12). Note that the change in output voltage VCE does not result in a large
deviation of the curves. In fact, for the commonly used de voltages, the effect of --0.5
changing VCE on input characteristics may be ignored.
Fig. 5.18 Common-emitter input characteristics of a PNP transistor

Output CE characteristics From the circuit arrangement of Fig. 5 .17, we can

also determine the output characteristics of a PNP transistor. Figure 5.19 shows typi-
cal output characteristics of a PNP transistor. They relate the output current ie, to
the voltage between collector and emitter, VeE> for various values of input current,
/B. Note that the quantities veE> ie and/Bare all negative for a PNP transistor. If the
transistor is NPN type, we reverse the terminals of the batteries Vee and VBB, so that
VeE> ie and /B become positive.

Active region

Fig. 5.17 Circuit arrangements for determining the static characteristics of PNP /8 =-60µA
transistor in CE configuration
-50µA
We can find the dynamic input resistance of the transistor at a given voltage VBE,
Saturation -40µA
from Fig. 5.18. It is given by the reciprocal of the slope of the curve at the point. region
That is,
- - - - - - - - - - -30 µA
r-· -LivBE
-- I (5.18)
' LiiB VCE=const.

For example, the input resistance of the transistor at the point ~---------- -10 µA
-1
. /8 =0
VBE = -0.75 v, and VCE = -2 v
is calculated from Fig. 5.18, as follows: 0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 -8 -9 VcE(V) -
Cut-off region
0.78-0.72
-- I
r-· -LivBE 0.06 = 3 k.Q
Fig. 5.19 Common-emitter output characteristics of a PNP transistor
' LiiB VCE=-2V (68- 48) x 10-6 20x10- 6
162 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 163

A study of these output characteristics reveals following interesting points:

1. In the active region, ic increases slowly as vcE increases. The slope of these
curves is somewhat greater than the CB output characteristics (see Fig. 5.13).
We know that f3ctc is equal to the ratio lei lg. For each curve of Fig. 5.19. the
input current 18 is constant, but current ic increases with VcE· This indicates 8
that f3ctc increases with v<T·
7
2. When VcE falls below a few tenths of a volt, ic decreases rapidly as <\·E
decreases. This occurs as VcE drops below the value of V8 E; the collector-base 6
junction then becomes forward biased. In this condition, both junctions of
5 40µA
the transistor are forward biased. The transistor is working in the saturation
region. It is called saturation region, because the current le no longer depends 4 30µA.
upon the input current 18 .
3 20µA
3. In the active region, the collector current is f3ctc times greater than the base
current. Thus, small input current 18 produces a large output current le. 2
lOµA
4. The collector current is not zero when lg is zero. It has a value of few, the
reverse leakage current. The current fcEO is related with Imo by Eq. ( 5 .11 ). Ia=O
Using Eq. (5.10). we can write Eq. (5.11) in another form: O~=::==:::;:::±::::±:=:;:t:=:::::~~~~
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 VCE(V) -
l
leEO = ----!ego Fig. 5.20 Determination of dynamic output resistance, de beta, and ac beta, of an NPN
1- adc transistor in f§ mode

/3 lrno
Solution: Let us first mark the given operating point on the given characteris-
1- __ d_~_
1+ f3ctc tics. We draw a vertical line at VCE = 10 V. The point of intersection of this line with
the characteristic curve for lB = 30 µA, gives the operating point Q. The collector
or 1CEO = (I + f3ctc) 1CBO (5.19)
current at this point is 3.6 mA.
For a germanium transistor, lcEO may typically have a value of 500 µA. For To determine the dynamic output resistance of the transistor, we take a small
silicon transistor, it is only about 20 µA. change of collector voltage around the operating point. Let the voltage VCE change
From the output characteristics of Fig. 5.19, we can determine the dynamic output from 7.5 V to 12.5 V. For a constant base current of 30 µA, the corresponding
resistance r0 , the de current gain f3dc• and the ac current gain f3 as follows: change in collector current may be seen to be from 3.5 mA to 3.7 mA. Therefore,
the dynamic output resistance is given as
r0 = L\veE I (5.20) 12.5-7.5 5
L\.
Ic / 8 ~const.
(3.7 - 3.5) x 10- 3 0.2x10-3
f3ctc =
~:{LE =canst.
(5.21)

To find f3ctc we should know the value of de collector current corresponding to

L\. I lB = 30 µA. From the characteristics it can be seen that le = 3.6 mA at this point.
/3 = ~I
L\. I
(5.22)
1
8 lr·(·E =com.t.
Therefore,

n = le = 3.6 mA = 120
Example 5.6 Figure 5.20 gives the output characteristics of an NPN transistor
Pde h 30µA

in CE configuration. Determine, for this transistor, the dynamic output resistance, In order to calculate ac current gain (/J), a vertical line corresponding to VCE = 10 V
the de current gain and the ac current gain, at an operating point VCE = 10 V, when is drawn. From the given characteristics it is clear that when base current d1.anges
lg= 30 µA.
 Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 165
Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
164
Current relations in CC configuration In CC configuration, the base current is
from 30 µA to 40 µA, the collector current changes from 3.6 mA to 4.7 mA. There- the input current, and the emitter cmrent is the output current. The output current is
fore, the ac current gain is given as dependent on the input current. That is,
1.1x10-3 (5.23)
/3 = !>..ie I
f1iB VcE =IOV
4.7 mA-3.6 mA
40 µA-30 µA 10x10- 6 To find this functional relationship, we start with the basic current relations of a tran-
sistor (see Eqs. (5.1) and (5.2)):
= 110 IE =IB +le
and le= actJE + ICBo
5. 7 .3 Common-Collector (CC) Configuration
Since the collector is the common terminal, we are not interested in the value of col-
In CC configuration, we make the collector common to the input and the output. This lector current. We, therefore, eliminate the collector current le from the above two
is shown in Fig. 5.2la. The same circuit can be drawn in a different way (Fig. 5.2lb). equations. Substituting the expression for collector current from the second equation
Here the transistor is shown in the conventional manner (the collector terminal at the into the first equation, we get
upper end and the emitter terminal at the lower end). Now, do you see some similar-
ity between this circuit and that of CE configuration (Fig. 5.lOb). The two circuits IE = IB + adclE + ICBo
look alike, except for the fact that in the CC configuration the output is taken at the or (1- adc)h = IB + leBo
emitter rather than the collector. Also, the load resistance RL is connected between 1 1
or IE =---IB+--ICBo
the emitter and the ground. 1-adc 1-adc
Since
c
E
B
B

Therefore,
IE= (/3ctc + l)IB + (/3dc + l)ICBo (5.24)

If we neglect the leakage current ICBo, then

IE = (/3ctc + l)IB
(b) IE (5.25)
(a) or IB = (/3dc + 1)
Fig. 5.21 Transistor connected in CC configuration
Equation (5.25) shows that the de current gain (sometimes designated as Yctc) of this
configuration is maximum. It is equal to (f3ctc + 1). The leakage current in this con-
The biasing arrangement for a CC
figuration is as high as in CE configuration.
configuration is shown in Fig. 5.22. c
The battery VBB forward biases the B +
base-emitter junction. The battery Vee 5,.8 COMPARISON BETWEEN THE
has large voltage so that the collector- THREE CONFIGURATIONS
junction is reverse biased. If a PNP tran-
sistor is used in place of the NPN, the We have seen that a transistor can be connected in any one of the three configurations.
polarities of the batteries VBB and Vee It behaves differently in different configurations. In which configuration should we
are reversed. Note that the load resis- connect a transistor? This depends upon the particular application we desire. A
tor is connected to the emitter terminal. configuration may be suitable for some application, whereas it may not be suitable
Quite often, we name it RL· You will see Fig. 5.22 Biasing arrangement for an NPN for the other. What are the important parameters that govern the suitability of the
later that this circuit is also called emit- transistor connected in common- configuration? We should know the input dynamic resistance, output dynamic
collector configuration
ter follower.
 Bipolar function Transistors (B]Ts) 167
166 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

resistance, de current gain, ac voltage gain and leakage current of the transistor in a are almost horizontal. There is hardly any change in the collector current for a given
given configuration. variation in collector-to-base voltage. This means that the output resistance
Out of the three configurations, the common-collector configuration has maximum
input dynamic resistance. So we use this configuration where high input resistance is
r = AvcB
o A.
I
le JE=const.
of prime importance, even though its voltage gain is less than unity. The decreased
voltage gain can be compensated by subsequently using the CE configuration. We is very high (since Ilic is very small for a certain value of Avrn). Now see Fig. 5.19.
do not study the CC configuration separately as an independent circuit. It is usual These curves are not so horizontal. As we increase Vcfo the collector current is seen
practice to consider the CC configuration as a special case of the CE configuration*. to increase by an appreciable amount. This shows that the output dynamic resistance
We shall therefore consider and compare only the CB and CE configurations. Table
5.2 gives the typical values of the important parameters in the two configurations.
r0 AvcE
= - -
A"Zc
I
Is=const.

Table 5.2 Comparison between CB and CE configurations of the common-emitter configuration is not very high. It is of the order of 40 kQ.
Note that the slope of the output characteristic curve is not the same everywhere.
It is for this reason that the value of the output dynamic resistance of the transistor
depends upon the point around which the variations are taken.
1. Input dynamic resistance Very low (20 Q) Low(l Jill)

Veryhigh(l MQ) High(lOlill)

5.8.3 Current Gain
2. Output dynamic resistance
The current gain (both de as well as ac) of CB configuration is less than unity. It is
3. Current gain Less than unity (0.98) High (100)
typically 0.98. The closer its value to unity, the better is the transistor. A transistor
4. Leakage current Very small Very large having a low value of alpha (say, less than 0.95) will not make a good amplifier. Such
(5 µA for Ge, 1 µA for Si) (500 µA for Ge, transistors are rejected during manufacture.
20 µA for Si)
The current gain of the CE configuration is quite high. It is typically 100, and
it may be as high as 250. Such high current gain in the CE configuration makes it
5.8.1 Input Dynamic Resistance possible to have quite high voltage gain as well as high power gain.
The input dynamic resistance of the CB configuration is much lower than that of
the CE configuration. This fact can be seen from the definition of the input dynamic 5.8.4 Leakage Current
resistance of the two configurations : The leakage current in the CB configuration is very low (of the order of only a
few µA). In the CE configuration, it is quite high (a few hundred µA). The leakage
1. ri for CB configuration = AvEB
AiE
I current in a .transistor is due to the flow of minority carriers. The concentration of
Vc8 =const. these minority carriers is very much dependent on temperature. Thus, the leakage
current is temperature dependent. As the temperature rises, the leakage current rises.
2. ri for CE configuration = AvBE
AiB
I This may lead to what is known as thermal runaway of the transistor. The high value
VCE=const. of the leakage current (and its rapid increase with temperature) inCE configuration
The numerators of the above two expressions are the same. But, the denominator of is its great disadvantage. Since, silicon transistors have much less leakage current as
the first is of the order of a few milliamperes, whereas that of the second is of the compared to germanium transistors, we prefer to use silicon transistors.
order of a few microamperes. Hence, ri for the CB configuration is much lower than
that for the CE configuration.

5.8.2 Output Dynamic Resistance

Let us look at the output static characteristics of the two configurations (see Figs. 5 .13 The main utility of a transistor lies in its ability to amplify weak signals. The transis-
and 5.19). We note that the output characteristics of the CB configuration (Fig. 5.13) tor alone cannot perform this function. We have to connect some passive components
I

*This circuit, also called emitter follower, is discussed in Unit 12 on "Feedback in Ampli-
fier".
168 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 169

(such as resistors and capacitors) and a biasing battery. Such a circuit is then called A transistor in CB configuration has a very low input resistance('.'.:::'. 20 Q) and a
an amplifier. Thus, an amplifier is an electronic circuit that is capable of amplifying :ery hig~ output resistance('.'.:::'. 1 MQ). It is just the reverse of what we desire (high
(or increasing the level of) signals. mput resistance and low output resistance). That is why the CB configuration is un-
Very often, a single transistor amplifying stage is not sufficient. In almost all popular. Comparatively, the CE configuration is much better, as regards its input
applications we use a number of amplifier stages, connected one after the other. The and output resistances. Its input resistance is about 1 kQ and output resistance about
signal to be amplified is fed to the input of the first stage. The output of the first stage 10 kQ. A transistor in the CE configuration makes a much better amplifier. Further-
is connected to the input of the second stage. The second stage feeds the third stage, more, the current gain, voltage gain and power gain of CE is much greater than those
and so on. Ultimately, the output appears across the load connected to the output of of CB.
the final stage. Such a connection of amplifier stages is known as cascaded amplifier. . From the point of view of cascading of amplifier stages, the CC configuration
Figure 5.23 shows a cascaded amplifier having two stages. The first stage is wo~ld hav~ bee~ the best. Its input resistance is very high ( '.'.: :'. 150 kQ) and output
energised by a signal source having voltage Vs and internal resistance Rs. The load resistance ts qmte low ( '.'.: :'. 800 Q). However, unfortunately the voltage gain of the
is connected to the output of the second stage at terminals A 3B 3 . If this cascaded CC amplifier is low (less than unity). Therefore, we use CC amplifier only in such
amplifier is to work properly, ceiiain conditions must be satisfied. The working of applications where the requirement of high input resistance is of prime importance.
one stage should not adversely affect the performance of the other. Thus we see that CE configuration is best suited for most of the amplifier circuits.
We shall study this circuit in some detail.

Amplifier Amplifier
stage l. stage 2
Figure 5.24 shows a basic CE amplifier circuit*. Here, we have used an NPN transis-
tor. The battery VBB forward biases the emitter junction. The series resistance RB is
meant to limit the base current within certain specified values. The battery Vee is
Fig. 5.23 Two amplifier stages cascaded to increase amplifying action a relatively high-voltage battery (9 V). It reverse biases the collector junction. The
resistor Re in the collector circuit is the load resistance. The amplified ac voltage
First of all, we would want the whole of (if not whole, then atleast most of) the appears across it.
signal voltage Vs to reach the input of the first stage. This can happen only when the
input resistance of this stage at terminals A 1B 1 is high (compared to source resistance
Rs). Recall that a source works as a good voltage source when the load resistance is
much greater than the source resistance. Here, the input resistance of the first stage B
acts as the load resistance to the source. Secondly, it is desirable that the performance
of first stage is not disturbed when we connect the second stage at terminals A 2B 2 • For E
this, the output resistance of the first stage should be low. Also, the input resistance
of the second stage (which comes in parallel with the load resistance of the first -=-Vee
stage) should be high. You may recollect.that connecting a high resistance in parallel
with a low resistance element of a circuit does not much affect the working of the
circuit. The resistance of the parallel combination will almost be the same as the low
Fig. 5.24 Basic CE amplifier circuit
resistance itself.
Moreover, the first stage serves as the voltage source for the second stage. The
. The signal to be amplified is represented by voltage source Vs. The signal is ap-
input resistance of second stage acts as the load resistance for the voltage source phed to the base through the coupling capacitor Ce 1. The capacitor permits only ac to
(i.e., the first stage). The output resistance of the first stage is the internal resistance pass through. It blocks de voltage. The de base current flows only through resistor RB,
of the voltage source. The internal resistance of the source must be low compared and not through the voltage source vs· Similarly, the coupling capacitor Ce 2 blocks de
to load resistance. Again, the second amplifier stage will deliver more power to the from reaching the output terminals. Only ac signal voltage appears at the output v •
load RL (this load may be a loudspeaker) only if its output resistance is low. Thus, 0

we find that a good amplifier stage is one which has high input resistance and low *This is not a practical circuit. In practice, we use only one battery (say, Vee) for biasing
output resistance. both the collector junction as well as the emitter junction. We shall study such p;actical
circuits later.
 170 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Bipolar ]unction Transistors (B]Ts) 171

To observe the performance of the amplifier circuit, we take the help of a de load Plotting of the de load line on collector characteristics is easy. Find any two points
line. satisfying Eq. (5.27), and then join these points. The simplest way, then, is to take one
point on the VeE axis and the other on ie axis. On the VCE axis, the current le must be
5.10.1 DC Load Line zero. Hence, from Eq. (5.27), we should have VeE = Vee· When VCE = 0, Eq. (5.27)
gives le= Vee/Re. Thus, the two points on the de load line are
Let us consider the amplifier circuit of Fig. 5.24, when no signal is applied to its in-
put. This condition (of having no input signal) is described as a quiescent condition. 1. VeE = Vee; le = 0 (Point A in Fig. 5.26)
The circuit then reduces to the one shown in Fig. 5.25. The battery Vee sends current
2. VCE = 0; le = Vee (Point B in Fig. 5.26)
le through the load resistor Re and the transistor. There is some voltage drop across Re
the load resistor Re due to the flow of current le. The polarity of this voltage drop
leRe is shown in the figure. The remaining voltage drops across the transistor. This These two points can be located on the collector characteristics. See Fig. 5.26.
voltage is written as VCE. Applying Kirchhoff's voltage law to the collector circuit, Join these two points. This is the de load line. The slope of this line is (-1/Rc) and is
we get decided by the value ofresistor Re. Since this resistance is the de load* of the ampli-
Vee = leRe + VeE (5.26) fier, we call this line as de load line.

+
---------las

Fig. 5.25 CE amplifier in quiescent condition

We can rearrange the terms of the above equation and put it as Fig. 5.26 Plotting of de load line on collector characteristics

le = ( Re1)
- VCE +
Vee
Re (5.27) In an amplifier circuit, the operating conditions of the transistor are described by
the values of its VeE and le. These values fix up the operating point of the transistor.
We have rewritten Eq. (5.26) in above form, because we wanted to put it in the form The operating point is decided not only by the characteristics of the transistor itself,
y = mx + c (5.28) but also by a number of other factors. These factors are Vee, Re, RB, VBE and VBB·
which is the equation of a straight line. If Eq. (5.27) is plotted on the transistor's First, we fix the values of Vee and Re in an amplifier circuit. This ensures that the
output characteristics (i.e., the curves between VeE and ie), we get a straight line. operating point of the transistor must lie on the de load line? Now, where exactly
Comparison ofEq. (5.27) with Eq. (5.28) indicates that the slope of this line is does the operating point lie on the de load line. This is decided by the value of the
base current IB· And, in turn, base current lB is decided by the values of VBE (of the
1 transistor), RB and VBB· Applying Kirchhoff's voltage law to the base circuit of the
m=-- (5.29)
Rc transistor, we get
and its intercept on the ie axis is VBB = laRB + VBE
c= Vee (5.30)
or lB = VBB - VBE ~ VBB (5.31)
Re RB Ra
The straight line represented by Eq. (5.27) is called the de load line.
Knowing the values of VBB' RB and VBE (value of VBE is 0.7 V for Si transistors
and 0.3 V for Ge transistors), the above equation gives the value of base current lB.

* Later we shall learn that the ac load of an amplifier may be different from its de load.
 Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 173
Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
172
dotted. The point of intersection of this curve and the de load line gives the Q point.
Corresponding to this base current, there will be a collector characteristic curve. If At this point
by chance this curve is not present on.the ~har~cteristi~s, we ca~ plot th~ curve (see VCE = 6V
Example 5.7). The exact operating pomt will he at th~ mter~ectio~ of this cur:e and
and le =6 mA
the de load line. This point is called quiescent operating point or simply Q pomt.

Example 5.7 A silicon tra:nsistoris used in, the circuit

ofFi:g. 5.25, wi.th
5.10.2 Amplifier Analysis using DC Load Line
Vee =12 v, Re =1 kfl, VBB =)0.7 V, !i;n~ .8)3 ~)00 .kQ. The c:ol!ecto~ ch~ra~te11s- A transistor can amplify ac signals only after its de operating point is suitably fixed.
tics ofthe transistor aregiven in Fig~ 5.27. Determine the Q point. · J We have seen in the last section how to fix the Q point on the output characteristics.
The Q point should preferably lie in the middle portion of the active region of the
characteristics. This helps the transistor to amplify ac signals faithfully, i.e., without
Solution: First we plot the de load line on the output characteristic curves. Two distorting its waveshape.
points ori the de load line are (Vee. 0) and (0, Vee/Re). Here, Vee= 12 V and Under quiescent condition, the base current has a constant de value. It is deter-
Re= 1 kfl. Therefore, the two points are (12 V,. 0) a~d(O, 12 mA). ~ ~ther words, mined from the Q point. Now, we apply the ac signal to the input of the amplifier
the load line cuts the VeE axis at 12 V and the ie axis at 12 mA. We JOm these two circuit (see Fig. 5.24). The base voltage varies as per the signal voltage Vs· As a result,
points to get the de load line. . the base current will also vary. As the base current varies, the instantaneous operating
The operating point may lie anywhere on this de load line. To fix the Q pomt, we point of the transistor moves along the de load line. Thus, the instantaneous values
will determine the base current /B· Applying Kirchhoff's voltage law (KVL) to the of collector current and voltage also vary according to the input signal. The variation
input circuit gives in collector voltage is many times larger than the variation of the input signal. The
V88 =18 Rs + VsE collector-voltage variation reaches the output terminals through capacitor Ce2· The
VBB-VBE output is therefore many times larger than the input.
ls=~~~=
or Rs Let us take an illustrative example. See the amplifier circuit in Fig. 5.24. As in
Example 5.7, let us assume that Vee= 12V,Rc= 1 ill, VBB = 10.7V and RB =200kQ.
H ere, v;BB
= 10 7
• ,
v.
and Rs= 200 ill. For a silicon transistor, VsE = 0.7 V. There- In this circuit, the de base current is found to be 50 µA. The collector de current and
fore, the base current is de voltage are 6 mA and 6 V, respectively. Let us now apply a small ac signal voltage,
I = 10.7 - 0.7 = 50 µA say, 7 mV to the input. This voltage will have about 20 mV peak-to-peak variation.
B 200X103 If the input dynamic resistance ri (or hie) of the transistor is assumed to be 1 ill, the
input voltage will produce a peak-to-peak variation of20 µA in base current, since
A • _ 20 m V _ µA
LllB- - - - - 20
lill
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - IB = 120 µA
- lOOµA This variation in base current takes place around its quiescent value of 50 µA. As the

10 =:::::::...-.:::----------- 80 µA
· - - - - - - - - 60 µA
base current varies, the instantaneous operating point moves along the de load line
between the points A(JB = 60 µA) and B(lB = 40 µA). To show the variation in lB
on the collector characteristics of the transistor, we draw a line perpendicular to the
40µA
5
de load line and passing through the Q point. This line is taken as mt axis, and then,
=-------_:::::~::::::::----20µA variation in lB (assumed sinusoidal) is plotted (Fig. 5.28).
As the instantaneous operating point moves along dcload line between the point
o 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 vCE(volts).:..-
A and B, both the collector current and collector voltage vary. The current ie varies
Fig. 5.2 7 Fixing the Qpoint of the transistor on its output characteristics between the points A 1(le = 7.3 mA) and B 1(le = 4.8 mA). This variation is shown
on the left side of the characteristics. The voltage VCE varies between points A 2
However, it is seen from Fig. 5.27 that the curve for IB = 50 µA is n~t given. '!'le draw (VCE = 4.9 V) and B 2 (VeE = 7.1 V). The collector-voltage variation is shown at the
this curve between the curves for ls = 40 µA, and lB = 60 µA. This curve is shown bottom of the characteristics.
 Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 175
174 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

5.11.1 Alloy Junction Transistor

ict
(mA)
The alloy junction transistor is one of the earliest types of transistor that is still in
DC load line use. It is relatively inexpensive and provides high current gain. It can be constructed
15
to operate at high current and power levels.
12
The construction of a germanium alloy junction transistor is illustrated in
Fig. 5.29. We start with a very thin (of the order of250 µm) N-type germanium crys-
tal wafer. This wafer is lightly doped and serves as the base of the transistor. On the
two sides of this wafer, indium dots (P-type impurity) are placed. It is then heated to
a temperature above the melting point of indium and below the melting point of ger-
manium. The indium melts and dissolves the germanium. A liquid solution of germa-
nium in indium is obtained. The wafer is then slowly cooled. During cooling, a region
of P-type germanium is produced and an alloy of germanium and indium (mainly
indium) is deposited on the wafer. The emitter and collector leads are connected to
this alloy (on the two sides of the wafer). The process results in a PNP transistor.

Collector
Fig. 5.28 Variation in base current produces variation in collector current and voltage
in a CE amplifier Emitter

The current gain, voltage gain and the power ga~n of the amplifier ca~ ~ow. be
computed. We shall make the calculations on the basis of peak-to-peak vanat10n ·
3
Emitter connection _/
l Collector connection

_ f).ic = (7.3 - 4.8)10- = 125

1. Current gain, Ai - /).iB ( _ ) x -6
60 40 10
= f).vcE = 7.1- 4.9 = 110 ----- Base connection
2. Voltage gain, A v 3
f).vBE 20 X 10-
output ac power = Icf7cc Fig. 5.29 Construction of an alloy junction transistor
3. Power gain = --=-----
input ac power IbVbe
=A·XA
1 v =125xll0=13750 5.11.2 Silicon Planar Transistor
We find that the CE amplifier has sufficiently large values of current gain, voltage The construction of a silicon planar transistor is shown in Fig. 5.30. The important
gain, and power gain. feature of this type of transistor is that the PN-junctions are buried under a layer of
silicon dioxide. This layer protects the PN-junctions from impurities.
5.11 CONSTRUCTION OF TRANSISTORS
In recent years, the construction of transistors has undergone a g.reat ma~y changes
and improvements. A number of different met.hods .of manufactunng. tr~ns1stors have
Oxide
been developed since the invention of transistor m 1948. A descnpt10n o~ all t?e
methods is outside the scope of this book. The most com~1only used type~ of transis- N-type emitter
tors are alloy junction transistor and silicon planar transistor. We shall discuss these N-type collector

two types here.

Collector contact /

Fig. 5.30 Construction of a silicon planar transistor

176 !3asic fiercronic; and Linear Circuits Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 177

The stt:p:·; irnohcd in the manufacture ofa silicon planar transistor arc iilustratcd the wafer to separate the base and emitter regions (Fig. 5.3 lj). Finally, metal contacts
in Fig. 5.3 l lo nnke an NPN transistor. we start with an N-type silicon wafer. which are made onto the etched areas (Fig. 5.3 lg). The wafer is now cut to the required size.
would u!timatclv make the collectt)r. The top surface of this 1,vafer is oxidised to It is mounted on a suitable collector contact. Leads are then connected to the base
a dqith of appr;1xi natcly J µm (rig. 3.31 a). Si0 2 is an insulating rnatcriai which and emitter contacts.
carnwt he penc~rntccl hy nnpurities. To make the base region, vve diffuse acceptor-
type impurity (e.g .. boron) into the wafer. However. because the Si0 2 film checks
impurity diffusion. we must remove the film from those areas on the wafer where
5.12 TRANSISTOR DATA SHEETS
the base is tu be diffused. This is done by etching away the Si0 2 from that area, with To analyse or to design a transistor circuit, one must have sufficient information
a masked photo-re:.ist process (Fig. 5.31 h ). The wafer is now exposed to a vapour about the transistor. This information is obtained from the manufacturer's data sheets.
or boron ( p .. type impurity) and the impurity is allowed to diffuse into the wafer These sheets describe the transistor. Sometimes the outline and dimensions are also
to a prcdecidcd depth. Now, another layer of Si0 2 is grown over the entire wafer given. The lead orientation is also identified here. Commonly, the lead orientation is
(Fig. 5.31 c). A part of the Si0 2 film is again etched away by the photo-resist process as shown in Fig. 5.32a. A red dot is placed near one of the terminals. This represents
using another mask ( l~ig. 5 .3 ld). The wafer is now exposed to a vapour of donor-type the collector lead. Now put the transistor such that the leads are facing you as in
impurity (e.g .. phosphorus) and is also reoxidised again (fig. 5.3 le). The waler now_ Fig. 5.32b. The central terminal is the base. The third one is the emitter. However,
contains a layer or P-type material that makes the base of the transistw and a layer nt a word of caution is necessary. The convention described above for recognising the
N-typl' material that makes the emitter. Si0 2 is again etched away frum tile surface or three leads is not a standard one. Different manufacturers use different conventions
N-type silicon wafer for this purpose.

;Red dot~

(a) ~-/~n "cttCollector

'---~
:==='. g Base
Elilltter
(h)
(a) (b)

Fig. 5.32 Orientation of leads in a transistor. A red dot is placed on the body of the
~ft1f?j~;;JSPj (c)
transistor near the collector lead

The important set of data, from a user's point of view are as follows:
~p~~~(d) 1. The maximum power dissipation in the transistor at 25 °C.
2. The maximum allowable collector-base voltage.

~f07Zz:Pr??1:1 (e)
3.
4.
The current gain f3 or hre.
The transition frequency fT of the transistor.

~d?~(/)
Generally, one or the other of these four factors is of prime importance, depending
upon the application. In no case should the maximum ratings given in items 1 and 2
above, be exceeded. Otherwise the transistor may be damaged.

L~1'"
If a transistor is required for a small-signal audio frequency amplifier, the most
important factor in selecting a transistor is its current gain. In some cases, it may be
necessary to see the collector-base voltage. Since the power involved will be small
Base contact \ i_ Emitter contact
enough, and the transistor is not required to handle high frequencies, it is not neces-
[=:J '\i-typc: IZ'_:'.'.J P-i) pc sary to consider the factors at 1 and 4.

[JJ Oxide layer - Metal contact

5.12.1 Transistor Testing
Fig. 5.31 Various stages in the manufacture ofa silicon planar NPN transistor Today, the market is flooded with transistors of all sorts and makes. Very often,
we come across a transistor whose specifications are not known. Sometime,s, the
178 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 179

transistor type number may be obliterated from its body. Even iflhe transistor type is
known, the reference data-book may not be readily available. In these circumstances,
it becomes necessary to test a transistor, ln this section we shall see how to conduct x
the test to determine whether the transistor is N PN or PNP. Also, a test is given to
identify the transistor terminals.
Both LEDs
R
glowing
Test to distinguish between PNP and NPN transistors Figure 5.33a shows
a simple circuit for 1esting a transistor for its nature (PNP and NPN). In this circuit,
two germanium rectifier diodes and two LEDs (light-emitting diodes) are used. A
resistor RL is also piaced in series so as to prevent a heavy current from flmving in
the circuit. The two leads of the tester arc marked x and y. If a resistor R is placed
between these terminals, the current passes for both the halves of the input wave. In
the positive half, current flows through LED 1' RL, R, and D2. The diode DI will not
conduct during this half. The forward voltage drop of 0.3 V across D2 will prevent
LED 2 from glowing in this half. During the negative half-cycle, the current flows
through LED 2, R, RL and DJ. During this period, LED 2 will glow, while LED 1 will
not. Thus both the LEDs will glow alternatively. As the frequency of supply is 50 Hz
(quite high) we shall observe both the LEDs glowing continuously. LED 1 is
glowing
Now, consider the case when one of the junctions (say E-B jt;nction) of a transistor
(say, PNP-typc) is connected across the test leads x and y. This is shown in Fig. 5 J 3b.
In this case, current cannot flow for chose half-cycles when the E-B junction is re-
verse biased. However, current flows in the direction from emitter to base (from P to
N) during those half-cycles when the E-B junction is forward biased. As such, only (b) E-B junction connected to test leads
LED 1 will glow. This test indicates that the terminal connected to the lead xis P-typc
(and that connected to lead y is N-type). Thus, this simpie circuit identifies P- and
N-type terminals of a PN-junction.
None of the LEDs will glow when test leads are connected to the terminals of the
Legend:
same type (emitter and collector) of the transistor. Under this condition, the base is
open circuited. No current (except a very small leakage current) flows through the e LED not glowing

transistor. (±;) LED glowing

As seen earlier, only one LED glows when the test leads are connected across an
(c) Condition of LEDs fo~ different pairs (d) Condition of LEDs for different pairs
E-B junction or across a C-B junction. That is, between those t·.vo pair of terminals, of terminals in a PNP transistor of terminals in an NPN transistor
the common terminal must be the base terminal. The remaining two must be the
emitter and collector terminals. In case the common terminal (the base) is P-type, Fig. 5.33 PNP/NPN check for a transistor
the transistor is obviously NPN. In the other case, when the common terminal is
N-·type, it is a PNP transistor. The conditions of the two LEDs when the test leads are
Identification of emitter and collector terminals Once the transistor
connected to different pairs of terminals of a PNP transistor are shown in Fig. 5.33c.
type (PNP or NPN) is known and the base terminal is identified, we can use the
Figure 5.33d shows the same procedure for an NPN transistor.
arrangement shown in Fig .. 5.34 to identify the emitter and collector terminals. We
It is obvious that the glowing of both the LEDs indicate a short circuited pair of use an ohmmeter to measure the resistance offered by the E-B junction and the
terminals, i.e., the transistor is faulty. This test cannot distinguish between emitter C-B junction, when forward biased. Ifit is a PNP transistor (as shown in Fig. 5.34)
and collector terminals. For this, we conduct another test described as follows. connecting the positive (or red) lead of ohmmeter to the emitter (or collector), and the
negative (or black) lead to the base, then the junction is forward biased. We measure
the resistance of one junction, and then using the same ohmmeter we measure the
resistance of the other junction. The measurement that results in the higher resistance
 Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 181
180 Basic b'/ectrunics and Uneur Cirrnits

reuding indicates the emillcT 1er111inui. The other terminal 1s u\wiouslv tile· culk:c1()r
Connecting a heat sink to a transistor increases the area from which heat is to be
transferred to the atmosphere. Heat moves from the transistor to the heat sink by
terminal.
conduction and then it is removed from the sink to the ambient by convection and
l Jl1111mctcr J·: C ( lh111111ctcr radiation.
Forward-~ r~-------r()--·---04--1
biascd _,_ _ [ !
[Q-
+ _
I l.··.invc:rd-
biao.cd
Another type of heat sink is shown in Fig. 5.35b. It consists of a pushfit clip. This
clip is pushed on to the transistor. To increase the surface area of the heat sink, it is
junction '? ? I I ~ pmction usually given a ribbed structure. Because of this structure, the heat sink does not

~---o------L------0<>--~=-~-j
1
occupy much space within the equipment.
L__
lV1orc resistance B B Less rc~1:.;tanl-L For maximwn efficiency, a heat sink should (i) be in good thermal contact with the
transistor case, (ii) have the largest possible surface area, (iii) be painted black, and
Fig. 5.34 Test arrangement fc!! the identificotio11 of enutrer ond collector tenninais (iv) be mounted in a position,such that free air can flow past it

• Review Questions ~ -·--------

5.13 THERMAL RUNAWAY AND HEAT SINK
1. Draw a sketch showing the structure of an NPN-junction transistor. Label the
If the temperature of the collector-base junction increases, the collector leakage emitter, base and collector regions. Also label the emitter-base and collector-
current fcso increases. Because of this. collector current increases. The increase base junctions.
in collector current produces an increase in the power dissipated at the collector
2. Repeat the above for a PNP-junction transistor.
junction. This, in turn, further increases the temperature of the junction and so gives
3. Draw the circuit symbol of an NPN transistor and indicate the reference
further increase in collector current. The process is cumulative. It may lead to the
directions, according to standard convention, for the three currents.
eventual destruction of the transistor. This is described as the thermal rnnaway of the
4. Explain why an ordinary junction transistor is called bipolar.
transistor. In practice, thermal runaway is prevented in a well-designed circuit by the
5. Show the biasing arrangement for a PNP transistor in CB configuration so that
use of stabilisation circuitry.
it works in active region.
For transistors handling small signals, the power dissipated at the collector is
6. Explain the function of the emitter in the operation of a junction transistor.
small. Such transistors, have little chances of thermal runaway. However in power
transistors. the power dissipated at the collector junction is larger. This may cause the 7. What is done to the base region of a transistor to improve its operation?
junction temperature to rise to a dangerous level. We can increase the power handling 8. Though the collector-base junction of a transistor operating in active region
capacity of a transistor if we make a suitable provisior. for rapid conduction of heat is reverse-biased, the collector current is still quite large. Explain briefly, say,
away from the junction. This is achieved by using a sheet of metal called heat sink. As within 10 lines.
the power dissipated within a transistor is predominantly the power dissipated at its 9. What do you understand by the collector reverse-saturation current? In which
collector-base junction, sometimes the collector of the power transistor is connected configuration (CB or CE) does it have a greater value?
to its metallic case. The case of the transistor is then bolted on to a sheet of metal as 10. Besides the active region of operation of a transistor, what are the other
shown in Fig. 5.35a. This sheet serves as the heat sink. possible conditions of operation of a transistor? Give the biasing conditions
of each.
11. What causes collector current to flow when the emitter current is zero? What
is this collector current called?
12. Explain the reason why the base current in a transistor is usually much smaller
than IE or le in active operation.
13. For a PNP transistor in the active region, what is the sign (positive or negative)
of IE> IB, le, VEB and VCE?
14. Draw an NPN transistor in the CB configuration biased for operation in active
region.
15. What is considered the input terminal and what is the output terminal in the
(/>)
CB configuration?
(a)

Fig. 5.35 Two kinds of heat sinks used with power transistors
 182 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 183

16. Sketch typical CB input characteristic curves for an NPN transistor. Label all (c) the collector junction has a low resistance
variables. Explain how you will calculate the input dynamic resistance of the (d) the emitter-base junction is forward biased and the collector-base junction
transistor from these curves.
is reverse biased.
17. Sketch typical output characteristic curves for a PNP transistor in CB 2. In a transistor with normal bias, the emitter junction
configuration. Label all variables and indicate active, cut-off and saturation
(a) has a high resistance
regions.
(b) has a low resistance
18. What are the input and output terminals in the CE configuration?
(c) is reverse biased
19. An NPN transistor is to be used in common-emitter configuration. Show how
(d) emits such carriers into the base region which are in majority (in the base)
you will connect the external batteries so that the transistor works in the active
region. 3. For transistor action
(a) the collector must be more heavily doped than the emitter region
20. Sketch typical CE input characteristics for an NPN transistor. Label all
variables. Outline the procedure of calculating the input dynamic resistance of (b) the collector-base junction must be forward-biased
the transistor at a given point from these curves. (c) the base region must be very narrow
21. Sketch typical CE output characteristic curves for an NPN transistor. Label (d) the base region must be N-type material
all variables. Explain in brief how you will compute the beta of the transistor 4. The symbol ICBo signifies the current that flows when some de voltage is
from these characteristic curves? applied
22. Derive the relationship between the beta and alpha of a transistor. (a) in the reverse direction to the collector junction with the emitter open
23. Compare the relative values of input and output resistances for the common- circuited
base and common-emitter configurations. Give their typical values. (b) in the forward direction to the collector junction with the emitter open
24. Explain why CE configuration is most popular in amplifier circuits. circuited
25. Dr~w the circui~ diagram of a simple transistor amplifier in CE configuration. (c) in the reverse direction to the emitter junction with the collector open
Wnte the equat10n of a de line. circuited
2<i. Explain how you will detennine the voltage gain of the CE amplifier by (d) in the forward direction to the emitter junction with the collector open
plotting the de load line on the output characteristics of the transistor. circuited
27. Describe briefly the procedure for manufacturing alloy junction transistors. 5. The current IcBo
28. Explain the important steps in making a silicon planar transistor. Why has this (a) is generally greater in silicon than in germanium transistors
technology of manufacturing transistors become so popular recently? (b) depends largely on the emitter-base junction bias
29. You are given a transistor. Somehow the red dot on its body has been (c) depends largely on the emitter doping
obliterated. Explain how you will determine its three terminals. (d) increases with an increase in temperature
30. What is meant by thermal runaway in a transistor? Explain. 6. The main current crossing the collector junction in a normally biased NPN
31. What is a heat sink? Draw a typical heat sink. List the factors which determine transistor is
its efficiency. (a) a diffusion current
32. State the order of magnitude of the collector reverse saturation current I. (b) a drift current
fl ( ) · . CBO
or a germamum transistor, and (b) silicon transistor. How does it vary with (c) a hole current
temperature in each case? (d) equal to the base current
7. In a PNP transistor, electrons flow
·-=-..·. ~-" $ Objective-Type Questions ® -~
(a) out of the transistor at the collector and base leads
(b) into the transistor at the emitter and base leads
I. Below are some incomplete statements. Four alternatives are provided for each. (c) into the transistor at the collector and base leads
Choose the alternative that completes the statement correctly. (d) out of the transistor at the emitter and base leads
1. In a PNP transisto;: with normal bias 8. The current ICBo flows in
(a) only holes cross the collector junction (a) the emitter, base, and collector leads
(b) only majority carriers cross the collector junction (b) the emitter and base leads
 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 185
184

(c) the emitter and collector leads 16. A transistor-terminal current is considered positive if
(d) the collector and base leads (a) the electrons flow out of the transistor at the terminal
9. The emitter region in the PNP junction transistor is more heavily doped than (b) the current is due to the flow of holes only
the base region so that (c) the current is due to the flow of electrons only
(a) the flow across the base region will be mainly because of electrons (d) the electrons flow into the transistor at the terminal
(b) the flow across the base region will be mainly because of holes 17. A transistor-terminal voltage is considered positive if
(c) recombination will be increased in the base region (a) the terminal is more negative than the common terminal
(d) base current will be high (b) the terminal is more positive than the common terminal
10. For a given emitter current, the collector current will be higher if (c) the terminal is the output terminal
(a) the recombination rate in the base region were decreased (d) the terminal is connected to P-type material
( b) the emitter region were more lightly doped 18. The current IcEo is
(c) the minority-carrier mobility in the base region were reduced (a) the collector current in the common-emitter connected transistor with
(d) the base region were made wider zero base current
;

11. The arrowhead on the transistor symbol always points in the direction of .j (b) the emitter current in the common-collector connected transistor with
(a) hole flow in the emitter region ll zero base current
(b) electron flow in the emitter region
(c) the collector current in the common-emitter connected transistor with
zero emitter current
(c) minority-carrier flow in the emitter region 'i
(d) the same as ICBo
(d) majority-carrier flow in the emitter region !
19. The common-emitter input volt-ampere characteristics may be shown by plots
12. A small increase in the collector reverse bias will cause
(a) a large increase in emitter current
(b) a large increase in collector current
i of
(a) VCB versus ic for constant values of IE
(b) VCE versus ic for constant values of IB
(c) a large decrease in collector current
(c) vCE versus iE for constant values of VEB
(d) very small change in collector reverse saturation current
(d) VBE versus iB for constant values of VCE
13. One way in which the operation of an NPN transistor differs from that of a
20. In CE configuration, the output volt-ampere characteristics may by shown by
PNP transistor is that
plots of
(a) the emitter junction is reverse biased in the NPN
(a) VCB versus ic for constant values of IE
(b) the emitter injects minority carriers into the base region of the PNP and
majority carriers in the base region of the NPN (b) vcE versus ic for constant values of IB
(c) the emitter injects holes into the base region of the PNP and electrons into (c) VCE versus iE for constant values of VEB
the base region of the NPN (d) vBE versus iB for constant values of VCE
(d) the emitter injects electrons into the base region of the PNP and holes into 21. The beta (/3) of a transistor may be determined directly from the plots of
the base region of the NPN (a) VcB versus ic for constant values of /E
14. The emitter current in a junction transistor with normal bias (b) VEc versus iE for constant values of /B
(a) may be greatly increased by a small change in collector bias (c) VCE versus ic for constant values of /B
(b) is equal to the sum of the base current and collector current (d) vBE versus iB for constant values of VCE
(c) is approximately equal to the base current 22. The most noticeable effect of a small increase in temperature in the common
(d) is designated as Ico emitter connected transistor is
15. In CB configuration, the output volt-ampere characteristics of the transistor (a) the increase in the ac current gain
may be shown by plots of (b) the decrease in the ac current gain
(a) VcB versus ic for constant values of h (c) the increase in output resistance
(b) VCB versus iB for constant values of h (d) the increase in/CEo
(c) VcE versus iE for constant values of IB
(d) VcE versus ic for constant values of 18
186 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 187

23. When determining the common-emitter current gain by making small changes
30. When a positive voltage signal is applied to the base of a normally biased NPN
in direct currents, the collector voltage is i1eld constant so that
common-emitter transistor amplifier
(a) the output resistance wili be high
(a) the emitter current decreases
( b) the transistor will not burn out
(b) the collector voltage becomes less positive
(c) the change in emitter current will be due to a change in collector ctirrt~nt (c) the base current decreases
(d) the change in collector current will be due to a change in base cLrrent
(d) the collector current decreases
24. The high resistance of the reverse-biased collector junction is due to the faci
that II. Indicate which of the following statements pertain to NPN transistors and which
(a) a small change in collector bias voitage causes a large change in collecrnr pertain to PNP transistor :
current
1. The emitter injects holes into the base region.
(b) a large change in collector bias voltage causes very little change m
collector current 2. When biased in the active region, current flows into the emitter terminal.
3. The electrons are the minority carriers in the base region.
(c) a small change in emitter current causes an almost equal change m
collector current 4. The collector is biased negatively related to the base for active operation.
(d) a small change in emitter bias voltage causes a large change in collector 5. The principal current carriers are electrons.
current 6. The E-B junction is forward biased for active operation.
25. A transistor connected in common-base configuration has 7. The base is made by doping the intrinsic semiconductor with indium.
(a) a low input resistance and high output resistance
(b) a high input resistance and a low output resistance . A:n~wers.
(c) a low input resistance and a low output resistance
(d) a high input resistance and a high output resistance I. L (d) 2. (b) @: · ... (a) <. 5.·(d)< , 6. {b)
26. Compared to a CB amplifier, the CE amplifier has ...?'.Jc?,~ ;_· };, (~·-·· '' .:~9: (lf):~ ~}~:~~~~''{,');::~}:·:,;.'~~?,.·,.t;,~t;<(il)
(a) lower input resistance ·'... 13. (c).
• , ''·"··»>':/'_>.
1'1. (b)
,·.'- '' . .~'""»'.',
15 .. (a).
;.•, ., ~>,
(q).~> ..',\·;_~;·'
. I§. ..,s~,'.s),-.,
,.·_,,;_ .
n.~.(l:it ...., 1~. (a)
{.Y';.'·.'','";""~,\·
....'

(b) higher 00.tput resistance 19. ,(d) 20 •.~.(~) .. 1 2t;,.,(c),; ;:22-,z:(dJ ,; •. •.·2J, (di).:o •·· .24: (b)
( c) lower current amplification · .2~, {a).:\ :; 26. .(c-0\ 27: (b)
1 28. (b) · 29. {a) · 30. (b)
(d) higher c;.1rrent amplification II. L PNP· _2'. PN'P 3. NPN 4. p~
27. A transistor, when connected in common-emitter mode, has
(a) a high input resistance and a low output resistance
(b) a medium input resistance and a high output resistance
(c) very low input resistance and a low output resistance
(d) a high input resistance and a high output resistance • Tutorial Sheet 5.1 • -
28. The input and output signals of a common-emitter amplifier are
(a) always equal
(b) out of phase
I vi! For a certain transistor adc = 0.98 and emitter current IE= 2 mA. Calculate the
values of collector current le and base current IB.
[Ans. le= 1.96 mA, IB = 40 µA]
(c) always negative JI. The collector current le = 2.9 mA in a certain transistor circuit. If the base
(d) in phase current!B = 100 µA, calculate adc of the transistor. [Ans. adc = 0.97]
29. A transistor is said to be in a quiescent state when ~ The emitter current IE in a transistor is 2 mA. If the leakage current IeBo is
(a) no signal is applied to the input 5 µA and adc = 0.985, calculate the collector and base currents.
(b) it is unbiased [Ans. le= 1.975 mA, IB = 25 µA]
( c) no currents are flowing '.j( In an NPN silicon transistor, adc = 0.995, IE= 10 mA, leakage current
(d) emitter-junction bias is just equal to collector-junction bias lea= 0.5 µA. Determine le, IB, f3ctc and ICEo·
[Ans. le= 9.9505 mA, IB = 49.5µA,1?ctc = 199, lCEo = 100 µA]
. .
 Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts)
189

Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

188 Table T. 5.3.2
,y: A transistor is supplied with de voltages so that ! 8 = 40 µA. If f3ctc = 80 and the Ic(mA)
leakage current is 5 µA, what is the value of emitter current IE? v~k(V)
[Ans. IE= 3.645 mA] IB_=40µA . JB=60µA JB5= 80 µA

3 4.5 6.0
1
6.5
"··-~~··"'"~~,~=~'~'···~"='·~·=·..·== iiiii Tutorial Sheet 5.2 w; =~·"·~=-""'~"······~~-,-·"= 3 3.4 5.0
5.5 7.0
-~ 5 3.8
In a transistor circuit, IE= 5 ,mA, le= 4.95 mA and lcEo = 200 µA. Calculate
4.2 6.0 7.6
f3ctc and the leakage current lcso· [Ans. f3ctc = 99, lcso = 2 µA] 9
8.2
Jf. Collector current in a BC 107 transistor is 5 mA. If f3ctc = 140 and base current 11 4.6 6.5
is 35 µA. Calculate the leakage currentlco· [Ans. Ico = 0.71 µA]
v3· A transistor is connected in CB configuration. When the emitter voltage
3. In a basic transistor amplifier shown in Fig. T. 5.3.la an NPN transistor is
is changed by 200 m V, the emitter current changes by 5 mA. During this
used. The output characteristics of this transistor are shown in Fig. T. 5.3.lb.
variation, collector-to-base voltage is kept fixed. Calculate the dynamic input
Draw the de load line on the characteristics and locate the Q point. (a) Write
resistance of the transistor. [Ans. ri = 40 Q]
the coordinates of the Q point. (b) Determine the current gain of this amplifier.
J( A variation of 5 µA in the base current produces a change of 1.2 mA in the col- [Ans. (a) 7.0 V, 2.7 mA; (b) 16]
lector current. Collector-to-emitter voltage remains fixed during this variation.
Calculate the current amplification factor f3ctc· [Ans. f3ctc = 240]
- - - - - - - - 400 µA
~--------------3SOµA

1. Table T. 5 .3 .1 gives values of the collector current and collector voltage for a ---------------- 300 µA
series of base current values in a transistor in the CE configuration. Plot these
------------------2SOµA
characteristics and hence find (a) the current gain when the collector voltage
is 6 V, (b) the output resistance for a base current of 45 µA. ~----------------200µA
[Ans. (a) 40.25; (b) 13.33 kQ] - - - - - - - - - ISOµA
-------------------1ooµA
Table T. 5.3.1
~----------- so
1 0
µA
8
Collector current (mA)
15 vCE(volts) -
VCE(V) IB =45 µA IB =65 µA IB = 85 µA
IB """25 µA
2.25 3.00
0.91 l.59
3
2.45 3.20
0.92 l.69
5
2.65 3.50
0.96 l.84
7
2.04 2.95 4.00 · •· - • Experimental Exercise 5.1 lij
9 0.99
Title Cc5mmon-base transistor characteristics.
2. Table T. 5.3.2 gives the data of a transistor which is used in a common-emitter
amplifier. Plot the output characteristics assuming them to be linear between Objectives To
the values indicated. The collector supply voltage is l 0 V, and the collector 1. trace the given circuit;
load resistance is 1.2 kQ. Draw the load line and choose a suitable operating 2. measure emitter current for different values of emitter-base voltage keeping
point. Use this load line to calculate (a) the voltage gain and (b) the current collector-base voltage constant;
gain, when a 12 µA peak signal is applied at the base. Assume the dynamic
input resistance of the transistor to be 1.8 kQ. [Ans. (a) 41.61; (b) 62.5]
 190 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 191

3. calculate the input dynamic resistance from the input characteristic at a given When the input side is open (i.e., IE = 0), the collector current is not zero, but has
operating point; a small (a few µA) value. This value of collector current is called collector reverse
4. plot the output characteristics (graph between the collector current and saturation current, leso·
collector-to-base voltage, keeping emitter current fixed) for the given At a given operating point, we define the de and ac current gains (alpha) as follows:
transistor;
1
5. calculate the output dynamic resistance r0 , adc and a at a given operating de current gain, adc = e
point. IE

Apparatus Required Experimental board, crnsistor (or IC) power supply, two ac current gain, Aie
a=-
A"1E
I
milliammeters (0 to 50 mA), two electronic multimeters. Vea =const.
Procedure
Circuit Diagram The circuit diagram is shown in Fig. E. 5.1.1. 1. From the experimental board, note down the type number of the transistor.
Note the important specifications of the transistor from the data book. Identify
(0-50 mA) AC125 (0-SOmA)
the terminals of the transistor. Trace the circuit.
2. Make the circuit connections as shown in Fig. E. 5.1.1. Use milliammeters of
proper range.
VEE 3. For input characteristics, first fix the voltage Vcs, say, at 6V Now vary the
(1.5 V)
voltage VEs slowly (say, in steps of0.1 V) and note the current iE for each value
ofvEs·
4. Repeat the above for another value of Ves say, 10 V
Fig. E. 5.1.1 5. For output characteristics, first fix the collector voltage, say, at 4 V Open the
input circuit. Note the collector current by using a microammeter. Vary the
Brief Theory A transistor is a three-terminal active device. The three terminals collector voltage in steps and note collector current for each value of collector
are emitter, base and collector. In common-base configuration, we make the base voltage. This will give the curve for reverse saturation current. Now, close
common to both input and output. For normal operation, the emitter-base junction is the input circuit. Adjust the emitter current IE to, say, 1 mA with the help of
forward-biased and the collector-base junction is reverse biased. potentiometer R 1• Again vary the voltage Ves in steps. Note current le for
The input characteristic is a plot between iE and VEs keeping voltage Ves constant. each. Repeat this process for three to four different values of emitter current
: I
I' This characteristic is very similar to that of a forward-biased diode. The input (say, 2 mA, 3 mA, 4 mA, etc). See to it that you do not exceed the maximum
dynamic resistance is calculated using the formula, ratings of the transistor.
6. Plot the input and output characteristics by using the readings taken above.
r· = AvEs
I Ai
I 7. Select a suitable operating point well within the active region (say, Ves = 6 V,
E Vea =const. I= 3 mA). At this operating point, draw a tangent to the curve of input
The output characteristic curves are plotted between ie and Ves, keeping IE characteristic (you should have the curve for the selected value of Ves).
constant. These curves are almost horizontal. This shows that the output dynamic The slope of this curve will give the input dynamic resistance. Similarly, by
resistance, defined below is very high. drawing tangent to the output characteristic curve gives the output dynamic
resistance.
r =Aves
o A"
I 8. To determine de alpha, simply divide the de collector current (at the selected
Ze JE=const. operating point) by the de emitter current.
The collector current le is less than, but almost equal to the emitter current. The 9. To determine ac alpha, draw a vertical line through the selected operating
current IE divides into le and ls. That is, point on the output characteristics. Take a small change in iE (say, 1 mA)
around the operating point and read from the graph, the corresponding change
IE =le+ ls
in ie. Divide the change in ie by the change in iE to get ac alpha.
 Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 193
Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
192
2. The transistor parameters are given below:
Observations
Parameter Viilue determined
1. Type number of the transistor= _ _ __
2. Information from data book: 1. ri Q

(a) Maximum collector current rating= mA 2. ro Jill

(b) Maximum collector-to-emitter voltage rating= _ _ V
(c) Maximum collector dissipation power= ____ W 3. adc

3. Input characteristics: 4. a
..
Vea= 6 V Vea= !OV
S. No.
VEB in mV hinmA VEB in V IE in mA
-- -"""""'--~---.......... • Experimental Exercise 5.2 4il

1. Title Transistor characteristics in common-emitter configuration.

2.
3.
Objectives To
4. Output characteristics: 1. trace the given circuit;
IE=3 mA 2. plot the input characteristics (graph between the base current iB and base-to-
IE= 1 mA IE =2 mA
IE= 0 emitter voltage VBE> keeping collector-to-emitter voltage VcE constant);
S. No. VCB(V) Jc(mA) VCB(V) Ic(mA) 3. calculate the input dynamic resistance from the input characteristic at a given
VcB(V) Ic(mA) VCB(V) fc(mA)
operating point;
1. 4. plot the output characteristics (graph between ic and VcE> for fixed values of
2.
/B);
3. 5. calculate the output ac resistance (r0 ), the de beta (/3ac), and ac beta at a given
operating point.
Calculations
1. Input dynamic resistance, Apparatus Required Experimental board, transistor(or IC) power supply, one
milliammeter, (0-50 mA), one microammeter (0-50 µA), two electronic multimeters.
- AvEB \
ri - AiE v; = v Circuit Diagram The circuit diagram is shown in Fig. E. 5 .2.1.
CB -

2. Output dynamic resistance,

- AvcB \
ro - Aic JE=-mA

. le
3. DC current gam, aac = - =
IE

4. AC current gain, Aic\

a=- Fig. E. 5.2.1
AiE Vrn=_ V

Brief Theory In Experimental Exercise 5.1, we had drawn the transistor

Results characteristics in CB configuration. In CE configuration, we make the emitter
1. Input and output characteristics are plotted on the graph. terminal common to the input and output. Whether the transistor is connected in CB
or CE, the E-B junction is forward biased and the C-B junction is reverse biased.
 194 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
Bipolar junction Transistors (B]Ts) 195
For CE configuration, we delined the imporc,11t parameters as foiiows: 3. Input characteristics:
L',_-- I
1. Input dynamic resistance, r; = ~JE I VcE= v VcE= _ _ _ v
DiB S.No.
VBE(inV) iB(in µA) VsE(in V) iB(in µA)
DJ r·• I
1

2. Output ac resistance, ,-0 °~ 1~~-'°--.: ,_.-_. - 1.

., '.:C?:os!. 2.
3.
3. DC current gain,
- .B.., ,.. =
I~s;;_
B
4. Output characteristics:
0.i(. ~
4. AC current gain, p -c - - i IB=O ls= IOµA IB=20 µA JB = 30 µA
11iB I ,,,,.CE =con st.
S. No.
VcE(V) ic(mA) VcE(V) ic(mA) VcE(V) ic(mA) VcB(V) ic(mA)
Procedure 1.
2.
1. Note dovm the type number of the transrno1 used in the e:cpcrirnelitaI board.
3.
Find the important specifications of the tnmsiswr from the data book. Identify
the terminals of the transistor and trace the circuit.
Calculations
2. Mark the circuit connections a.s shown in Fig. E. 5.2. l. Use meters with proper
range. 1. Input dynamic resistance,
3. For input characteristic, first fix the voltage VcE> say, at 9 V. Vary the voltage
VsE slowly, in steps. Note the value of current i 8 at each step. r· = L\vsE
I L\i
I _ _ _ kQ
4. For output characteristics, first open the input circuit. Vary the collector S VCE=_V
voltage vCE in steps and note the collector current. This current is the reverse 2. Output ac resistance,
saturation current IcEO, and its magnitude will be small. Now close the input
circuit and fix the base current Is at, say, 10 µA. For this you can use the r = L\vcE
0 Af.
I
potentiometer R 1. Vary the voltage vcE with the help of pmentiometer R 2 in C J8 =_mA
steps. Note current ic for each step. Repeat the process for other values of ls 3. DC current gain,
(say, 20 µA, 30 µA, 40 µA, etc.) Be careful not to go beyond the maximum

~c I
ratings of the transistor.
5. Plot the input and output characteristics by using the readings taken above. f3dc =
B VCE=--V
6. Select a suitable operating point in the linear portion of the characteristics.
Determine the slope of the input characteristi;; curve at this operating point. 4. AC current gain,
This gives the input dynamic resistance. Sin1i1arly, u:sirig the definition given
above (in brief theory), calculate the output ac resistance r0 , de beta and ac
beta.

Observations Results
1. Type number of the transistor= __ 1. Input and output characteristics are plotted on the graph.
2. In.formation f'orn the data book: 2. The parameters of the transistor in CE mode are given below:
(a) Parameters Value determined
(b) ~·/~axirnurn collectcr --· _·-·--..-·-- \/ 1. ri .Q
(c) lvlaxiHHliil co:lector dis.3Jp'-ttion }10\V~r rati~·1g = - · - - - \~·,/ 2. ro k.Q
3. /Jae ---
4. /3
 Field Effect Transistors (FETs] 197

There are two main types ofFETs:

UNIT
1. Junction field-effect transistor (JFET)
FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS (FETs) 2. Metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET)
Both types are fabricated as discrete components and as components of integrated
circuits (ICs). Compared to BITs, MOS transistors can be made quite small (that is,
occupying a small silicon area on the IC chip). Furthermore, digital logic memory
"History always changes and everything that we owned 10 years functions can be implemented with circuits that exclusively use MOSFETs (that is,
ago is becoming obsolete electronically." no resistors or diodes are needed). For these reasons, most of the very-large-scale-
integrated (VLSI) circuits are made at present using MOS technology.
Chris Watts {1965-present)
American Inventor, Businessman, Award Winning
MOSFETs are again of two types:
Filmmaker and Visual Effects Supervisor 1. Depletion-type MOSFET (DE MOSFET)
2. Enhancement-type MOSFET (EN MOSFET)
In many respects, a DE MOSFET is similar to a JFET. Whatever be the construc-
tion of an FET (whether JFET, or DE MOSFET, or EN MOSFET), it can have either
(i) N-type channel, or (ii) P-type channel.
In a BIT, current is conducted by charge carriers ofboth the polarity (i.e., electrons
and holes). That is the reason why the conventional transistor is called bipolar.
After completing this unit, students wiH be able to: In contrast, the current in an FET is conducted by the majority charge carriers in
• explain the structure and working of a junction field-effect the channel (i.e., by electrons in N-channel, and by hole in P-channel). Since the
conduction is performed by charge carriers of only one polarity, FETs are called
transistor JFET
unipolar transistors.
• draw the circuit symbols of an N-channel and P-channel JFET
• draw the output characteristics of a JFET
6.2 JUNCTIO~ FIELD;,EFFECTTRANSI&l!OR(JFET) ~Hvrttl
.
"' define JFET parameters , ,· '., ''

" explain the structure and working of two types of MOSFETs, de- 6.2.1 Structure of a function Field-EffectTransistor (JFET)
pletion-type and enhancement type
A JFET can be ofN-channel type or of P-channel type. (The meaning of channel will
• draw the circuit symbols of an N-channel and P-channel DE MOS- be made clear later in the section.) We shall describe the structure of an N-channel
FET and EN MOSFET JFET. The structure of a P-channel JFET is similar to that of an N-channel JFET,
11 draw the output characteristics of the two types of MOSFETs except that in its structure, N-type is replaced by P-type and vice versa.
" compare the three types of transistors--JFE1: MO SF ET and BJT In its simplest form, the structure of an N-channel JFET starts with nothing more
.. explain how MOSFETs are better than JFETs than a bar ofN-type silicon. This bar behaves like a resistor between its two termi-
nals, called source and drain (Fig. 6.la). We introduce heavily doped P-type regions
"' explain the structure of complerneatary MOS (CMOS) transistor
on either side of the bar. These P regions are called gates (Fig. 6.1 b). Usually, the two
"' state applications of FETs gates are connected together (Fig. 6.lc). The gate terminal is analogous to the base
of a BIT. This is used to control the current flow from source to drain. Thus, source
and drain terminals are analogous to emitter and collector terminals respectively, of
a BIT.
6.1 tNTROOUCTJiON In Fig. 6.ld, the bar of the JFET has been placed vertically. The circuit symbol of
N-channel JFET is shown in Fig. 6. le. Note that the arrow is put in the gate terminal
The FET was developed m the cariy l 9oGs. The t'f,l operaTes uncler pr;nc;pl· :; \'. !iicL
(and not in the source terminal, though source is analogous to emitter in a BJT). The
are completely different fr0n1 tho~-: J th': BJT Ti>: narre )~e!d :,; d~:rived
gate arrow points into the JFET. (In a P-channel JFET, the gate arrow would point
frorn the fact that the current fiow in the device 1s controlled by an elecffic field sec
out of the JFET).
up by an externally applied voltage
 Field Effect Transistors (FETs) 199
198 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

reduced width. Reduction in the width of the channel (the conductive portion of the
'( l1atc l
bar) increases its resistance. This reduces the drain current I 0 .
I See Fig. 6.2b carefully. There is one important point about the channel shape. It

~~~~~g is narrower at the drain end. This happens because the amount of reverse bias is not
same throughout the length of the PN-junction. When current flows through the bar,
a potential drop occurs across its length. As a result, the reverse bias between the gate
I
6 ·:.Iat,· :?. and the drain end of the bar is more than that between the gate and the source end of
(al the bar. The width of the depletion region is more at the drain end than at the source
end. As a result, the channel becomes narrower at the· drain end.
-·--------·--··--· '
'

G~i_:-~~,ji~, D

(c)
'--------=I+------' '------1 • !--------'

!)O--··- VDD VDD

(a) With no bias (b) With small reverse bias

c;~--d\
~~q'
D
s
N-channcl, JFFT

'-----111--------'
(d) (e) VDD
(c) Pinch-off occurs at large reverse bias
Fi.g. 6.1 junction field-effect transistor (IV-channel type)
Fig. 6.2 Effect ofgate-source voltage on the channel
Let us nmv see why the N-type bar is called a channel. Normally, vvc operate an
N-channei JFET by applying positive voltage to the drain with respect to rhe source Let us see what happens if the reverse gate-bias is increased further. The chan-
(Fig. 6.2a ). Due to this voltage, the majority carriers in the bar (electrons in this case) nel becomes narrower at the drain end and the drain current further reduces. If the
start flowing from the source to the drain. This flow of electrons makes the drain cur- reverse bias is made sufficiently large, the depletion regions tends to extend into the
rent lu. The current I0 is analogous to the collector current le in a BJT. The electrons channel and meet. This pinches off the current flow (Fig. 6.2c). The gate-source volt-
in the bar have to pass through the space between the two P regions. As we shall see, age at which pinch-off occurs is called pinch-off voltage Vp.
the width of this space between the P regions can be controlled by varying the gate
You may think that the channel completely closes at the drain end when the gate-
voltage. That is why this space is called a channel. source voltage reaches the pinch-off value. But in practice it does not happen, simply
To see how the width of the channel changes by varying the gate voltage, let us because it cannot happen. Suppose, if it were possible, the channel completely closes
consider Fig. 6.2b. Here we have applied a small reverse bias to the gate. Because at the drain end. The drain current would then reduce to zero. As a result, there would
of the reverse bias, the width of the depletion increases. Since the N-type bar is be no voltage drop along the length of the channel. The amount ofre\'.erse bias would
lightly doped compared to the P regions, t'.1e depletion region extends more into the become uniformly same throughout the length. The wedge shaped depletion region
N-type bar. This reduces the width of the channel. Recall that the depletion regions would try to become straight (rectangular shaped). The channel would then open at
do not contain any charge carriers. The electrons have to pass through the channel of the drain end. The drain current flows.
 Field Effect Transistors (FETs) 201
200 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

Ohmic voltage drop is caused in the bar due to the flow of current i 0 . This voltage
When the gate-source voltage reaches the pinch-off value, the channel width re- drop along the length of the channel reverse biases the gate junction. The reserve
duces to a constant minimum value. The drain current flows through this constricted biasing of the gate junction is not uniform throughout. The reverse bias is more at the
channel. drain end than at the source end of the channel. So, as we start increasing v 0 s, the
Some important terminology regarding a JFET: channel starts constricting more at the drain end. The channel is eventually pinched
1. Source The source is the terminal through which the majority carriers off. The current i 0 no longer increases with the increase in Vos· It approaches a
constant saturation value. The voltage Vos at which the channel is "pinched off" (that
(electrons in case of N-channel JFET, and holes in case of P-channel JFET)
is, all the free charges from the channel are removed), is called pinch-off voltage, Vp.
enter the bar. Note that the voltage Vp is not sharply defined on the curve. The region of the curve
2. Drain The drain is the terminal through which the majority carriers leave
to the right of point A is called pinch-off region.
the bar.
A special significance is attached to the drain current in the pinch-off region when
3. Gate On both sides of the N-type bar, heavily doped P regions are formed.
These regions are called gates. Usually, the two gates are joined together to
VGs = 0. It is given the symbol loss· It signifies the drain source current at pinch-off,
when the gate is shorted to the source. It is measured well into the pinch-off region.
form a single gate.
4. Channel The region between the source and drain, sandwiched between the In this case, loss = 7.4 mA.
two gates, is called channel. The majority carriers move from source to drain Further increase in voltage Vos increases the reverse bias across the gate junction.
Eventually, at high Vos breakdown of the gate junction occurs. The drain current / 0
through this channel.
shoots to a high value. Of course, when we use a JFET in a circuit, we avoid the gate
junction breakdown.
6.2.2 JFET Characteristics If the gate reverse bias is increased (say, VGS = - 1 V), the curve shifts downward.
As a BJT has static collector characteristics, so does a JFET have static drain char- The pinch-off occurs for smaller value of Vos· The maximum saturation drain current
acteristics. Such characteristics are shown in Fig. 6.3. For each curve, the gate-to- is also smaller, because the conducting channel now becomes narrower..
source voltage VGS is constant. Each curve shows the variation of drain current i 0 For an increased reverse bias at the gate, the avalanche breakdown of the gate
versus drain-to-source voltage Vos· junction occurs at lower value of Vos· This happens because the effective bias at the
gate junction (at the drain end) is the voltage Vos plus voltage Vos· The greater the
i
0
(rnA)
t value of V s, the lower the value of Vos required for the junction to breakdown.
0

8
loss 7 6.2.3 JFET Parameters
-IV An important parameter of a JFET is the current loss· It signifies the drain saturation
6
-2V current when Vos= 0. It is specified by the manufacturer. Besides this, there are the
5
following three important parameters of a JFET.
-3 v l. Dynamic drain resistance (rtI) Dynamic drain resistance at an operating
3
2 -4V point is defined as the ratio of small change in drain voltage to the small
1 change in drain current, keeping the gate voltage constant. That is
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 v 08( V ) - (6.1)
- -
rd Avos\
--
A"lo Vas =cons!.
Fig. 6.3 Typical drain characteristics of an N-channel ]FET
Typically, rd is about 400 kQ.
Let us consider first, the curve for zero gate bias. For this curve, VGs = 0. When 2. Mutual conductance or transconductance (gnJ The mutual conductance,
Vos is zero, the channel is entirely open. But the drain current is zero, because the at an operating point, is defined as the ratio of small change in drain current to
drain terminal does not have any attractive force for the majority carriers. For small the small change in gate voltage, keeping the drain voltage constant. That is
applied voltage v 0 s, the bar acts as a simple resistor. Current i 0 increases linearly
with voltage Vos· This region (to the left of point A) of the curve is called ohmic Aio \ (6.2)
gm=~
region, because the bar acts as an ohmic resistor. Vos Vos =cons!.
 Field Effect Transistors (FETs) 203
202 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

It is measured in siemens (S). Typically, its value ranges from 150 µS to 6.4 DEPLETION•TYPE MOSFET. (DE MOSFET)
250 µS.
3. Amplificatfon factor (µ) It is defined as the ratio of small change in drain 6.4.1 Structure of DE MOSFET
voltage to the small change in gate voltage, when current ! 0 is kept constant.
Figure 6.4a shows the structure of an N-channel depletion-type MOSFET. A block of
That is high-resistance, P-type silicon forms the substrate or the body (B). It provides physi-
µ- -~Vos
-- I (6.3) cal support to the device. Two heavily doped N-type wells (or pockets) are created on
~Vos 10 ~ const. the surface of the block. These are labelled as N+ in the figure. In between these two
wells, _there is a lightly doped N region which makes the channel. A thin layer of an
Sinceµ is a ratio of two voltages, it does not have any units. The amplification insulating material-silicon oxide (Si02)-is deposited along the surface. Two metal
factor of a JFET can be as high as 100. contacts penetrate the silicon oxide layer to reach the two N+ wells. These make the
The above three parameters of a JFET are related as source (S) and the drain (D) terminals of the device.

µ = rdgm (6.4) Silicon

Drain dioxide
Substrate
Thus, if any two parameters are known, the third can be computed. (D)

Example 6.1 For a JFET type BFWlO (made by BEL; Bangalore), the
typical values of amplification factor and transconductance are specified as 80
and 200 µS, respectively. Calculate the dynamic drain resistance of this JFET. J
Solution: The three parameters of a JFET are related by the formula,
Source
µ=rdgm (S)
Here, ,u = 80, and gm= 200 µS = 200 x 10--{) S. Therefore, the dynamic drain resis- (a) Structure (b) Working principle
tance is given as
Fig. 6.4 N-channel depletion-type MOSFET
µ -
rd=--
80 -- 5 - ,_,..,
-4x10 Q-400IU.io
6
gm 200X10-
Unlike a JFET, there is no PN-junction formed between the gate and the channel.
Here, the silicon oxide layer insulates the gate from the channel. Also note that while
going form gate to channel, we come across Metal, Oxide and Semiconductor, in that
6.3 METAL-OXIDE SEMICONDUCTOR sequence. Hence the name MOSFET.
FET (MOSFETJ · It is obvious that a P-channel DE MOSFET is made from a lightly doped N sub-
strate. The drain and source are heavily doped p+ wells. In between these well, there
The Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET) is similar to is.a lightly doped P region which makes the channel.
the JFET in many ways. A MOSFET too has drain (D), source (S) and gate (G)
terminals. Like the JFET, the channel conductivity of a MOSFET is also controlled 6.4.2 Working Principle of DE MOSFET
by gate-to-source voltage, Vos·
A MOSFET differs from a JFET in the sense that its gate terminal is electri- As shown in Fig. 6.4b, a voltage source Vos is connected between the drain and
cally insulated from its channel region. For this reason, a MOSFET is also called source, making the drain (D) positive with respect to the source (S). The body (B) is
Insulated-Gate Field-Effect Transistor (IGFET). It is because of this reason that the usually connected to the source (S), as shown in the figure. We make the gate nega-
15 tive with respect to the source by connecting a battery Vas·
gate current in a MOSFET is extremely small (,,,10- A).
There are two types of MOSFETs: depletion type (DE MOSFET) and enhance- The gate being at negative voltage with respect to the body, an electric field
ment type (EN MOSFET). These names are derived from the two different ways in (having direction from channel to the gate) is created in the channel. This field repels
which the conductivity of the channel is changed by varying Vos·
204 lJu1·ic Electronics and Linear Circuits Field Effect Transistors (FETs) 205

the electrons away from the portion of the channel near the Si0 2 layer. This portion is negative, the device works in depletion mode; when positive, it works in enhance-
1s therefore depleted of the carriers. The channel width is cffectivdy reduced. The
ment mode.
narrower the channel, the greater is ic'.; resistance, and the smaller is the current from
drain to source. It means that by varying the gate voltage Vc;s, the drain current JD
can be controlled. This is quite similar to an N-char.nel JFET What is the difference
i
0
(mA)
t Ohmic - - '
region I
- - - Active region - - -
between the two.., The main difforence is that in a MOSrET tlw channel width is I
controlled by the action of the electric field, wherea;, in a J FET the channel \vidth is
controlled by the siZt: or the depletion region of the reverse-biased PN-junction.
Note that a DE MOSFET has no PN-junction at the gate. Therefore, there is no
risk of making the gate current le; large due to PN-junction becnming forward biased,
if voltage VGs is made positive. That is, the gate current remains negligibly small, Enhancement
mode

+
even if voltage Vcjs is made positive.

V0,~-3V
When VGs is made positive, the tield thus produced attracts more electrons into the
channel from N' region. This increases or enhances the conductivity of the channel.
As a result, the drain current increases. Thus, in a DE MOSFET the gate voltage
can be varied through both negative and positive values to control the drain current.
In other words, a DE MOSFET is capable of working in both the depletion and the Depletion
enhancement mode. mode

What about the PN-junction between the channel and substrate? Will it effect the ~~~~~==l:==:±;:=~=:=L_-;;;--
0 4"\ 6 8 IO 12 14 ) Vos
_ _L
operation of the device? As this Junction always remains reverse biased, very little
.) (volts)-
current flows through the substiate. Hence, it has almost no effect on the operation Vp Vas(O) =-4 V
of the device.
Fig. 6.6 Output characteristics of an N-channel DE MOSFET
6.4.3 Circuit Symbol of DE MOSFET
Consider the characteristic curve for Vos = 0. For small value of Vos, the N
Figure 6.5 shows the circuit symbols of two types of DE MOSFET The thick vertical material between the drain and source acts as a simple resistance. The current io
line represents the channel. An arrow is drawn on the body terminal. It points from P increases linearly with v0 s, as per Ohm's law. As Vos is increased further, the channel
to N. Thus, for N-channel the arrow is inward: for P-channel it is out\vard. Note that becomes narrower and the current i0 begins to level off. When Vos becomes equal
the gate terminal is connected to a line which is separated from the solid thick line to pinch offvoltage ( Vp), the channel is pinched-off. The current saturates at loss· In
representing the channel. This emphasises that the gate is insulated from the channel. Fig. 6.6, VP= 4 V, and loss = 10 mA.
D When Vos is made negative, the pinch-off condition occurs at a lower value of

G~--oB
Vos· The drain current saturates at a lower value. If Vas is made sufficiently negative
to deplete the entire channel, the drain current is completely cut off.
s When Vos is made positive, the device works in enhancement mode. The resis-
(a) N-channcl (b) P-channcl tance of the channel reduces, and the drain current i0 increases. The pinch-off occurs
at a larger value of Vos· Also, the current i 0 saturates at a larger value than loss- The
Fig, 6.5 Circuit symbols o(DE J'.10SFETs parabolic dashed line passes through the pinch-off points for different curves.

6.4.4 Output Characteristics of DE MOSFET

6.5 ENHANCEMENT-TYPE MOSFET (EN MdSFETj "
Figure 6.6 shows the output characreristics of an N-channel DE MOSFET. These
characteristics appear similar to those of an N-channeJ JFET shown in Fig. 6.3. This 6.5.1 Structure of EN MOSFET
is as expected, since the working of the two devices is quit<: similar. The only difi"t~r­
The structure of EN MOSFET is similar to that of DE MOSFET. The only differ-
ence is that here the voltage VGs is shown both negative as \vell as positive. When V(;s
ence is that there is no N-type material between the drain and source. Inst~ad the
 206 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Field Effect Transistors (FETs) 207

P-type substrate extends all the way to the Si02 layer adjacent to the gate as shown the current ! 0 also increases. In fact, the conductivity of the channel is proportional
in Fig. 6. 7a. to the excess gate voltage (Vas - VT)·
Suppose that VT= 2 V and Vas is set at 10 V As VDs is gradually increased above
Drain zero volt, the current iD also increases gradually. The channel behaves like a resistor.

• -:=l- Substrate
The current i 0 increases linearly with voltage VDs (Ohm's law), as shown in Fig. 6.8 .
As we continue to increase v0 s, the channel starts becoming narrower at the
drain end, as shown in Fig. 6.7b. This happens because the gate-to-drain voltage VaD

~dy(B)
l'l·1etal<
reduces as Vos increases. This results in reduced field at the drain end. For example,
Gate (GJ if V0 s = 10 V and Vos= 3 V, the voltage Vao becomes 10 - 3 = 7 V But when VDs
p
is increased to 4 V, the voltage Van reduces to 10 - 4 = 6 V Thus, the field at drain

Source
.__J gets reduced. The channel width decreases. As a result, the resistance of the channel
begins to increase and the drain current iD begins to level off. Eventually, when
(Sl Vos reaches 8 V, the voltage vaD becomes 10 - 8 = 2 V (same as VT)· The channel
(a) width at the drain end reduces to almost zero. That is, the channel is pinched off. If
(b)
we increase Vos beyond this point, the channel shape remains almost same and the
Fig. 6.7 N-channel EN MOSFET current through the channel remains constant. The MOSFET enters into saturation
or active region.
6.5.2 Formation of Channel in an EN MOSFET
Figure 6.7b shows the normal connections for an N-channel EN MOSFET. As in the 6.5.4 Output Characteristics of EN MOSFET
DE MOSFET, the substrate or the body (B) is connected to the source. The voltage Figure 6.8 shows the output characteristics of an N-channel EN MOSFET. These
V0 s is connected so that gate is positive with respect to the source. The gate repels characteristics are similar to those of an N-channel JFET. The only difference is that
holes from the region under it. This leaves behind a depletion r~gion containing nega- in EN MOSFET we keep Vas positive; whereas in JFET, Vas is kept negative. Also,
tive immobile ions. note that all values of VGS are positive. It means that an EN MOSFET can be operated
In addition, the positive gate attracts electrons from the N' drain and N + source only in the enhancement mode.
where they are available in plenty. This, in effect, creates an N region near the surface
of the substrate under the gate. The drnin and source are connected by this N-region.
If a positive voltage Vos is applied a current flows from drain to source through this
iD
(mA)
t Ohmic
region --~c------
Active
region ___..
N-region. This induced N-region thus acts as a channel for the current flow. The
MOSFET of Fig. 6. 7 is called N-channel MOSFET or simply NMOS transistor.
Note that the NMOS transistor is formed in a P-type substrate. As seen above, the
channel is created by inverting the substrate from P-type to N-type. Hence, the
induced channel is called the inversion layer.
The induced N-channel in Fig. 6.7b does not become sufficiently conductive to
allow the drain current to flow until V0 s reaches a certain value. This minimum value
of V0 s at which sufficient number of electrons accumulates in the channel is called
threshold voltage VT. The value of VT is typically in the range of 1 to 3 V

6.5.3 Working Principle of EN MOSFET

Once the channel is formed, on applying a small voltage v 05 (Fig. 6.7b) causes free
electrons to travel from source to drain, constituting a small current i0 . The magnitude
of i0 depends on the density of electrons in the channel, which in turn depends on
VGS. At Vos= VT, the channel is just induced. The current iD is negligibly small. As
Vos increases beyond Vr , the conductivity of the channel increases and as a result
Fig. 6.8 Output characteristics of an N-channel EN MOSFET
 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Field Effect Transistors (FETs) 209
208

Note that when flGS is reduced to threshold voltage VT= 2 V, the drain current in MOS (or CMOS) technology is most widely used nowadays. Both analogue and digi-
reduces to zero for all values of v 11 s. The dashed parabolic line joins the saturation tal circuits are manufactured in the form of ICs using CMOS technology.
voltages for different curves. The region to the left of this lrne is called the vu!tage- Figure 6.10 shows a cross section of a CMOS chip illustrating how NMOS and
controlled-resistance region or ohmic region. The region to the right is called satura- PMOS transistors are fabricated. The NMOS transistor is implemented directly in P-
tion or active region. type substrate. To fabricated PMOS transistor, first an N region is specially created.
This region is called N well or tub. The two devices are isolated from each other by
6.5.5 Circuit Symbol of EN MOSFET a thick region of insulating Si02 •

Figure 6.9 shows the circuit symbols ofN-channel and P-channel EN MOSFET. The NMOS PMOS
symbol is very descriptive. The vertical solid line denotes the gate electrode. The --~A'---~ --~A'----
vertical broken thick line denotes channel. It is shown broken to indicate that the
S G b
Polysilicon
r
D
G '
S

channel is induced rather than being an inherent part of the structure.

D D

G4--0B s
G~-oB
s
{a) N-channel (b) P-channel

Fig. 6.9 Circuit symbols of EN MOSFETs

Fig. 6.10 Cross-section of a CMOS integrated circuit
The spacing between th~ gate line and the channel represents the insulating Si02
layer. The arrowhead on the line representing substrate (body) points from P to N. It Note that the arrangement shown in Fig. 6.10 could also be fabricated in an N-
indicates whether the channel is N-type or P-type. type substrate. The NMOS transistor is then made in a P well.

6.5.6 The P-Channel MOSFET 6.6.1 VMOS Technology

AP-channel MOSFET (also called PMOS transistor) is complement of NMOS This technology is a little modification of MOS technology. The V-shaped groove
transistor. It is fabricated on an N-type substrate with p+ regions for the drain and penetrates alternate N and P layers, as shown in Fig. 6.11 for an N-channel device.
source. The current in the channel flows as a result of holes drifting from the source The term VMOS is derived from the V appearance of the cross-sectional view. The
to the drain. The current JD enters the source terminal and leaves from the drain length of the induced N channel is' determined by the thickness of the Player. This
terminal. Here, bmh VGs and VDs are negative. technique saves space on the chip surface, thereby enabling many more devices to
The enhancement-type MOSFETs have very simple structure. A great number of be fabricated on a single chip. The channel can be made longer by simply making P
such devices can be fabricated on a single silicon chip. Most of the very-large-scale layer thicker.
integrated (VLSI) circuits are manufactured using this PMOS or NMOS technology.
Compared to NMOS devices, PMOS devices are less expensive to produce. But,
performance-wise the NMOS devices are better than PMOS because the majority
carriers (electrons) in N material have much greater mobility than the holes in P
material. As a result, the NMOS devices can operate at faster speeds. Hence, NMOS
technology is preferred over the PMOS technology.

6.6 COMPLEMENTARY MOS (CMOS) Fig. 6.11 VMOS structure for an N-channel transistor

Power-saving circuit-designs in the form of IC become possible, if we use both VMOS transistors have greater current-handling capabilities. Hence, these tran-
NMOS and PMOS together embedded in the same substrate. Such a complementary sistors find use in power-amplifier applications.
 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Fielr;I. Effect Transistors {FETs) 211
210

1. A DE MOSFET can be operated in the enhancement mode (by simply applying

6.7 COMPARISON OF JFET, MOSFET AND BJT a positive voltage Vas, if the device is N-cham1el). But it is impossible to
operate a JFET in enhancement mode. Ifwe attempt to apply positive voltage
As shown in Fig. 6.12, an FET is quite analogous to a BJT. Any circuit, whether ana- Vas (in case ofN-channel JFET), the gate-channel junction becomes forward
logue or digital, whether discrete or integrated, can be designed using either FETs
biased. As a result, the gate ceases to control the channel.
or BJTs or their combination. However, in many ways the FETs prove advantageous
2. Even if a JFET is operated with a reverse bias, the gate current (caused by the
over BJTs. flow of minority carriers) is much larger than that in a comparable MOSFET.
1. Since the PN-junction in the input circuit of a JFET (i.e., gate to sourc·::) is
reverse biased, this device has high input impedance of the order of 10 M.Q. 6. 7 .2 Applications of FETs
MOSFETs are even better. These devices have no PN-junction in the input
circuit. The gate is insulated from the channel by a Si0 2 layer. This offers very 1. FETs can be used in circuits of amplifier, oscillator, etc.
high input impedance (more than I 0 12 Q). On the contrary, the PN- junction in 2. FETs can be used as switches in digital circuits.
the input circuit of a BJT (i.e., emitter to base) is forward biased, giving quite 3. FETs can be used as analogue switches in circuits such as sample and
low input impedance (of the order of 1 kQ). hold, amplitude modulation, ADC (analogue-to-digital) or DAC (digital-to-
2. The operation of an FET depends on the conduction of majority carriers analogue) converters.
(hence called unipolar). But in a BJT, the current is carried by both the holes 4. CMOS is an excellent device for use in an inverter circuit, as it needs almost
and electrons (hence called bipolar). Therefore, FETs are less noisy. no power.
3. An FET is essentially a voaage-operated device. But a BJT is a current- 5. FETs, when operated in ohmic region, can be used as voltage variable resistors
operated device. Since most of the signals to be processed are voltage signals, (VVR).
FETs are better than BJTs.
4. Power gain of an FET is much higher than that of a BJT. Hence, there is no
• Review Questions •
need of a driver stage if an FET is used as power amplifier.
5. In digital circuits, power requirement is an important criterion. FET digital 1. Sketch the basic structure ofN-channel JFET.
circuits need much less power compared to BJT circuits. 2. Draw the circuit symbols of(a) an N-channel JFET and (b) aP-channel JFET.
6. There is no risk of thermal runaway in FET circuits, as the drain current of an 3. Show the biasing arrangement of an N-channel JFET.
FET decreases with increase in temperature. 4. Draw typical drain characteristics curves of a JFET. Explain the shape of these
7. MOSFETs are simpler and less expensive tc fabricate than the BJTs. curves qualitatively.
8. A MOS device requires much smaller area on the silicon chip than a BJT. This 5. What do you understand by the tertn 'channel' in a JFET?
allows a greater number of devices to be accommodated on a single silicon 6. Define all the important parameters of a JFET.
chip in an IC. 7. How does a MOSFET differ from a JFET?
Collector 8. What is the basic difference between an FET and a BIT?
Drain
D
c 9. What are the two types ofMOSFETs? How do they differ in their structure?

G~~''" ·~~-~~t
10. Briefly explain the working of a depletion-type MOSFET.
11. Briefly explain the working of an enhancement-type MOSFET.
12. Draw the circuit symbols of(a) aP-channelENMOSFETand(b) anN-channel
s E
Source Emitter DE MOSFET. Highlight the differences between the two.
(a) N-chairnel (b) N-channel (c)NPN BJT 13. Why is the NMOS technology considered better than the PMOS?
JFET DE MOSFET
14. Briefly explain the structure of a CMOS.
Fig. 6.12 Analogy between FET ar..d B]T 15. How does the VMOS structure save space on the chip?
16. Why are the FETs considered better than the BJTs?
6,7.1 How MOSFETs are Better than JFETs 17. Why are the MOSFETs considered a better choice than the JFETs or BJTs in
making ICs?
A JFET is a depletion-type device. Its characteristics are similar to those of the
depletion-type MOSFET. However, there are two important differences because of
which the MOSFETs are more widely used than JFETs.
 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Field Effect Transistors (FETs) 213
212

• Objective-Type Questions ® - - - 2. A depletion-type MOSFET can work in both the depletion mode as well as in
the enhancement mode. (True/False)
I. Below are some incomplete statements. Four alternatives are provided for each. 3. FETs are nowadays widely used in both analogue and digital applications.
Choose the alternative that completes the statement correctly. (True/False)
4. MOSFETs are also known as IGFETs. (True/False)
1. A junction field-effect transistor (JFET)
(a) has three PN-junctions 5. Various forms of FETs can be produced in both N-channel and P-channel
versions. (True/False)
(b) incorporates a forward-biased junction
(c) depends on the variation of a magnetic field for its operation 6. For an enhancement-type NMOS transistor, the gate voltage is always kept
(d) depends on the variation of the depletion-layer width with reverse Vas in negative in its normal range of operation. (True/False)
its operation 7. The spacing between the gate line and the channel line in the circuit symbol of
a MOSFET represents a silicon dioxide insulation layer. (True/False)
2. The operation of a JFET involves
8. In an N-channel JFET, for Vas= 0 V, if Vos is gradually increased from zero,
(a) a flow of minority carriers ·J' at a particular value of Vos the channel is pinched off and the current / 0 re-
(b) a flow of majority carriers
duces to zero. (True/False)
(c) recombination
9. For a JFET, the shorted-gate drain current loss is the drain current when the
(d) negative resistance gate is shorted to the drain and Vos is equal to or more than the pinch-off volt-
3. A field-effect transistor (FET) i age. (True/False)
(a) uses a high-concentration emitter junction
(b) uses a forward-biased PN-junction
(c) has a very high input resistance
(d) depends on minority-carrier flow
4. Which one of the following has the highest input impedance?
(a) NPN transistor in CB mode
(b) NPN transistor in CE mode
(c) N-channel JFET
(d) P-channel enhancement-type MOSFET • Experimental Exercise 6.1 •
5. Which one of the following is a unipolar device?
Title JFET characteristics.
(a) N-channel MOSFET
(b) PNP Si transistor Objectives To
(c) NPN Ge transistor
1. trace the given circuit of JFET;
(d) PN junction diode
2. plot the static drain characteristics of JFET;
6. Which one of the following is the most likely value of threshold voltage of an
3. calculate the JFET parameters (drain dynamic resistance rd> mutual conduc-
N-channel EN MOSFETY? tance gm, and amplification factorµ) at a given operating point.
(a) VT=-3 V
(b) VT= -1.5 v Apparatus Required Experimental board, transistor (or IC) power supply,
(c) VT= +2 V milliammeter (0 to 25 mA), two electronic multimeters.
(d) VT=+lOV
Circuit Diagram The circuit diagram is shown in Fig. E. 6.1.1
II. Some statements are written below. Write whether they are TRUE or FALSE, in
the space provided against each.
1. The input resistance of a JFET is much greater than that of a DE MOSFET.
(True/False)
214 Basic E/ectro11iu· and Linear Circuits Field Effect Transistors (FETs] 215

4. Plot the drain characteristics (graph between in and Vns for fixed values of
Vas).
5. Use the definitions given in brief theory to calculate the JFET parameters,
from the characteristics.

Observations
1. Type number of the JFET = _ _ __
2. Information from the data book:
(a) Maximum drain current rating= mA
Fig. E. 6.1.1 (b) Maximum drain voltage rating= _ _ _ _ V
3. Drain characteristics :
Brief Theory Like an ordinary junction transistor, a tieid-effect transio;tor is
also a three terminal device. Ii is a unipolar devir::e, because its functior depends Drain cur,-ent i0 (in mA)
only upm1 one type of carrier. (The ordinary transistor is bipolar, hence it is called S.No. v 0 s(in V)
Vos= OV Vos=-lV Vos =-2V Vos =-3 V Vos =-4 V
bipolar-junction transistor). Unlike a EJT a JFET has high input impedance. This is
a great advantage. 1.
A fie!J-effect transistor can be either a JFET ~)f MOSFET Again, a JFET can either 2.
have N-channel or P-channel. An N-channel JFET, has an N-type semiconductor bar; 3.
the two ends of which make the drain and source terminals. On the two sides of the
bar, PN-junctions are made. These P regions make gates. Usually, these two gates Calculations A suitable operating point is selected, say at Vns = 8 V, Vas= -3 V.
are connected together to form a single gate. The gate is given a negative bias with At this operating point, the parameters are calculated as follows :
respect to the source. The drain is given positive potential with respect to the s0urce.
In case of a P-channel JFET, the terminals of all the batteries are reversed. - -
1. r d Avns
-- I _____ kQ
AiD Vos=-3V
The important parameters of a JFET are defined below:
. d
1. D ram . .
.ynamzc resistance, rd = --·-I
Avos I
Afo f'c;s --ccnst.
-
2. gm= ::,D I
GS Vos=8V
_____ ms

6.. I
2. Mutual conductance, gm = __ '.Q___
LlvGs I _ _ 3 µ_Avnsj
---
Ii ns =c,.Jnst. . Avas Io =_mA
~
.:i. ,
4mp1·fi . ,.
v cat10n.1actor, lwos
µ=- - II

AvGS ff" ~const. Results

1. The drain characteristics ofthe JFET are plotted on the graph.
These parameters are related by the equation,
2. The parameters of JFET determined from the drain characteristics are given
µ = rdgm below.

Procedure Parameter Value determined

1. Note the type; number of JFET connected in the experimental board. See its ____ ill
1.
specifications from the data book. Identify its terminals. Trace the Circuit.
2. ____ ms
2. Make the circuit connections as shown in E. 6.1. l. Us~ milliamme~er and
electronic voltmeter in suitable rcmgc. 3. µ
3. First, fix VGs at some value, say 0 V Increase the drain voltage uDs slowly in
steps. Note drain current i0 for each step. Now, change Vr.;s 1.o anmher vaiue
and repeat the above. This way, take readings for 3 to 4 gate-voitage \alues.
 Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 217

However, the study of some fundamental aspects of transistor circuits may be help-
UNIT ful, because the knowledge gained during such a study can help us to understand
other difficult circuits too. In this chapter, some basic concepts dealing with the de
TRANSISTOR BIASING AND biasing of transistors are discussed.
STABILISATION OF OPERATING POINT
7.2> WHY BIAS A TQANSISTOlf?· · .
The purpose of de biasing of a transistor is to obtain a certain de collector current
"There is a young and impressionable mind out there that is at a certain de collector voltage. These values of current and voltage are expressed
hungry for information. It has latched on to an electronic tube as by the term operating point (or quiescent point). To obtain the operating point, we
make use of some circuits; and these circuits are called "biasing circuits". Of course,
its main source of nourishment."
while fixing the operating point, it has to be seen that it provides proper de conditions
Joan Ganz Cooney (1929-present} so that the specific function of the circuit is achieved. The suitability of an operat-
American Television Producer ing point for the specific application of the circuit should be seen on the transistor
characteristics. In this chapter, we shall discuss the suitability of the operating point
in amplifier circuits.

In order that the circuit amplifies the signal properly, a judicious selection of the
After completing this unit, students will be able to: operating point is very necessary. The biasing arrangement should be such as to
make the emitter-base junction forward biased and the collector-base junction re-
• draw different biasing arrangements in transistor circuits. verse biased. Under such biasing, the transistor is said to operate in the active region
"' explain with the help of simple equations as to how the operating of its characteristics. Various transistor ratings are to be kept in view while designing
point is obtained in different biasing circuits. the biasing circuit. These ratings-specified by the manufacturer-limit the range
" calculate the operating point current and voltage in different of useful operation of the transistor. Iccmax) is the maximum current that can flow
biasing circuits. through the device and VeE(max) is the maximum voltage that can be applied across it
11 explain the effect of change in temperature on the operating point safely. In no case should these current and voltage limits be crossed.
in different biasing circuits. If a transistor is to work as an amplifier, a load resistance Re must be connected
11 explain the effect of change in transistor parameters on the
in the collector circuit. Only then the output ac signal voltage can develop across it.
The de load line corresponding to this resistance Re and a given collector supply Vee
operating point in different biasing circuits.
is shown in Fig. 7 .1. The operating point will necessarily lie somewhere on this load
11 explain with the help of simple equations as to why the potential
line. Depending upon the base current, the operating point could be either at point A,
divider biasing circuit is the most widely used circuit. B, or C. Let us now consider which one of these is the most suitable operating point.
After the de (or static) conditions are established in the circuit, an ac signal volt-
age is applied to the input. Due to this voltage, the base current varies from instant
to instant. As a result of this, the collector current and the collector voltage also vary
7.1 INTRODUCTION with time. That is how an amplified ac signal is available at the output. The variations
in collector current and collector voltage corresponding to a given variation (which
Transistors are used in different kinds of circuits. These circuits are meant to serve
may be assumed sinusoidal) of base current can be seen on the output characteristics
a specific purpose. For example, a circuit may be used to increase the voltage or
power level of an electrical signal: such a circuit is called an amplifier. There is of the transistor.
another class of circuits which generates sine or square wave; such circuits are called
oscillator.1. It is very difficult to study all the circuits in which transistors are used.
 Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 219
218 Basic Eiectronics and Linear Circuits

Re
Saturation
region
0

Clipping

Fig. 7.1 Output characteristics of a transistor in common-emitter configuration.

Maximum current, voltage and power ratings are indicated
Fig. 7.3 Operating point near cut-off region gives clipping at the negative peaks
These variations are shown in Figs. 7 .2, 7 .3 and 7.4 for the operating point A, B
and C, respectively. In Fig. 7.2 point A is very near to the saturation region. Even
though the base current is varying sinusoidally, the output current (and also output
voltage) is seen to be clipped at the positive peaks. This results in distortion of the
t
signal. At the positive peaks, the base current varies, but collector current remains
constant at saturation value. Thus we see that point A is not a suitable operating point.

Fig. 7 .4 Operating point at the centre of active region is most suitable

In Fig. 7 .3, the point B is very near to the cut-off region. The output signal is now
clipped at the negative peaks. Hence, this too is not a suitable operating point.
It is clear from Fig. 7.4 that the output signal is not at all distorted if point C is
chosen as the operating point. A good amplifier amplifies signals without introducing
distortion, as much as possible. Thus, point C is the most suitable operating point.

Fig. 7.2 Operating point near saturation region gives clipping at the positive peaks
 Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 221
220 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

le = f3IB + IeEo (7.2)

Even for the operating point C, distonion can occur in the amplifier if the input and
signal is large. As shown 10 Fig. 7.5, the output current and output voltage is clipped the increase in ICBo will cause ICEo to increase, which in turn increases the collector
at both the positive and the negative peaks. Thus, the maximum signal that can be current le. This further raises the temperature of the collector-base junction, and the
handled by an amplifier is decided by the choice of the operating point. whole cycle repeats again. Such a cumulative increase in le will ultimately shift the
operating point into the saturation region. This situation may prove to be very dan-
gerous. The excess heat produced at the junction may even bum the transistor. Such
a situation is described by the term thermal runaway.
The sequence of events resulting in thermal runaway of the transistor can be
summarised as shown in Fig. 7 .6. Here an upward arrow indicates an increase in
the quantity written with it. Thus, the diagram means: ''As temperature T increases,
the leakage current Imo also increases; as ICBo increases, the leakage current in
common-emitter configuration ICEo also increases; as ICEo increases, ... and so on."

0
Temperature
continues to
increase

~-
0

Clipping ---L
____ -i-I

n; L ]/clipping
Fig. 7.6 Increase in Iceo with temperature leads to thermal runaway
21t
\~wt
Fig. 7.5 Distortion may result because of too large an input signal
The discussion in the above sections may be summarised by stating that the biasing
circuit should fulfill the following requirements:
7.4 NEED FOR BIAS STABILISATION
1. Establish the operating point in the centre of the active region of the
Only the fixing of a suitable operating point is not sufficient. It must also be ensured characteristics, so that on applying the input signal the instantaneous operating
that it remains where it was fixed. It is unfortunate that in the transistor circuits the point does not move either to the saturation region or to the cut-off region,
operating point shifts with the use of the circuit. Such a shift of operating point may even at the extreme values of the input signal.
drive the transistor into an undesirable region. The amplifier then becomes useless. 2. Stabilise the collector current against temperature variations.
There are two reasons for the operating point to shift. First, the transistor param- 3. Make the operating point independent of the transistor parameters so that it
eters are temperature dependent. Secondly, the parameters (such as fJ) change from does not shift when the transistor is replaced by another of the same type in
unit to unit. In spite of tremendous advancement in semiconductor technology, the the circuit.
transistor parameters vary between wide limits even among different units of the
same type. Thus, when a transistor is replaced by another of the same type, the oper-
ating point may shift.
Flow of current in the collector circuit produces heat at the collector junction. This
The simplest biasing circuit could be the one shown in Fig. 7. 7. The emitter-base
increases the temperature. More minority carriers are generated in base-collector
junction is forward biased by the battery VBB and the collector-base junction is re-
region (since more bonds are broken). The leakage current Imo increases. Since
verse biased by the battery Vee· The voltage VBE across the forward-biased junc-
1cEo = ( 1 + /Jl Imo (7.1)
 Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 223
222 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

tion is very low (for a germanium transistor, V8 E = 0.3 V; and for silicon transistor, The circuit in Fig. 7.8 uses two batteries, Vee and VBB· The positive terminals
of both the batteries are connected to the collector and base resistors. We can use
VBE = 0.7 V). This requires that the battery voltage V88 must also be of the same
order. The voltage Vee should be of a much larger value than the voltage V88 ; only a single battery instead of the two, as shown in +Vee
then is the collector-base junction reverse biased. Fig. 7.9. The value of RB is then suitably modi-
fied. From a practical point of view, it is always
preferable to have an electronic circuit that works
on a single battery. Given a fixed-bias circuit, can
we determine its operating point? We shall now
...•:::....Vee= 6 V develop a step-by-step procedure for doing this.
l'

V88 = 0.3 V for Ge

= 0.7 V for Si
r- Input Section: Let us first consider only the input
section of the circuit, as shown in Fig. 7.lOa. We
can apply Kirchhoff's voltage law (KVL) to this
base-emitter loop and get
Fig. 7.9 Fixed-bias circuit using
a single battery

Vee = IBRB + VBE

Fig. 7.7 Simplest biasing circuit
from which the base current is given as
Though the circuit of Fig. 7. 7 achieves forward biasing of the emitter base junc- _ Vee-VBE (7.3)
tion and reverse biasing of the collector-base junction, it is not a practical circuit. I B-
RB
It is extremely difficult to have a battery VBB of either 0.3 V or 0.7 V This circuit,
Since VBE is very small compared to Vee, not much error will be committed if it is
therefore, is never used.
neglected. The base current is then given by the simple expression,
A modified circuit of Fig. 7.7 is shown in Fig. 7.8a. This circuit is commonly
called a.fixed-bias circuit. IB ~Vee (7.4)
RB
7.6.1 Fixed-bias Circuit The supply voltage Vee being of fixed value-once the resistance RB is selected-the
In the circuit shown in Fig. 7.8a, the battery VBB need not be of low value. When base current /B is also fixed. Hence the name fixed-bias circuit.
current h flows through the series resistance RB, a major portion of the voltage is
dropped across it. The supply VBB can now be of 1.5 V Such a supply is easily avail-
able. It is interesting to note that the same circuit can also be drawn in a different way
as in Fig. 7.8b. +
+
Vee - -=-Vee

1 (a)
+

(b)
l
Fig. 7.10 (a) Input section of the fixed-bias circuit (b) Output section of the fixed-bias
circuit

(a) (b) Output Section : We now consider the output section of the circuit, as shown in
Fig. 7.lOb. The collector currentle that flows through the resistor Re is given as
Fig. 7.8 Fixed-bias circuit
fe = f3JB +/CEO (7.5)
 224 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 225

In this equation, /3Is is the portion of current transferred from the input side. The
Solution:
current ICEo is the leakage current in the CE configuration. Though the current ICEo
(a) The base current lB is given as Vcc=9V
is not as small as the leakage current in the CB configuration feso, yet it is very
small compared to the usual values of le. A very small error will be introduced if we
- CVee - VsE) rv Vee = 9
neglect the current ICEo in our calculations. Therefore, to a good approximation, the
ls - Rs - Rs 300 x 103 300 k.Q
collector current le is given as
5
le= /3Is (7.6) = 3 x 10- A = 30 µA
Applying KVL to the output section of Fig. 7.IOb, we get (b) The collector currentle is given as
Vee = feRe + VCE (7.7) le = /3ls = 50 x 30 x 10----0 A = 1.5 mA
One word of caution: It is clear from the above equation that the supply voltage Vee Let us check if this current is less than the
Fig. 7.11
provides the voltages across the resistor Re and also across the collector-emitter ter- collector saturation current.
minals. Obviously, the voltage drop IeRe can never be more than the supply voltage,
Vee, or le( ) =Vee= _9_
sat Re 2X103

(7.8) = 4.5 x 10-3 A = 4.5 mA

If the value of le turns out to be the greater than the maximum value given by Thus, the transistor is not in saturation.
Eq. (7.8), it is certainly wrong. It is so, because the operating point is lying in the (c) The collector-to-emitter voltage
3 3
saturation region of the characteristics. Here, the collector current le is limited due VCE = Vee-leRe = 9-1.5 x 10- x 2 x 10 = 6V
to saturation, and its value remains at its maximum (given by Eq. (7.8)) whatever the
value of base current ls is. Equation (7.6) then becomes invalid.
Having taken care of the above caution, we are to find VCE now, to determine the
operating point. Equation (7. 7) can be written as

(7.9)
Of course, when the transistor is in saturation, the voltage VeE is almost zero (actu- -Vcc=-lOV
ally a few tenths of a volt), and collector saturation current
_Vee
lqsat) - Re
To summarise: The operating point in the fixed-bias circuit can be calculated in
the following three steps:

1. Calculate base current ls using Eq. (7.4). In case VsE is known, use Eq. (7.3)
to obtain more accurate results.
2. Calculate collector current le from Eq. (7.6). Make sure that this value is not (a) (b)
greater than the one calculated from Eq. (7.8).
Fig. 7.12
3. Calculate collector-emitter voltage VCE using Eq. (7.9).

Solution:
Example ] . ~ Calculate the collector current. and the collector-to-emitter (a) The base current is
voltage fot the circuit given in Fig. 7 ..11. ~
l - Wee - VsE) rv Vee = 10 A = 100 µA
s- Rs - Rs 100xl03
 Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 227
226 Basic Electronics rmd Linear Circuits

-6V
( b) The collector current is Here, le= 1 mA; /3= 20; and ICBo = 2 µA
6
!c =0 ,Blp, 0~ 60 x l OG x 1ff 6 A = 6 niA _ 1x10-3 - (20 + 1) x 2 x 10- A
IB - 20
We shall now cht:ck if this current io less tharc the ;:ollector satGa1ion currem
=47.9 µA
Writing loop equation for the input section, we get
Therefore, the trc.ns1stor 1:; not ~n snt'Jratj::n. 6 =IBRB + VBE
(c) The voltage between the colkc•or and emitter ~em1inals is Since it is stated that the transistor used in the circuit
Vn: = Vee - icRc = ! 0 - 6 x 10·3 x \ 03 = 41/ is a germanium transistor, VBE can be assumed to be Fig. 7.13
0.3 V. Thus, from the above equation, we have
Figure 7. l 2b shows the value a::d the direction r::f base current 113 , coUector
current fc and collector-emitter voltage VCE· R = 6-0.3 = 5.7 Q = 118.998 kQ
B IB 47.9x10- 6
Example 7,3 In the circuit shown in Fig. 7.12a, the transistor is replaced by It is worthwhile to see how much error is committed if we neglect ICBo and
another unit of AC125. This new transistor has f3 = 150 instead of 60. Determine VBE from the above calculations. Since,
the quiescent operating point. le= f31B
- le _ lxl0-3 A= 50 A
IB - - - µ
Solution: /3 20
(a) The base current remains the same, i.e., 100 µA. The input loop equation now becomes
(b) The collector current is 6=1BRB
6
le= f31B = 150 X 100 X 10- A= 15 mA Therefore, the resistance RB is given as
The collector saturation current was 10 mA in the last example. Here also, this R =
6 Q=120kQ
current remains the same. But the calculated current le is seen to be greater B 50X10- 6
than le(sat)· Hence, the transistor is now in saturation. In this case, the operating
120-118.998 - 0
point is specified as The percentage error= x 100 - 0.842 Yo
118.998
le = le(sat) = 10 mA
VeE = OV Comment: This error is too small to bother about. Moreover the resistors
available in the market ordinarily have a tolerance of ±10 %. It is, therefore,
not very incorrect to neglect VBE and ICBo while making calculations.
Example 7.4 In the biasing circuit shown in Fig. 7.13, a supply of 6 V and
(b) Here, due to rise in temperature, the transistor parameters have changed to
a load resistance of 1 kQ is used. (a) Find the value of resistance RB so that a f3 = 25 and leBo = 10 µA. The collector current is now given as
germanium transistor with /3 = 20 and I CBO = 2 µA draw an le of 1 mA. (b) What
le is drawn ifthe transistor parameters change to f3 = 25 and ICBo = 10 µA due to le = f31B + (/3 + l)leBO
rise in temperature ? = 25 x 47.9 x 10--6 + (25 + 1) x 10 x 10--6 A
= 1.46mA
Solution: Comment: It may be noted that the collector current has increased by almost
(a) We know that 50 % due to rise in temperature.

Why fixed-bias drcuit is seldom used The fixed-bias circuit in Fig. 7 .9 is a

or ' -·- -ie-(/3+l)ICBo
__:r; ---·------- simple circuit. It uses very few components (only two res~stors an~ one b~ttery). It
[3 is very easy to fix the quiescent operating point anywhere m the active region of the
 228 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 229

characteristics by simply changing the value of resistor Rs. It provides maximum Substituting Eq. (7 .12) in Eq. (7 .11 ), we get
flexibility in the design. In spite of all this, it is seldom used in practice.
This circuit meets the first requirement stated in Section 7.5 very well. However, it [, - VCE-VSE (7.13)
B- Rc+RiJ
miserably fails to meet the second and third requirements. With the rise in tempera-
ture, a cumulative action takes place and the collector current goes on increasing. Let us now see what happens when the temperature rises.
The circuit provides no check on the increase in collector current. The operating Suppose the temperature increases causing the leakage current (and also /3) to
point is not stable. This situation can be shown as in Fig. 7.14.
increase. This increases the collector current (since le= /3ls + lCEo). As the collec-
Leads to thermal tor current increases, the voltage VCE decreases (since VCE = Vee - leRc). As can
be seen from Eq. (7.13), the reduced VCE causes decrease in base current ls. The
lowered base current in turn reduces the original increase in collector current. Thus, a
mechanism exists in the circuit because of which the collector current is not allowed
to increase rapidly. There is a tendency in the circuit to stabilise the operating point.

Fig. 7.14 Fixed-bias circuit leads to thermal runaway of the transistor

As regard the third requirement-i.e., the Q point should not shift on replacing
Rising tendency
is checked
J
the transistor with another of same type-the circuit utterly fails. Since, le= /3ls,
Fig. 7.16 Collector-to-base bias circuit checks the rising tendency of collector current
and the base current Is is already fixed, the current le is solely dependent on /3. When
the transistor is replaced by another with different value of /3, the operating point
Note that the resistor Rs connects the collector (the output) with the base (the
will shift. The stabilisation of the operating point is very poor. Therefore, the biasing
circuit needs some modification. input). This means that a feedback exists in the circuit. The ba~e current is dep~ndent
on the collector voltage. And this dependence is such as to nulhfy the changes m base
current. That is why this circuit is also called a voltage feedback bias circuit.
7.6.2 Collector-to-Base Bias Circuit
Suppose the transistor in this circuit is replaced by another having different value
Figure 7.15 shows a modified biasing circuit. Here, of f3. The shift in the operating point will not be as much as it occurs in case of fixed-
the base resistor Rs is connected to the collector bias circuit. This can be seen as follows.
instead of connecting it to the battery Vee· Writing For determining the operating point, we substitute /3ls for le in Eq. (7 .10) to get
the loop equation for the input circuit, we get
Vee = Ref31B + (Re+ Rs)ls + VsE
Vee = Re(/e +Is) + lsRs + VsE
or Vee= VsE +[Rs+ (/3 + l)Rc]ls
or Vee = Rele + (Re + Rs)/s + VsE (7.10)
\
/, _ Vee-VsE ,...., Vee (7.14)
or
or 1 _ Wee - IcRc)-VsE (7.11) s - Rs + (/3 + l)Rc - Rs + f3Rc
s- Rc+Rs
Since le = f3ls, we can determine the collector current. To determine the collector
From the output section of the circuit, we have
voltage, we write the loop equation for the output section of the circuit (Fig. 7 .15).
VCE = Vee - Uc+ Is)Rc
Vee - (ls + lc)Re - VCE = 0
or VCE ~ Vee - leRc (since lB «le) (7.12) Fig. 7.15 Collector-to-base
bias circuit
 Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 231
230 Basic Elecrronics am! Uneur Circuits

or (7. i5) (a) Let us first take the minimum value of /3, so that /3 = 50;
3
Vee =20V;R8 =200kQ=200x 10 Q
Why collector-to-base bias drcuit is seldom used This circuit h:h a tendency 3
Re=2kQ=2x10 Q
to stabilise the operating point agairi:;1. te;YJpcrature an<l f3 variations. But the circuit
is not used very much. The resistor Hr, not only nrovides a de feedhm~k for the Therefore,
20
stabilisation of operating point_ but it also causes an ac feedback. This reduces '.he lB =---------o-
3 3
200x10 +50x2x10
voltage gain of the amplifier. lt :s nr' de'.iitable. /fter ;;il, tht~ biasing of1 tnrnsisicr
= 66.6 x 10--6 A
was needed so that it Ceiuld amplify thC> s:
the circuit is not very cornn~on\,- used. The collector current is given as
le = f31B = 50 X 66.6 X 10--6
= 3.33 x 10-3 A= 3.33 mA
~::x;:~1nph:: 7.5 How much is the emitter current in the circuit in Fig. 7. j '/?Also Fig. 7.18
rn!culate Vc· (b) Now we take the maximum value of /3, i.e., /3, = 200,
so that,
Solution: ;:rom Eq. (7. i4), the base current is given as lB =
20
= 33.33 X 10--6 A
_ Vee
11 () \' 3
200x10 +200x2x10
3

/B · - - - - -
[(B + f3f?c 11 '.(JU p
le = f31B = 200 X 33.33
3
X 10--6 A

Here, Vee= 10 V; R 8 = 500 x 10 3 rl; 500 k~). d = 6.66 x 10- A= 6.66 mA

,--r---1_ l
Re= 500 Q; {3= 100. I '-----' 1' Comment: It may be noted that in this circuit when f3 increases four times, the
Therefore,
10
L ~) j)= 100
base current is halved and the collector current becomes double. However, in
a fixed-bias circuit, if f3 had increased four times, the collector current would
lg=------- I
3
500x10 +100 x 500 have also increased four times.
I
= 18 x 10-6 A= 18 µA ~~
7 .6.3 Bias Circuit with Emitter Resistor
The emitter current is then given as Fig.7.17
We can modify the fixed-bias circuit of Fig. 7.9 by connect- +Vee
!E ~le= /31s = l 00 x 18 x 10 6 = 1.8 x 10-3 A= LS mA ing a resistor to the emitter terminal. The modified circuit is
shown in Fig. 7.19. In this circuit we have three resistors Re,
The collector voltage R8 and RE and a battery Vee· RB

Ve= VCE = Vec--feRc = 10-1.8

3
x 10- x 500 = 9.1 V We shall now see what happens to the Q point when the
temperature increases. For this, we write the loop equation for
Comment: Since the collector voltage Ve(= VcE) is only slightly less than Ve<> the the input section of the circuit,
quiescent operating point is near the cut-off region.
(7.16)

Example 7.6 Calculate the minimum and maximum collector current in or

Fig. 7 .18, if the f3 of the transistor varies within the limits indicated. i~
or (since VBEisverysmall) (7.17)
Fig.7.19 Bias circuit
Solution: From Eq. (7.14), the base current is given as with emitter
As the temperature tends to increase, the sequence of resistor
events occuring is shown in Fig. 7.20.
 232 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 233

The resistor RE is present in the output side as well as in the input side of the
circuit. A feedback occurs through this resistor. The feedback voltage is proportional
to the emitter current. Hence, this circuit is also called current feedback biasing
circuit. While the de feedback helps in the stabilisation of the Q point, the ac feedback
reduces the voltage gain of the amplifier; again, an undesirable feature. Of course,
this drawback can be remedied by putting a capacitor CE across the resistor RE> as
Risingtendency / - - - - shown in Fig. 7.22. The capacitor CE offers very low impedance to the ac current. The
is checked emitter is effectively placed at ground potential for the ac signal. The circuit provides
Fig. 7.20 de feedback for the stabilisation of the Q point, but does not give any ac feedback.
The process of amplification of the ac signal remains unaffected.
Because of the temperature rise, the leakage current increases. This increases the
collector current as well as the emitter current. As a result, the voltage drop across
Why this drcuit is not used The circuit in Fig. 7.19 does provide some stabi-
lisation of the Q point. But as you can see from Eq. (7.19), the denominator can be
resistor RE also increases. This reduces the numerator of Eq. (7 .17) and hence the
current ls also decreases. This results in reduction of the collector current. Thus we independent of f3 only if
see that the collector current is not allowed to increase to the extent it would have RB
RE~p
been in the absence of the resistor RE.
In case the transistor is replaced by another of the same type (which may have This means we should either have a very high value of RE or a very low value of Rs. A
different value of {J), then also this circuit provides stabilisation of the Q point, as is high value of RE will cause a large de drop across it. To obtain a particular operating
shown in Fig. 7.21. point under this condition, it will require a high de source Vee· On the other hand if
Rs is low, a separate low voltage supply has to be used in the base circuit. Both the
alternatives are quite impractical. We should, therefore, look for some better circuit.

Solution: From Eq. (7.18), the base current is given as

I - Vee
s - Rs+(f3+1)RE
Fig. 7.21
Here, Vee= 10 V; Rs = 1 MQ = 1 x 106 Q
Having seen that the operating point is stable in this circuit, let us determine the Q lMQ
RE = 1 kQ = 1 X 103 Q; f3 = 100
point. To do this, let us rewrite Eq. (7.16) as
Vee =ls Rs + VsE + (/3 + 1) ls RE (since IE= (/3 + l)ls)
Thereiore,
~ J
s-- 10
--..,.--------=-
6 3
1x10 +(100+1) x 1x10
or (7.18) = 9.09 x 10-6 A= 9.09 µA
Now, the collector current
We can calculate the collector current easily, since
le = f3Is = 100 x 9.09 x 10-6
le = f3Is = . /3Vee = Vee (7.19) 3
= 0.909 x 10- A
Rs+f3RE Rp,+(~l/3) Fig. 7.22
=0.909mA
To find VeE> we write the loop equation for the output section,
Vee = IeRe + VeE +JERE
VCE = Vee - (Re+ RE)Ie (since le~ IE) (7.20)
Operating point is thus determined by Eqs. (7.19) and (7.20).
234 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Trunsistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 235

The emitter current The collector-to-emitter voltage is

IE= le + IB ~le = 0.909 mA VCE = Vee- (Re+ RE) IE= 6-(50 + 100) 38.2 x 10-
3

= 6 - 5.7 = 0.3 v
Comment: (i) Note that when ,8 becomes four times, the emitter current
becomes almost double. Had it been a fixed-bias circuit, the
emitter current would have increased four times. Thus, the
circuit does provide some stability of the Q point.
(ii) When f3 changes from 50 to 200, the Q point shifts from the ac-
tive region to very near the saturation. With /3 = 50, VCE= 3.1 V
Solution: Since a germanium transistor is used
(almost half of Vee). But, with f3 = 200, VCE = 0.3 V (nearing
in the circuit, VBE = 0.3 V. The base current is giv-
zero volts).
en by Eq. (7.18) as
r _ Vee-VBE
lOkQ son
1B-
RB + (/3 + l)RE Example 7.9 If the collector resi~i~c~ ~,in Fig. 7.l3 is ch~g~d t~ lkn,
,-' , ; . . ·:,.', >·.·· .. ·' '~.;{.;,,~· ~,:: ;,';.,• (.;·.: '
Multiplying both sides of the above equation by
50 ~ /3~ 200
determine~the new Q points for the mll:1imriin ~d niax~mum values of ,8.
>

J
(/3+ I), we get .
Solution: Since the value of the emitter current does not depend upon the value
(/3 + 1)/B = CVee - VJ3E)(/3 + I) of Re (see Eq. (7.21)), the emitter current IE remains the same as calculated in the
RB+ (/3 + l)RE previous example. That is
Since IE = (/3 + I )/B, the emitter current is given as (a) For /3= 50, IE= 19.25 mA
Fig. 7.23
(b) For /3 = 200, h = 38.2 mA
IE= CVee -VBE)(,8 +I)
(7.21)
RB + (,8 + l)RE (a) The collector-to-emitter voltage is given by
3
VCE = Vee-(Re + RE)JE = 6-(1000 + 100) x 19.25 x 10-
(a) ~et us firs! take the minim~ value of f3, so that f3 = 50; Vee = 6 v. RB = IO kQ
- IO x IO O.; RE = IOO 0.. Therefore, = 6-21.17 =-15.17V
The above result is absurd! Sum of the voltage drops across Re and RE
IE = (6 - 0.3)(50+1) 5.7 x 51
cannot be greater than the supply voltage Vee· Is our calculation wrong?
10 x I03 + (50+I)x100 15100 Certainly not. We face such difficulties when the transistor is in saturation.
= 19.25xI0-3 A=19.25 mA The maximum possible current that can be supplied by the battery Vee to the
ou~ut section is
The collector-to-emitter voltage is given by I. _ Vee 6
VCE = Vee - (Re+ RE)JE (since le~ IE)
e(sat) - Re+ RE I000 + 100

= 6-(50 + 100) x 19.25 x 10-3 = 3.1 v = 5.45 x 10-3 A= 5.45 mA

(b) Let us now consider the maximum value of ,8, i.e., ,8 = 200. The emitter current Under saturation, the collector-to-emitter voltage is
becomes ·
VeE(sat) = 0 V
IE = (6 - 0.3)(200 + l) 5.7 x 201
(b) We have seen that the transistor is in saturation when its ,8 = 50. In case
10x103 +(200+1) x IOO (10 + 20) x I03 f3 = 200, there is all the more reason for the transistor to be in saturation. So,
= 38.2 x 10-3 A= 38.2 mA the Q point will be the same as calculated earlier, i.e.,
lqsat) = 5.45 mA, Ve (sat) = 0 V
 236 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 237

Example 7~10. Calculateth~\value of Rs in the bia~ing circuit ofFig. 7.24 so Approximate analysis To determine the operating point, we first consider the
input of the circuit, redrawn in Fig. 7.26.
that the Q pomt IS fixed at /e ~ gmA and VeE = 3 V.
We make a basic assumption: The base current /B is very small compared to the
currents in R 1 and R 2. That is,
Solution: The current IB is given as
11 c::: Ji» IB
IB= le The above assumption is valid because, in practice, the resistance seen looking into
/3 the base (Rm) is much larger than R2 • We can apply the voltage divider theorem to find
Here, le= 8 mA = 8 x 10-3 A and f3= 80. the voltage across the resistor R 2 (same as base voltage VB)

8 x10-3 VB= V2 = ~ x Vee (7.22)

Therefore, /B = = I x 10-4 A = I 00 µA R1+R2
80
From Eq. (7.18), we have The voltage across the emitter resistor RE equals the voltage across R2 minus the
base-to-emitter voltage VBE· That is,
IBRB + (/3+ 1)/BRE =Vee- VBE '.::'.::'.Vee
VE= V2-VBE
or RB = Vee-(/3+1)/BRE
The current in the emitter is then calculated as
/B
Here, Vee= 9 V; /3 = 80; /B = 1 x I 0-4 A, RE= 500 Q IE = VE = V2 - VBE (7.23)
Fig. 7.24
RE RE
Therefore, R = 9 - (80 + I) x I x 10- 4 x 500 4.95 The voltage at the collector (measured with respect to ground) Ve equals the sup-
B. 4 = Q
I x 10- I x 10-4 ply voltage Vee minus the voltage drop across Re,
=49.SkQ
Ve= Vee - IeRe
7.6.4 Voltage Divider Biasing Circuit The collector-to-emitter voltage is then given as
VeE = Ve - VE= CVee - IeRc) - /ERE
~his ~s t~e most widely used biasing circuit and is shown in Fig. 7.25 Com th'
Circmt with the one shown . F' 7 19 H .. . pare Is or (7.24)
m ig. · . ere, an additional resistor R2 is connected
between base and ~round. The name "voltage divider" comes from the voltage divider since le and /E are approximately equal.
formed b~ the re.sistors R 1 and R2. By suitably selecting this voltage divider network Note that in the above analysis, nowhere does f3 appear in any equation. It means
!he opera~In~ po~~ of the transistor can be made almost independent ofbeta (/J). Thi~ that the operating point does not depend upon the value of /3 of the transistor. This is
ts why this circmt IS also called "biasing circuit independent of beta". why the voltage divider circuit is most widely used. In the mass production of transis-
tors, one of the main problems is the wide variation in {3. It varies from transistor to
transistor of the same type. For example, the transistor AC127 has a minimum f3 of50
and maximum f3of150 for an le of 10 mA and a temperarure of 25 °C. If this biasing
circuit is used, no problem is faced on replacement of the transistor in the circuit. The
operating point remains where it was fixed in the original design.

:::
+
Vee-=-

Fig. 7.25 Voltage divider

biasing circuit
1
Fig. 7.26 Input section of the voltage divider
biasing circuit
Solution: From Eq. (7.22), the base voltage is

VB= V2=--2-x
R
Ri.+R2
Vee
 238
Basic Eiectronics and Linear Cir,:uits
Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 239
3
Here, R2 = 5 k.!.2 = 5 x l 0 Q; R, = 40 kfl = 40 x 10' Q; Vee= 12 y
The collector-to-emitter voltage is then calculated using Eq. (7.24),
3
5x10
Therefore, V2 == - - - - - - x 12 = I 3 v VeE = Vee - (Re+ RE)le
(40 + 5) x l 03 .
= 15 -(20 + 50) x 0.1=8 v
The emitter voltage

VE= V2 - VRE = 1.3 - 0.3 = l.0 V Accurate analysis You may be wondering why the operating point does not
Therefore, the emitter current change when the transistor is replaced by another, in the circuit of Fig. 7.25. Is it
really so? To verify this, let us try to analyse the circuit more accurately. For such an
_ VE l.0 ,
I ;:: - - -,. ----- 0~ I 0 x 10--' L\ analysis, Thevenin's theorem is of great help. A brief review of this theorem for de
- RE l x 10 3 . ' circuit is given below.
= !.OmA Thevenin's theorem Suppose we have a complicated network containing resis-
The collector current, tors and voltage sources (see Fig. 7.29a). A and B are two terminals in this net-
work. Thevenin's theorem simply states that this circuit acts as if a voltage Vrn in
le ~fr.:= LO mA
series with a resistor Rm is connected between this pair of terminals, as shown in
The collector voltage Fig. 7.27 Fig. 7.29b. Now, when we connect the resistor RL across the terminals A and B, only
Ve = Vee -leRc one loop is seen. It becomes very easy to calculate the current in this resistor. The
power ofThevenin's theorem lies in converting the complicated network into a single
= r2 - I x w-3 x s x i0 3 = 1 v loop circuit.
Finally, the collector-to-emitter voltaae
"' ,;,.,gr,fk,.{ . . ·
:Gomplita:ted
network i---:-;---o A
·coniiiinink
resistors and
Example
. .,
7.12
.
T: t
o se up 100 mA of emitter current in the power amplifier voltage soilr~es ~--,,-~--1----c B

circui. of ~tg. 7.28, calculaie the value of the resistor RE. Also calculate v
The de resistance of the primary of the output transform~r is ')() Q C · ~E· (a) (b)
R1=200Q;Rz=100Q;Re=20QandVcc=I5V . ~ . Jtvent at
A
~ ·.'~
Solution: : .;_,L V. Rm one ·
TH loop
? Vee
le~ IE= 100 mA = 0.1 A
.----~NI ; N2
From Eq. (7.22), the base voltage is

- R2
v;B ----x
R1+R2
Vee
.
l()JR, Fig. 7.29
(c)

Thevenin's theorem
100
=----x 15=5V Thevenin's equivalent voltage source Vrn is the open circuit voltage across termi-
200+100
nals AB. Thevenin's resistor Rrn is the resistance from A to B when all the sources
Neglecting VB£, VE = VB = 5 y in the network are reduced to zero. After Thevenising the circuit at AB terminals
From Eq. (7.23), the emitter resistance (Thevenising means "finding the Thevenin's equivalent of") we may connect any
is given by resistor across AB and calculate the current flowing in it (see Fig. 7.29c).
The voltage-divider biasing circuit is drawn in Fig. 7.30a. Let us Thevenise the
R E -_VE 5
- - = -- = 50 ,Q circuit on the left of the terminals AB. The result is shown in Fig. 7.30b. Here, Vrn is
IE 0.1 Fig. 7.28
the Thevenin's voltage given as
 Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 241
240 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

Once the base current is fixed, the collector current can be calculated as
(7.25)
le= f3IB
The collector-to-base emitter voltage is then found by the familiar equation,
? i'l(
VCE = Vee - CRe + RE)Ie
-L-i
It will be worthwhile to see to what extent the approximate analysis is valid. This
is done in the next example.

Example 7.13 Make us.e?f TJ-ieve~i1l's th.~oi:em lo find acpur,ateva\ties of

coilectot; i;urrent and collector~to~ern_itter voltage JnJ:lig .. 7,_27 (of E~ampl~ 7. l. l }-J

Solution: The Thevenin voltage of the voltage-divider circuit is (see Eq. 7.25)
B
R2
Vrn=--XVee
(aj ~)
R1+R2
3
Here, R =40 kQ = 40 x 103 Q; R 2 = 5 kQ = 5 x 10 Q; Vee= 12 V. Therefore,
Fig 7.30 Voltage divider biasing circuit 1
5 x103
Vrn = 3
x 12 = 1.3 V
The resistor Rrn is found by reducing the battery Vee to zero and calculating the (40+ 5) xlO
equivalent resistance between terminals A and B. When Vee is shorted, the two resis-
tors R 1 and R2 are in parallel as shown in Fig. 7 .31. The Thevenin resistance, from Eq. (7 .26) is
Thus, 3 03
R = R1R2 = 40 xlO x5 xl = 4 .44x 103 Q= 4.44 kQ
3
(7.26) TH Ri_ + R2 ( 40 + 5) X 10

Figure 7.32 gives the Thevenin's de equivalent of

the circuitofFig. 7.27. We cannowuseEq. (7.27)
~---<>----<A
to determine base current,
T - VTH-VBE
Source LB -
shorted
Rrn+f3RE
3
Here, VBE = 0.3 V; {3= 60, RE= 1kQ=1X10 Q
~--+----oB

1.3 - 0.3
There tiore, I B = ---------3
"-----+----c B 4.44 x 103 + 60 x 1 x 10
Fig. 7.31 Rm in Thevenin's equivalent = 15.52 x 10-6 A Fig. 7.32

We shall now analyse the circuit of Fig. 7 .30b for calculation of the operating The collector current is then
point. The loop equation for the input section can be written as le = f3IB = 60 X 15.52 X 10-6
= 0.93 x 10-3 A= 0.93 mA
Vrn = lsRrn + VnE + REh
The collector-to-emitter voltage is
or Vrn = lsRrn + VsE + (/3 + 1)/8 RE (since IE= (/3 + 1)/8 )
VeE = Vee - (Re+ RE)lc
or ls[Rrn + (/3+ l)RE] = Vrn -- VsE 3
= 12 - (5 x 103 + 1 x 103) x 0.93 x 10- = 12 - 5.58 = 6.42 v
242 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 243

Comment: The values oflc and Vcb obtained above, may be compared wifr1 those The above equation shows that the emitter is virtually at ground potential. All the VEE
obtained in Example 7. I l. Note that the error committed is within 7 '% or;Jy Tm.ls. supply voltage appears across RE. If the emitter is at ground point, the collector-to-
we find that the approximations made are quite reasonable. emitter voltage VCE is simply given as
VCE = Vee - IeRe (7.30)
7.6.5 Emitter-Bias Circuit
Figure 7.33a shows an emitter bias circuit. The circuit gets this name because the
negative supply VEE is used to forward bias the emitter junction through resistor RE.
Example 7.14 'Calculate le and VCE for the emitter-bias circuit ofFi.g. 7.33,
As usual, the Vee supply reverse biases the collector junction. This circuit uses only where Vee=! 2 V; VEE= 15 v, Re= 5 kn., RE= 10 kn., RB= 10 kn., /3=100; .A
three resistors and it provides almost as much stability of operating point as a voltage
divider circuit does. However, the emitter biasing can be used only when two supplies Solution: From Eq. (7.29), the emitter current is
--one positive and the other negative~are available. Figure 7.33b shows a simple
way to draw this circuit using split supply. IE = VEE = 15 = 1.5 x 10-3 A = 1.5 mA
RE 10X103
The collector current is
fe~IE=L5mA

Using Eq. (7.30), the collector-to-emitter voltage VCE is

VCE = Vee-feRe = 12-1.5 x 10-3 x 5 x 103
= 12-7.5 = 4.5V

7. 7 P,NP. TRANSISTOR:.:BIASING QIRCUITS· ·

You may be wondering why we have been using only
NPN transistors? How will a biasing circuit change if
Fig. 7.33 Emitter-bias circuit a PNP transistor is used in place of an NPN transistor?
To forward bias the emitter diode of a PNP transistor,
To determine the operating point, we apply Kirchhoff's voltage law to the emitter- VBE must have the polarity as shown in Fig. 7.34. The
base loop. collector junction is to be reverse.biased and the polarity
IBRB + VsE +JERE - VEE= 0 of VeE is also to be reversed, as shown.
In fact, the PNP transistor is the complement ofNPN
Since le '.::::'hand Is= hi /3, we can rearrange the above equation to get
transistor. Here, the word complement signifies that all
- VEE-VSE
I E- voltages and currents are opposite to those of the NPN Fig. 7 .34 Notations for a
(7.28)
RE+ Rsl/3 transistor. Therefore, to find the complementary PNP PNP transistor
circuit of a given NPN circuit, all you have to do is :
Ifwe want the operating point to be independent of [3, we should have
1. to replace the NPN transistor by a PNP transistor, and
Rs
RE» f3 2. to complement or reverse all voltages and currents.
Note that if you use magnitudes of voltages and currents, all formulae derived for
This condition can easily be met in practice. Since the supply VEE is much greater
NPN circuits apply to PNP circuits as well. For instance, in Example 7.2, use is made
than VsE, we may approximate Eq. (7.28) to give
of the same formulae as in Example 7.1. After calculating the magnitudes of le and
VeB> the direction of le and the polarity of VCE are properly marked in Fig. 7.12b,
(7.29)
remembering that it is a PNP transistor.
 Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 245
244 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

2. The gate-to-channel depletion region decreases. The channel becomes wider,

7 .8 BIASING THE FET and hence In increases.
Figure 7 .36 shows the transfer characteristics of a JFET for different temperatures
The problem of biasing an FET is not as serious as biasing a B.TT. Unlike a Brr, (T > T2 > T3). There exists a value Vos for which In does not change with tempera-
where the emitter-base junction is always forward biased, we need reverse bias at the 1
ture. Hence, it is possible to bias a JFET for zero drain-current drift.
gate-source junction. This fact makes biasing of FET s nmch simpler.
Also, achieving bias stabilisation in case of FETs is much simpler than in BJTs.

7 .8.1 Biasing JFET

A simple self-bias circuit (Fig. 7.35) can be used to
provide reverse bias at the gate-source junction of
a JFET. The design of the self-bias circuit is quite
simple. For a specified value of drain current In, the
corresponding gate-to-source voltage Vc;s can be
determined* from the transfer characteristics of the
JFET. For this Vas, the required value of source resis-
~G
tor Rs is to be calculated.
Since the gate-to-channel PN-junction is made Fig. 7 .36 Transfer characteristics of an N-channel ]FET for different temperatures
reverse biased, the gate current is almost zero, i.e.,
lo = 0. It has two effects. First, there is no voltage
drop across resistor R 0 . Hence the gate terminal and 7.8.3 Biasing DE MOSFET
the point 0 (grounded) are at same potential. Thus, A DE MOSFET is capable of working in both modes-depletion as well as enhance-
the biasing voltage Vos is same as voltage Vos (or ment. Therefore, the normal operating region for the DE MOSFET is around Vas= 0.
same as voltage -V50). Secondly, since I 0 = 0, source Fig. 7.35 Self-bias circuit for This makes biasing a DE MOSFET very simple. We have to just connect the gate to
current Is is same as drain current In. Therefore, the an N-channel ]FET the source. But as shown in Fig. 7.37, instead of directly connecting the gate to the
bias voltage is given as source (which is grounded), we do it through a high-value resistor R 0 . This helps in
Vos= Vos =-Vso =-IsRs =-InRs (7.31)
keeping the input resistance of the amplifier quite high.
Using above equation, the required value of Rs can easily be calculated.
There is no voltage drop across gate resistor R0 . This resistor is used just to pro-
vide an electrical connection between the gate tenninal and ground. For this reason
resisto~ Ra could have any value-low or high. However, we keep resistor Ra of
very high value (say 10 MO). The reason is simple. When the circuit is used in an
amplifier, the signal-voltage source at input faces very high input resistance of the
amplifier-a very desirable feature.
G

7 .8.2 Bias Stabilisation for JFET s

The drain current is affected by rise in temperature in two ways :
1. The lattice ions vibrate more vigorously. Hence, the current carriers cannot
move as freely in the channel. Their mobility decreases. Hence, the drain
current In decreases. Fig. 7.38 Voltage divider biasing an
Fig. 7.37 Biascircuitforcircuit
for a DE MOSFET N-channel EN MOSFET
*It is also possible to calculate VGs for a given ID by using Schockley's equation
2

JD=JDSS ( 1-v;
VGs )
 Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 247

I
246 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

7.8.4 Biasing EN MOSFET 16. Explain why operating point is fixed in the middle of the active region of

Consider an N-channel EN MOSFET. Unlike a DE MOSFET, It can work only

in enhancement mode. Therefore its normal operating region requires VGs to be
I! 17.
transistor characteristics in a good voltage amplifier.
Explain why the operating point is not selected near the saturation region of
the transistor characteristics in a voltage amplifier.
positive. This cannot be achieved by the self-bias circuit of Fig. 7.35. Instead, we use IT State the factors to be considered while designing a biasing circuit for a good
18.
potential divider circuit to get the desired value of positive voltage VGs, as shown in
Fig. 7.38. The resistor Rs is included to provide de feedback for bias stabilisation. i transistor voltage amplifier.
Explain, how the circuits given in Fig. R.7.3 to R.7.6 respond to temperature
I
fl
19.
and beta variations.
Review Questions ill:' "'7·="~"'··="·"·=~····,~·=·~--~·~·'""~ if 20. Derive the expressions for Q point in the circuit given in Fig. R.7.6, using
l

1. Explain the term "biasing". iti Thevenin's theorem.

2. Explain why a transistor should be biased. ~

3. Connect two external batteries between the two junctions of a transistor in its
three configurations so that it works in the active region.
4. In case of the CE configuration, what are the approximate voltages of the de
batteries connected between base-emitter and collector-emitter terminals?
5. Explain why the battery connected between the emitter and base terminals
I
requires a high resistance in series with it.
6. Draw transistor-biasing circuits using a 9-V battery and two resistors ( 1 kQ and
150 kQ) in two different ways. Point out the circuit in which bias stabilisation
exists.
7. Draw a simple circuit in which only one battery is used and biasing is achieved
by fixing the base current.
I Fig. R.7.1 Fig. R.7.2 Fig. R.7.3

8. In the circuit given in Fig. R.7.1, derive the expression for le and VCE. (-) Vee (-) Vee
9. Draw a biasing circuit using the following components:
(i) two resistors of 1 kQ each;
(ii) one resistor of 100 kQ
(iii) one de source of 6 V, and
(iv) one PNP transistor (say AC126)
10. Draw a potential-divider biasing circuit making use of a 9-V battery. Mark the
direction of current flowing through each resistor of the circuit.
11. For the circuit given in Fig. R. 7 .2, derive the following expression:
_ Vcc-VBE
I E-
RB/(/3+1) +RE
12. Prove mathematically that the operating point in a potential-divider biasing Fig. R.7.4 Fig. R.7.5 Fig. R.7.6
circuit is independent of f3. Make relevant assumptions.
13. Explain why the fixed-bias circuit, in spite of its simplicity, is not much used
• Objective-Type Questions •
in amplifiers.
14. Explain how stabilisation of operating point is achieved when one end of the I. Below are some incomplete statements. Four alternatives are provided for each.
base resistor RB is connected to the collector terminal instead of the de supply. Choose the alternative that completes the statement correctly.
15. Explain the function of the emitter resistor RE in the potential-divider biasing
1. The emitter resistor RE bypassed by a capacitor
circuit.
(a) reduces the voltage gain
(b) increases the voltage gain
248 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 249

(c) causes thermal runaway 5. The de collector current in a transistor circuit is limited by the junction
(d) stabilises the Q point capacitance.
2. The Q point in a voltage amplifier is selected in the middle of the active region 6. Negative de feedback through RE is responsible for the stabilisation of the
because operating point in a potential-divider bias circuit.
(a) it gives a distortionless output
III. Amplifier circuits shown in Fig. 0. 7 .1 may be either incomplete or wrongly
(b) the operating point then becomes very stable
drawn or both. If so, detect the same and redraw them correctly.
(c) the circuit then requires less number of resistors
(d) it then requires a small de voltage +Vee
3. The operating point of an NPN transistor amplifier should not be selected in
the saturation region as
(a) it may drive the transistor to thermal runaway
(b) it may cause output to be clipped in the negative halfofthe input signal
R1
l
1
Rz
(c) it may cause output to be clipped in the positive half of the input signal
(d) it may require high de collector supply
::;
o--1
~Vee
4. The potential-divider method of biasing is used in amplifiers to :u
"
-~
Ji{c
(a) limit the input ac signal going to the base t
';

(b) make the operating point almost independent of /3 RI Re

(c) reduce the de base current
if.
(d) reduce the cost of the circuit ¥i -
5. A transistor is operating in the active region. Under this condition
(a) (b) (c)
(a) both the junctions are forward biased
(b) both the junctions are reverse biased
(c) emitter-base junction is reverse biased, and collector-base junction is
forward biased
(d) emitter-base junction is forward biased, and collector-base junction is ~------11!1---------.
reverse biased
6. The signal handling capacity of an amplifier is high if
(a) the operating point is selected near the cut-off region
(b) the operating point is selected near the saturation region
(c) the operating point is selected in the middle of the active region
(d) an NPN transistor of similar characteristics is used instead of PNP one

II. Some statements are given below. Write whether they are TRUE or FALSE. vi
(d) (e)
1. The purpose of biasing a transistor is to obtain a certain de collector current at
a certain de collector voltage. Fig. 0. 7.1
2. In a certain biasing circuit, Vee and VCE are equal. This is because the transistor
is heavily conducting.
3. A good biasing circuit should stabilise the collector current against temperature Answers " ~ .
variations. 5. (d) 6._ (c)
I. 1. (d) 2. (a) 3. '(c) 4. (b)
4. The emitter resistor RE is bypassed by a capacitor so as to improve the
II. 1. T 2. F 3. :T 4. F 5. F 6. T
stabilisation of Q point.
 Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point
251
250 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

Tutorial Sheet 7. 1 - - - - - - - • TutorialSheet7.2 •

1. Calculate the Qpoint for the de-bias circuit in Fig. T. 7 .2.1, given the following:
1. Calculate the value of VeE in a fixed-bias circuit given in Fig. T. 7 .1.1. Assume
Re= 3 kQ; RB= 60 kQ; Vee= 12 V; /3 = 60; assume VBE negligible.
f3ctc = 100, RB= 200 kQ, Re= 1 kQ and Vee= 10 V [Ans. VcE = 5 V] [Ans. VCE = 3 V; le= 3 mA]
2. Calculate the value of Re and R 8 if the de operating point is to be fixed
at VeE = 7 V, le = 5 mA. Following data are given (refer to Fig. T. 7. l. l):
Vee= 12 V, f3c1c = 100. [Ans. R 8 = 240 kn. Re= 1 kQ]

Fig. T. 7.2.2
Fig. T. 7.2.1

Fig. T. 7.1.2 2. Calculate all the de currents and voltage VCE in the transistor of Fig. T. 7.2.2
Fig. T. 7.1.1
for the following given data :
3. A PNP transistor of /3 = 200 is used in the circuit given in Fig. T. 7 .1.2. A de Vee= 10 V; Re= 3 kQ, R 1 =250 kQ; /3 = 50; neglect VBE·
supply of 9 V and Re of 1.5 kQ are used. The operating point is to be fixed at [Ans. lE =le= 1.25 mA; lB = 25 µA; VCE = 6.25 V]
le= 2 mA. Calculate the value of R8 and the voltage VeE· 3. Select the value of R 1 to setup the biasing condition such that VCE = 0.5Vee.
[Ans. Rs= 0.9 MQ; VeE ~c 6 V)
for the following circuit components (refer to Fig. T. 7 .2.1 ).
4. Design a simple fixed-biasing circuit for a PNP transistor having f3 such that Vee= 30 V; Re= 5 kQ; /3 = 40. [Ans. 200 kQ]
50 < f3 < 200, if Vee= 12 Vanda load of3 kQ is used (refer to Fig. T. 7.1.2).
Assume VBE = 0.3 V [Ans. Rs< 585 kQ] 4. Calculate the biasing point of the transistor (refer Fig. T. 7.2.1) for the
5. A PNP germanium transistor with /3 = 100 and VsE = 200 mV is used in following data.
Fig. T. 7 .1.2. Compute the Q point for the circuit conditions given below: Re= 5 kQ; Vee= 15 V; /3 = 100, RB= 215 kQ; VBE = 0.7 V
[Ans. le= 2 mA; VCE = 5 V]
Vee= 16 V; Re= 5 kQ; RB= 790 kQ
[Ans. Vrn = 6 V; le= 2 mA] 5. Calculate the new operating point ifthe transistor of Problem 4 is replaced by
6. Calculate the collector-to-emitter voltage for the PNP transistor connected in the other silicon PNP transistor having f3 = 300.
Fig. T. 7.1.3 neglecting VEE· [Ans. VCE = -5.4 V; le= 3.6 mA] [Ans. le= 2.5 mA; VeE ~ 2.5 V]
7. Calculate the highest value o:!' Re permissible in the circuit of Fig. T. 7.1.3.
[Ans, Re(max) =· 2.5 kQ]
• Tutorial Sheet 7 .3 • --··--·-----
1. Calculate VCE and le in the circuit of Fig. T. 7.3.1 if Vee= 9 V; RB= 50 kQ;
Re= 250 Q; RE= 500 Q and /3 = 80. [Ans. VCE = 3 V, le= 8 mA]
2. Compute the Q point of the. transistor (refer to Fig. T. 7.3.l) if RB= 400 kQ;
Re= 2 kQ; RE= 1 kQ; /3 = 100 and Vee= 20 V, neglecting VBE· Mark the
direction of le. [Ans. le= 4 mA, VeE = 8 V]

Fig. T. 7.1.3
252 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 253

3. The NP~ tr~nsistor in the circuit given in Fig. T. 7.3.2 has a f3 = 56. Calculate 2. Calculate the bias voltage, and currents for the PNP silicon transistor used in
the Q po mt if the following circuit components are used: Fig. T. 7.4.2 assuming the following data:
Vee= 18 V; Rs= 50 kQ; RE= 0.75 kQ and Re= 500 Q. R 1 = lOOkQ Vee= 12V
Assume VsE = 0.7 V. [Ans. le= 10.53 mA, VeE = 4.83 V] R1=27 kQ VsE = 0.751 V
Re = 2 kQ f3 = 75
RE= 1 kQ
[Ans. le~ IE= 1.8 mA; VCE = 6.6 V]

+Vee -Vee

Fig. T. 7.3.1 Fig. T. 7.3.2

Fig. T. 7.4.1 Fig. T. 7 .4.2

4. ~alc~late the Q point for the transistor given in Fig. T. 7.3.2 for the given
circuit parameters. Vee= 10 V; VsE = 0.25 V; [3= 80; Rs= 75 kQ; Re= 0.5 kQ
andRE= 470 Q. [Ans. le= 6.92 mA, VCE = 3.29V] 3. Solve Problems 1 and 2 using an accurate method.
5. ~ PNP transistor having a de current gain in CE equal to l 00 is to be 4. Calculate the value of resistors R 1 and RL to place the Q point at IE = 2 mA
biased at le = 5 mA and VCE = 3.8 V. The collector load has a resistance of and VCE = 6 V, in the two circuit of Fig. T. 7.4.3 and T. 7.4.4. In both circuits,
500 _n. If Vee = 10 V and VnE = 0.3 V, calculate the value of Rs and RE (refer a transistor of a= 0.985, leso = 4 µA and VsE = 200 mV is used. The Vee
to Fig. T. 7.3.1). [Ans. RE= 740 Q, Rs= 120 kQ] supply used is 16 V.
[Ans. (a) R1 = 5.54 kn. RL = 3 kQ: (b) R1 = 56.3 kQ, RL = 4 l_dl]

~ Tutorial Sheet 7.4 * __,,_u_ _ _ _ _ __

Note
Use a~pro'.ximat~ method Of solving biasing circuits unless specifically asked
otherwise.

1. C_alcu~ate .the collector current and collector-to-emitter voltage of the circuit

given m Fig. T. 7.4.1 assuming the following circuit components and transistor
specifications :
R1 =40kQ VsE =0.5V
R1 =4kQ f3 =40
Re= lOkQ Vee =22V
RE= 1.5 kQ Fig. T. 7 .4.3 Fig. T. 7 .4.4
[Ans. le ~IE= 1 mA, VCE = 10.5 V]
254 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Transistor Biasing and Stabilisation of Operating Point 255

- - • Experimental Exercise 7 .1 • When the temperature of the collector-to-base junction increases, the leakage current
ICEo increases. Since
Title Fixed-bias circuit with and without emitter resistor. le = f31B + ICEo

Objectives To the operation point may go into the saturation region. Sometimes, thermal runaway
may also take place. When the emitter resistor RE is added in the circuit (i.e., when
1. trace the given biasing circuit; switch S 1 is in the open position) the operating point is given by
2. measure the Q point collector current and collector-to-emitter voltage with
and without emitter resistor RE; IE = Vee - VBE ~ Vee
3. note the variation of the Q point by increasing the temperature of the transistor RE+RBl/3 RE+RBl/3
in fixed-bias circuit with and without emitter resistor RE;
and
4. note the variation in Q point by changing the base resistor in bias circuit, when
emitter resistor is present and not present; If the temperature increases, the following sequence of events takes place.

Apparatus Required Experimental board, electronic multimeter, milliamme-

ter, power supply unit.
This shows that there is a tendency to make the operating point stable.
Circuit Diagram As given in Fig. E. 7.1.1. (typical values of components are
also given).
Procedure
-Vcc=-9V 1. Take the experimental board and identify the resistors RB, Re, and RE· Also
find the values of these resistors.
2. Apply Vee= 9 V and close the switch S 1. Connect milliammeter and voltmeter.
Note the values of le and VCE.
3. Increase the temperature of the transistor (by rubbing your hands together and
220kQ touching the transistor with one of the fingers; or by putting a lamp near it) and
note the effect on collector current.
4. Now put off the switch S 1 so that the emitter resistor RE comes in the circuit.
Note the new operating emitter voltage.
5. Now increase the temperature and note the effect on the operating point.
6. Now change the switch S2 in such a way that the base resistor RB changes.
With the new value of base resistor, repeat the above experiment.

Observations
Fig. E. 7.1.1 1. When the switch S 1 is in closed position, i.e., RE is not the circuit. Assume
f3 = 100 for transistor.
Brief Theory The biasing circuit when the emitter resistance RE is not present, is
le VeE
generally referred to as fixed-bias circuit (i.e., when switch S 1 is in closed position). S.No. Vee Rs
Theor. Pract.
In this circuit, we have Theor. Pract.

1.
1B = CVee - VBE) ~ Vee (1) 2.
RB RB
2. When the switch S 1 is in the open condition, i.e. when RE is present in the
and VCE = Vee - IERe (2)
circuit.
 258 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

Circuit Diagram As shown in Fig. E. 7.3.1

(Typical values of the components are also shown.)

Brief Theory Potential-divider bias circuit

is a widely used biasing circuit in amplifiers. The
8 UNIT
SMALL-SIGNAL AMPLIFIERS
most significant advantage of this circuit is that the
operating point in circuit is almost independent of "There's a basic principle about consumer electronics: it gets
/3. The expression for emitter current (which is also more powerful all the l"ime and it gets cheaper all the time. That's .
equal to collector current) is given by
true of all types of consumer electronics."
Vee x R1 v; Trip Hawkins.(1953-,,.present) ·
- BE
_ R1 +R2
J,E- Silicon Valley American entrepreneur andfounder of
RE Electronic Arts, The 3DO Company and Digital Chocolate
The collector-to-emitter voltage is given by Fig. E. 7.3.1

VeE = Vee - (RE+ Rc)IE

T~~ operating point can be c~anged by changing one of the resistors of the potential-
d1v1der network. In the expenment, two values of the resistor R 2 are provided.

Procedure After completing this unit, .students will l>e able t():
I. From the given ~irc~it, find out whether the transistor is PNP type or ~TJ>N • draw a single-stage amplifier circuit (CE conflgur~tron) .
type. Trace the circmt and note down the values of different resistors.
• calculate the voltage gain of a single~stage. ~mpHfier iwfren,,,:
2. Connect the collector supply de voltage in the circuit. Adjust the de voltage to
say, 9 V. ' supplied with; (a) collector characterist.ics of the tnu;isis.Mr;
3. Measure the c?llector supply voltage Vee, the collector voltage Ve and
(b) values of diffenmt resistors used in the Circuit; (c)vaiu'e of the";
collector-to-em1tter voltage· VCE. Calculate the collector current by finding the de supply voltage; and (d) dynamic input n~si~ta,nc:e oftransjst(.).r.:
voltage drop across the collector resistor Re. This drop is (Vee - Ve) v. •· explain the phase relationship between the input and th~O\.l.tptit:·
4. Now p~t the switch S in the second position. Note the new Q point by signal in a single-stage amplifier circuit · ..
measunng. the collector current and collector-to-emitter voltage. • calculate the voltage gain, input impedance and ()utput imped-
ance of a single-stage. amplifier circuitwhen, circuit parameters
Observations
and transistor parameters, like f3 and rin ( dyilamic input resis~
DC supply voltage Vee = 9 V. tance), or the h-parameters, are given · ·
• draw the circuit diagram of a single-stage fi~l~~effect transistor
S.No (Base to ground resistor) R 2 Ve le VeE amplifier
I. • calculate the voltage gain of a single-stage· field effect transistor
2. amplifier by graphical as well as equivalent circuit method
3.

Result When resistor R1 connected between base and ground decreases, the col- 8.1 INTRODUCTION
lector current also decreases.
Almost no electronic system can work without an amplifier. Could the voice of a
singer reach everybody \n the audience in a hall, if the PA system (Public Address
 260 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Small-Signal Amplifiers 261

I System) fails? It is only because of the enlargement or the amplification of the signal The capacitor CE works as a bypass capacitor. It byp~sses all.the _ac currents from
picked up by microphone that we can enjoy a music orchestra. We are able to hear the emitter to the ground. If the capacitor CE is not put m the circmt, the ac :olta~e
the news or the cricket commentary on our radio, simply because the amplifier in the developed across RE will affect the input ac voltage. Such a feedback of ac si~al is
radio amplifies the weak signals received by its antenna. The signal can only be of reduced by putting the capacitor CE. If the capacitor CE is good enough to provi~e an
any use if it is amplified to give a suitable output (such as sound in radio, picture in effective bypass to the lowest frequency of the signal, it will do so be~er to tb:e higher
TV, etc.). frequencies. We, therefore, select such a value of capacitor CE that gives qmte a low
In the previous chapter, the transistor circuits were analysed purely from the de impedance compared to RE at the lowest frequency present in the input signal. As a
point of view. After a transistor is biased in the active region, it can work as an am- practical guide, we make the reactance of the capacitor CE at the lowest frequency,
plifier. We apply an ac voltage between the base and emitter terminals to produce not more than one-tenth the value of RE· That is
fluctuations in the collector current. An amplified output signal is obtained when this
fluctuating collector current flows through a collector resistor Re. When the input (8.1)
signal is so weak as to produce small fluctuations in the collector current compared
to its quiescent value, the amplifier is called small-signal amplifier (also "voltage
The resistor R 0 represents the resistance of whatever is connected at the output.
amplifier"). Such an amplifier is used as the first stage of the amplifier used in receiv-
ers (radio and TV), CD players, stereos and measuring instruments.
Quite often, the amplification of the signal given ?Y
one ~p~ifier may _not suffice.
More stages of amplifiers are then needed. The resistor R 0 m Fig. 8.lb will then rep-
resent the input resistance of the next stage.
8.2 SINGLE·STAGE TRANSISTOR AMPLIFIER To what extent an amplifier enlarges signals is expressed in terms of its voltage
gain. The voltage gain of an amplifier is given as
We have seen in the previous chapter that the voltage divider method of biasing is the
best. The circuit is shown in Fig. 8.la. Almost all amplifiers use this biasing circuit, Output ac voltage _ V0
A = -- (8.2)
because the design of the circuit is simple and it provides good stabilisation of the
v Input ac voltage Vi
operating point. If this circuit is to amplify ac voltages, some more components must
be added to it. The result is shown in Fig. 8.lb. We have added three capacitors.
The other quantities of interest for a voltage amplifier are its current gain (Ai),
(!_he capacitors Cc are called the coupling capacitors. A coupling capacitor passes input impedance (Zi), and output impedance (Z0 ). The amplifier can be analysed for
an ac signal from one side to the other. At the same time, it does not allow the de
its performance by the following two methods:
voltage to pass through. Hence, it is also called a blocking capacitdr]For instance, it
is due to the capacitor Cc (connected between collector and output) in Fig. 8.lb that 1. Graphical method
the output voltage v0 across the resistor R 0 is free from the collector's de voltage. 2. Equivalent circuit method

For analysing an amplifier by this method, we need the output characte~stics ~f the
transistor.These are supplied by the manufacturer. When the ac voltage is applied to
the input the base current varies. The corresponding variations in collector current
and coll~ctor voltage can be seen on the characteristics. This method involves no
approximating assumptions. Hence, the results obtained by _this ~ethod are .more
accurate than the equivalent circuit method. One can also v1suahse the maximum
ac voltage that can be properly handled by this amplifier. In fact, for large-signal
amplifiers (power amplifiers) this is the only suitable method.
(a) (b)

Fig. 8.1 (a) Voltage-divider biasing circuit; (b) Same circuit converted into an amplifier
 262 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Small-Signal Amplifiers 263

8.3.1 Is de Load Line Same as ac Load Line? we do this, the original circuit ofFig. 8.lb reduces to the one sh~wn in ::ig 8.2b. This
circuit explains the behaviour of the amplifier from the ac pomt of view. You may
In the amplifier circuit of Fig. 8.1, the resistors R1 and R2 form a voltage divider
now see that the resistor Re comes in parallel with R0 and forms the ac load for the
arrangement for fixing a certain de base voltage. This base voltage and the resistor
amplifier. The variation in the collector current and voltage are ~ee~ with the.help of
RE fix the emitter current. The collector current is almost the same as the emitter the ac load line corresponding to this ac load. How the ac load hne 1s drawn is made
current. The resistor Re then decides the value of VCE. Writing the KVL equation for
clear in the next section.
the output section of the circuit, we get
Vee = lcRc + VCE +JERE 8.3.2 Calculation of Gain
= VCE + lc(Rc +RE) [since le c:::_ IE] To understand how to calculate the current gain and voltage gain by the graphical
or I. _ -1 V. + Vee method, we consider a typical amplifier circuit. One such circuit is shown ~n F~g. 8.3.
C - (Re +RE) CE (Re+ Rp_) (8.3)
The output characteristics of the transistor used in this circuit, are shown m Fig. 8.4.
This is the equation of the de load line. By plotting this line on the output character- Vee= 9V
istics, the de collector voltage and current can be determined for the given value of
base current. As regards the de currents and voltages, the amplifier circuit of Fig. 8.1 b
qehaves like the circuit shown in Fig. 8.2a. This is obtained by opening all the capaci-
tors in the original circuit. The capacitors are as good as open circuits for de.

5mV

Fig. 8.3 Typical transistor amplifier circuit

(a) DC behaviour
We first plot the de load line on the output characteristics. The equation of this de
(b) AC behaviour
load line is given by Eq. (8.3). This line is drawn by simply joining the points (Vee, 0)
Fig. 8.2 Amplifier circuit of Fig. 8.lb and (0, Vcc!Rdc). It maybe seen thatthe slope of this line is-1/Rdc' where the de load,
Rdc =Re+ RE. In this case, Vee= 9 V; andRdc =Re+ RE= 1kQ+0.1 kn= I.I kn.
Suppose we had changed the de bias, giving a different value of base current. The Thus, the two points for plotting the de load line are (9 V, 0) and (0, 8.2 mA). Let
collector current and collector voltage both will change. As a result, the Q point will us assume that the biasing arrangement is such that the de base current is 30 µA.
shift on the de load line. This is what roughly happens when we apply an input ac sig- The quiescent operating point Q is given by the intersection of the de load line and
nal. But, in the ac signals,. the variations occur very fast. The capacitors can no longer the output characteristic corresponding to IB = 30 µA. The de collector current
be considered as an open circuit. In fact, the variations in the currents and voltages and collector-to-emitter voltage of the Q point may be seen to be 4 mA and 4.5 V,
occur so fast that the capacitors in the circuit may be treated as short circuits. Also respectively.
while dealing with ac currents and voltages, we need not consider the de supplies. If When we apply an ac input signal fl, the circuit behaves like the one shown in
Fig. 8.2b. It is clear that for ac, the load resistance is Re in parallel with R0 • This is the
 264 Basic Electronics and linear Circuits
Small-Signal Amplifiers 265
ac load Rae for which the load line should be plotted. In our case, Rae= 1 k.Q II 470 .Q
= 320 .Q. The ac load line will have a slope of -1/Rac· Since the Q point describes
ic
(mA)
t
the zero-signal conditions of the circuit, the ac load line should also pass through Q
point. To draw such a line, we can first draw any line AB with the given slope. We
can then draw the ac load line parallel to this line and passing through the Q point.

10

(m~) 1 9 ()
DC load
A Ve (volts) -

Fig. 8.5 To draw a line with a slope of-1/Rac

Let us take OA = 1 V. Then

5.1 mA

OB= OA = _l_ = 0.0031A=3.1 mA

Rae 320
4.0mA 0
After locating the points B and A in Fig. 8.4, line AB whose slope= I/Rae can be
drawn.
2.9mA
Suppose an ac voltage of 5 m Vis applied at the input. This corresponds to a peak-
to-peak variation of 5 x J2 x 2 = 14.14 mV. Assume that the input characteristics
0 ~tA
of the transistor are such as to produce a 20 µA peak-to-peak variation in the base
current corresponding to this input ac voltage. When the base current varies within
these limits (from 20 µA to 40 µA), the instantaneous operating point moves along
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 the ac load line between points Q1 and Q2• The corresponding variations in collector
I vCE(V) - current and collector--to-emitter voltage are shown in Fig. 8.4. The collector current
4.14.54.9

T
varies between the limits 2.9 mA to 5.1 mA. The collector-to-emitter voltage varies
between the limits 4.1 V to 4.9 V. The current gain and the voltage gain of the ampli-
fier are given as :
~mt
. = Ic(max) - Ic(min) = (5.1- 2.9) mA = llO
Current gam
Fig. 8.4 Calculation ofgain by graphical method IB(max) - !B(min) ( 40 - 20) µA

Voltage gain = VcE(max) - VcE(min) = ( 4.9 - 4.1) V = _

Figure 8.5 explains how a line with the given slope -1/Rac is drawn. 56 58
~(max) - ~(min) 14.14 mV .
1
Slope = - - =tan 0= tan (180° - a)= -tan a
Rae 8.3.3 Are Input and Output in Same Phase?
1 OB In Fig. 8.4 observe the waveforms of the base current, the collector current and the
tana=-=-
Rac OA collector-to-emitter voltage. When the input voltage increases, the base current also
increases. The instantaneous Q point moves towards Q1; as a result, the current le in-
creases, but the voltage VCE reduces. For clear understanding of amplifier operation, 'I•

the variations of input voltage, base current, collector current, collector-to-emitter

(output) are again drawn in Fig. 8.6. From these diagrams, it is clear that the input
voltage and output voltage are out ofphase by 180°.
 266
Basic Electronics and linear Circuits
Small-Signal Amplifiers 267

5J2 mV 5.1 mA (mA)

ict
4
4.0 mA -----+-----.--{J)_i__
Wt-+-
2.9mA 3

-5J2 mV 2

OL___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ - - - - - - - - - - I8 =25µA
(a) Input voltage
(c) Collector current
W===:::i::===:===:::::;========~=-.'.l~s-=~0~
0~ 2 4 6 8 10 VCE(V)-

F1g
. .8.7 Typical output characteristics of a transistor in CE mode
4.9V
ic ib
4.5 v k----------"--- ~---+---"-----., c Ba----_::_---,
4.1 v + +

OL__-----------
M
(b) Base current L__ __.__ _ _ -oE
(d) Collector-to-emitter (output) voltage Eh------_J

Fig. 8.6 Phase relationships between input and output Fig. 8.8 Transistor equivalent cir- Fig. 8.9 Transistor equivalent circuit
cuit between collector and between base and emitter
emitter
8.4 EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT METHOD
The current source f3ib depends, as it should, on the input ac current i? and the
Our main concern in analysing an amplifier circuit is to determine its ac behaviour. current amplification factor f3. The re~ista~ce ~0 repre.sents the dynamic output
We are interested in calculating the ac current gain, voltage gain, input impedance resistance of the transistor and its value 1s quite high (typically 40 kn). .
and output impedance. For this purpose, the given amplifier circuit is converted into In the input section, the emitter-base junction of the transistor is fo~ard-bi~sed.
its equivalent circuit from the ac point of view. All the capacitors and the de supplies The input characteristic of the transistor is similar to that of a forward-b~ased. d10de.
are replaced by short circuits. The CE amplifier circuit of Fig. 8.Ib then reduces to The junction, therefore, can be replaced by a resistanc~ ri. The value o~this resistance
the form of Fig. 8.2b. In the equivalent circuit method of analysis of the amplifier, the is low (typically 800 Q). The input section of the transistor therefore simply becomes
transistor is also replaced by its ac equivalent.
the one shown in Fig. 8.9 . .
The complete ac equivalent circuit of the transistor is obtained by combmmg the
8.4.1 Development of Transistor AC Equivalent Circuit input and output section. This is shown in Fig. 8. I 0.
Figure 8.7 shows the typical output characteristics of a transistor in the CE mode.
The curves are almost horizontal. For a given value of base current, the collector
current hardly depends upon the value of the collector-to-emitter voltage. Keeping
IB constant, the change in le corresponding to certain change in VCE is very small. It
+

vb
B
- ib

-
ic
c
+

ri ro Ve
means that the output section of the transistor offers very high dynamic resistance.
The transistor, therefore, can be replaced by a current source between its output
terminals. This is shown in Fig. 8.8.
E

F.1g. 8 .10 ,,
"'ransistor equivalent circuit
 268 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
Small-Signal Amplifiers 269
8.4.2 h-parameter Equivalent Circuit
An additional suffix e is added to the symbols of the h parameters to indicate ~hat
Quite often, the manufacturers specify the characteristics of a transistor in terms of
the transistor is used in the CE mode. In this mode, the terminal 1 is the base te~mal
its h parameters (the letter h stands for hybrid). The word hybrid is used with these
and terminal 2 is the collector. Therefore, v 1 and i 1 become vb and ib, respectively,
parameters because they are a mixture of constants having different units. The hybrid
an.d at the output port v 2 and i2 become Ve and ic, respectively. With this understand-
parameters have become popular because they can be measured easily.
ing, Eqs. (8.4) and (8.5) can be written as
A transistor is a three-terminal device. If one of the terminals is common between Vb = hieib + hreVc (8.6)
the input and the output, there are two ports (pairs of terminals). See Fig. 8.11. For
ic = hfeib + h0 eVc (8.7)
our purpose, the pair of terminals at the left represents the input terminals and the
pair of terminals at the right, the output terminals. For each pair of terminals, there Since each term ofEq. (8.6) has the units of volts, we can use Kirchhoff's. v~ltage
are two variables (current and voltage). There are a number of ways in which these law to find a circuit that 'fits' this equation. The result is shown in Fig. _8.12. ~imtlarl~,
four variables can be related. One of the ways, which is most frequently employed in we observe that each term of Eq. (8. 7) has the units of current. U~mg Kirc~o~ s
transistor circuit analysis is as follows : current law, we get the circuit shown in Fig. 8.13 to fit this equat10n. Combmmg
both of these figures, we get Fig. 8.14. This circuit satisfies both the Eqs: (8.6) ~d
V1 =hi 1i1 + h12V2 (8.4) (8.7); and therefore this is the complete ac equivalent circuit of the transistor usmg
i2 = h21i1 + h22V2 (8.5) h parameters.

+ 9-----+--o 2 0--t-----o + ~ c
+
V2

o----+-----c3>----~ -~~i-

Fig. 8.11 A transistor as a tJ..vo-port network

E

The parameter h11, h12, h2 1 and h22 which relate the four variables of the two-port Fig. 8.12 Hybrid input equivalent Fig. 8.13 Hybrid output equivalent
system by the Eqs. (8.4) and (8.5) are called hybrid parameters. These parameters can circuit circuit
be defined from the above equations by first putting v2 = 0 (i.e., short-circuiting the
output terminals) and then putting i 1 = 0 (i.e., opening the input terminals)
+
h11 = ~l1
1
/ =Input impedance (with output shorted)= hi
• V2~0

h21 = ~1-1
l1
= Fo1ward current ratio (with output shorted)= hr
V2~0
E

h12 = ~1 =Reverse voltage ratio (with input open)= hr Fig. 8.14 Complete hybrid equivalent circuit of a transistor
V21;1~0
Let us now compare the hybrid equivalent circuit of Fig. 8.14 with the one devel-
hz2 = !J,__I =Output admittance (with input open)= h oped in Fig. 8.10. We find that
Vz Z1""'0
. 0

Ji.1e = r·1' the dynamic input resistance

It may be noted that hi, being the ratio of voltage to current, has units of Q. hre = {3, the current amplification factor
Similarly, h0 being the ratio of current to voltage has units of siemens (earlier known l/h 0 e = r0 , the dynamic output resistance.
as mhos). However, hr and hr being the ratio of similar quantities are pure numbers
having no units. Thus, the parameters are hybrid in nature.
270 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Small-Signal Amplifiers 271

The only difference in the two circuits is the presence of a voltage source hrcVc in the ic(mA)t
input of the hybrid model. The magnitude of this voltage source depends upon the +60\lA
output voltage v 0 • The parameter hre• therefore, represents a "feedback" of the output +50 µ.A.
6
voltage to the input circuit. In the normal operation of the transistor, this effect is
very small. It will make practically no difference if we neglect the term hrcvc from the +40 µ.A
hybrid equivalent circuit. The typical values of h parameters are ~'.:.:'.:'...----:-:::=:8 .s y (constant)
VcE +30 µ.A.
hie= 1 kQ
_.itf-===::::~~~f---- Is2 = +20 µA
hre = 2.5 X I0- 4
hre = 50
hoe = 25 µS (or, I!h 0 e = 40 kQ)
The h parameters at a given operating point can be determined from the static QL-~~~~~~...J_~~~~~~~~~~~

0 5 8.5 10 15 vCE (volts)-

characteristics of the transistor, as illustrated in Example 8.1
(a)

Example 8.1 Determine the hybrid parameters from the given transistor
characteristics (Figs. 8.15 and 8.16) at an operating point, le= 2.15 mA, and
ic(mA) t
-+60 µ.A.
7
VcE = 8.5V _.4
6 - - - - - - - - +50 µ.A.
..,___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ +40µ.A.
Solution: On the collector characteristics of Fig. 8. l 5a, draw a vertical line cor-
responding to VcE = 8.5 V Draw a horizontal line corresponding to le= 2 mA. The
intersection of these two lines fixes the operating point. This is marked as Q. Note -~:...c---::--~---+30 µA
that this Q point lies in the middle of the two characteristic curves corresponding to f______::~;:--t-=-.;.:::=:---.-::-:-::=:=+20µA
base currents iB 1= 10 µA and iB2 = 20 µA. This indicates that the base current at the !!..ic =;;:::f:F:=====I~~-+- Is=+l5 µA(constant)
operating point is 15 µA. An additional characteristic curve for 18 = 15 µA is drawn. U----=+--+~,.::,_-~----- +10 µA
Refer to Fig. 8.15a. At constant VcE of 8.5 V, if iB changes, say, by a small '--------+--+--1-~.:::::::-------~=0µA
amount around the Q point from 10 µA to 20 µA, the collector current changes
5 7 8.5 10 15 VcE (volts) -
from 1.7 mA to 2.7 mA. Therefore,
j..!!..vcE+-1
3
h _ !J.ic I _ (2.7 -1.7) x I0- I (b)

fe - /J.iB VCE =canst. - (20 -10) X 10-6 VcE =8.5 V Fig. 8.15 Collector characteristics of a transistor for the calculation of hre and hoe

I0-3 = 100 To determine the parameters hie and hre' we first fix the Q point on the input
IO x I0- 6 characteristics, as shown in Fig. 8.16. As shown in Fig. 8.16a, an additional curve
Refer to Fig. 8.15b. At constant 18 of 15 µA, suppose the voltage VcE changes corresponding to VCE = 8. 5 V is drawn. A small change in vBE is then chosen, resulting
around the Q point from 7 to 10 V The corresponding change in collector current is in a corresponding change in iB. We may then calculate hie as follows :
from 2.1 mA to 2.2 mA. Therefore,
h- = /J.v8 E I = 0.730 - 0.7151
3
h = !J.ic I = (2.2 _ 2.1) x I0- I ie !J.iB VCE=const. (20-lO)µA VCE=8.5V
oe /J.v IO - 7
CE Ia =canst. la =15 µA
0.015 = 1.5 kQ
3
O.l x 10- = 33 µAN= 33 µS 10x10-6
3
272 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Small-Signal Amplifiers 273

d c
vCE = v
I
?()
(µA) -
v() =OV
30
I
20
Ill~ 15 pA
15 ----- -----··----------

tool
(constant)
Fig. 8.17 Complete ac equivalent circuit of the transistor amplifier
iiiIi!
I: On the input side, ifthe input voltage source vi is assumed to be ideal (with zero
!-----""''--~
0.6 0.71 I 0.8 - internal resistance), the presence or the absence of the resistors R 1 andR 2 is immate-
...! i+ u 13 E (volts)
£1.vBE=O.OlV rial. Whatever may be the values of R 1 and R2 the current ib remains the same. We
(b) can therefore ignore these resistors altogether. The result is the circuit of Fig. 8.18.

Fig. 8.16 Input characteristics of a transistor for the rnlculation of h;e and h,.,,. c
The last parameter hre can be found by first drawing a horizontal line through the
Q point of / 8 = 15 µA. As shown in Fig. 8. l 6b, when VcE changes from 0 V to 20 V,
the corresponding change in VsE is from 0. 72 V to 0. 73 V Therefore,

hre = AvsE I = (0.73 - 0.72) v_I

AvcE1B=const. ( 20-0)V J 8 =15µA
Fig. 8.18 AC equivalent circuit where Re and R0 are replaced by Rae and the biasing
= O.Ol_ = 5 x 10-4 resistors R1 and R2 are omitted
20
The value of the parameter hre is very small. Change in VsE corresponding to a large We can now carry out the analysis of the amplifier using this ac equivalent circuit.
change in vcE is quite small. Such a small change in the voltage v 8 E is difficult to Such an exact analysis is found to be very lengthy and tedious. Much effort may be
determine from the graph. The value of hre obtained from the graphical method may saved if certain approximations are made. The results obtained from such an approxi-
not be very accurate. mate analysis will not be much differen,t from those obtained by the exact analysis.
For a typical transistor amplifier circuit Rae is of the order of 1 kQ. Whereas,
8.4.3 Amplifier Analysis hoe= 25 µS, so that llh 0 e = 40 kn. As llh 0 e is in parallel with Rae' the equivalent
resistance is (1/h 0 e) II Rae~ Rae' because (1/h 0 e) is about 40 times greater than Rae·
The CE transistor amplifier circuit of Fig. 8. lb was redrawn in Fig. 8.2b from the Therefore, for the approximate analysis, we may omit hoe from the equivalent circuit.
point of view of its ac behaviour. In equivalent circuit method of analysing the ampli- The value of hre is typically 1 x 10-4. This means that the feedback voltage hreVe
fier, the transistor is also replaced by its ac equivalent. Once the complete ac equiva- is very small and therefore can be omitted from the equivalent circuit. With these
lent circuit is available to us, we can determine the current gain, voltage gain, input approximations, the ac equivalent circuit of the amplifier becomes the one shown in
impedance and output impedance of the amplifier. Fig. 8.19.
Figure 8.17 shows the complete ac equivalent circuit of the transistor amplifier of B c
Fig. 8. lb. On the output side, the two resistors Re and R 0 can be replaced by a single +
resistor Rae such that
R =R II Ro = Re+!\,
Rel\,
vi 9hie hreib Rae Vo

ac c,
E

Fig. 8.19 AC equivalent circuit for approximate analysis of the amplifier

 Small-Signal Amplifiers 275
274 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

· From F.1g. 8 . 19 , the output current ic is seen to be the same as hreib· vi= 0, the current ib is also zero, and consequently the output current ic also becomes
Current gam zero even if we connect an external voltage source at the output terminals. In other
The current in the input is ib. Therefore, words, the output impedance Z0 will be infinite. If we take into account Rae' the
. _ Output current = ic = hreib = hre (8.8) output impedance (Fig. 8.21) Z~ is simply Rae· Had we not neglected h0 e, the output
Current gam, Ai - Input current ib ib impedance would have been Z 0 = l!h 0 e and the impedance Z~ would have been
or Ai= f3 z~ = (llhoe) II Rae".::::' Rae (8.12)

e ain The output voltage Vo= -hfeibRac· Note the negative sign. The fl.ow B hie
c
Voltag g t.
of the output curren is su
ch that it makes the collector negative with respect to the
+
ground. The input voltage vi = ibhie· Therefore,
. Output voltage = -hreibRac = -hreRac
Voltage gam, Av = Input voltage ibh,e h,e
(8.9)
vi=O
s E
Rae Vo

or simply, Av = /3Rae Ll 80° Z'0

ri
The angle 1800 indicates that output and input voltages have a phase difference of Fig. 8.21 Output impedance of an amplifier
180°.

Power gain The power gain o~the amplifier is simply the product of current gain Exam_
. .• . ,
pie
, ·.,
8.2 Figure 8.22 .shows a comm'C>n.-e:mittet amplilier using fixed bjas.
.:.;.• ")f;:,'..····c,;:,:<·~.'.','~;' ··:.··;·~_?.«,·~;· .. ·' ,-',~;,.'\,;:-.. ··.1<\,t.,.'.·~···< :.:~~:·\·.;;::·.·:~.<,·:.~'.~.~ ~·:;

and voltage gain. Thus, power gam, Draw its ac equivalent circuit. Calculate its (a) input impedance; (p) Y'*~-~e gain
(8.10) and (c) current gain. Assume hie= ri = 2 kQ, and hre-=:= /3 =.-100. . ' · ~
Ap=AiAv

Input impedance The closed loop equation for input side is

Vi= ibhie
Therefore, . 150kQ
. _ Input voltage = Vi = lbh,e = hie (8.11)
Input impedance, Zin - Input current ib ib
or simply, Zin = ri
In case the biasing resistors R1 and R1 are to be con~idere~ thedinput~ection of the
equivalent circuit is as shown in Fig. 8.20. Then, the mput impe ance ecomes
, -_ R I II R2 II h·ie "'h-
Z in - ie
(Since h·ie is much smaller than R1 or R1)

B
Fig. 8.22 Common-emitter amplifier

Solution: The ac equivalent circuit of the given amplifier circuit is shown

in Fig. 8.23. It is assumed that the capacitors offer a short circuit at the signal
frequency.
E
(a) As is clear in the equivalent circuit, the base resistor (150 kQ) is much greater
Fig. 8.20 Input impedance when biasing resistors are considered than the input resistance of the transistor (2 kQ). Under this situation, the
input impedance of the circuit may be taken as 2 kn. (If exact calculations are
Output impedance The output impedance of an amplifier is defined as the ratio made, this impedance is equal to 150 kQ I/ 2 kn= 1.973 kQ.)
of the output voltage to the output current with the input vi set at zero. When we set
 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
Small-Signal Amplifiers 277
276
Solution:
B 2kQ c
·-~.)-c::::J- (a) In the amplifier circuit, the ac load resistance is

~~I z 5kQ
Rae= 4.7kQ1112 k.Q = 4.7X103X12X103
(4.7+12)x103
V;
150kQ
= 3.38 kQ
The voltage gain is given as

Av = f3acfl.c L 1800
Fig. 8.23 rin
Here, f3ac = 150; rin = 2 kQ and Rae= 3.38 kQ
(b) For calculation of voltage gain we make use of the formula,
Av = 150x3.38x103 = 253.5L180o
A v = f3fl.c L 180° 2x103
(b) As far as ac operation of the amplifier circuit is concerned, the resistors 75 kQ
Here f3 is 100, rin is 2 H2 and Rae is 5 kQ. Substituting these values, we get
and 7.5 kQ are both connected between the base and ground. Hence, the input
103 impedance of the amplifier is
A = lOO x5x L 180° = 250L180°
v 2x10 3 Zin= 75kQ117.5 kQ II rin
(c) Output current is equal to 1OOib, whereas input current is ib. Therefore, current = 75kQ117.5kQ112kQ~7.5kQ112 kQ
gain is 100. = 1.5 kn
(c) The resistors 75 kQ and 7.5 kQ make a potential divider. The voltage at the
Example 8.3 In the single stage amplifier circuit shown in Fig. 8.24, an NPN base is given as
15 7 5 103
transistor is used. The parameters of this transistor are f3ac = 150 and rin = 2 kQ. VB =Vee __!2_ = x · x = .!2. = 1.36V
Calculate its (a) voltage gain; (b) input impedance and (c) Q point. (neglect VBE),4 Ri +R2 75x103 +7.5x103 11
Since, VBE = 0, the voltage at the emitter is same as that at the base, i.e.,
VE= VB= 1.36 V
Therefore, emitter current is
6
IE= !7E = l.3 = 1.13 mA
RE l.2x 103
+ The collector-to-emitter voltage is
VCE =Vee - (Re+ RE)IE [since le~ IE]
= 15 -(4.7 + 1.2) x 10 x 1.13 x 10-3
3

=8.33V

Figure 8.25 shows a small-signal amplifier that uses an N-channel JFET. It uses self-
Fig. 8.24 bias arrangement* provided by Rs-Cs combination.

*Note that self-bias arrangement cannot be used for an EN MOSFET, as it needs positive de
bias voltage at its gate (for N-channel), instead of negative voltage. For an EN MOSFET,
we use potential divider biasing circuit
 Small-Signal Amplifiers 279
278 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

negative terminals of the de supply Vnn does not vary (with time) even though the
drain current does. Hence, from an ac point of view, these terminals are as good as
short circuit. Thus, the ac equivalent circuit of the amplifier becomes that given in
Fig. 8.26a. The same circuit has been redrawn differently in Fig. 8.26b. From the ac
point of view, the resistor Rn is in parallel with the load resistor RL· The ac load of
+ the amplifier thus becomes
R
ac
=R
D
llRL = RnRL
Rn+ RL
(8.13)

The circuit of Fig. 8.26b would be easy to analyse, if we could replace the transistor
by its circuit model.

Fig. 8.25 An FET small-signal amplifier

8.5.2 AC Equivalent Circuit Model of an FET
Figure 8.27 shows the ac equivalent circuit model of an FET. Since there is almost no
gate current, no resistor has been shown between the gate and the source terminals.
8.5.1 AC Analysis of FET Amplifier At the input, the FET behaves just like an open circuit. At the output side, the FET
Our main concern in analysing an amplifier is to determine its response to an ac has been replaced by a controlled current source, gm Vgs• in parallel with the resistor
signal input. We are interested in finding the ac voltage gain, the current gain, the rd. The value of the current source is controlled by the gate-to-source voltage, Vgs·

input resistance and the output resistance. Hence, we convert the given amplifier ..------e-~--oD

circuit into its ac equivalent circuit

The ac input signal varies so fast (i.e., its frequency is so high) that the ca-
pacitors effectively behave as short circuits. The voltage between the positive and

-s o--------4>-----------<J s
Fig. 8.27 AC equivalent circuit model of an FET

Note that the circuit of Fig. 8.27 is not valid for large-signal amplifiers. The pa-
rameters gm and rd can be assumed constant only ifthe signal is small.

8.5.3 AC Equivalent of FET Amplifier Circuit

By replacing the FET in the circuit of Fig. 8.26b with its equivalent circuit model, we
get the ac equivalent of the complete circuit as shown in Fig. 8.28.
r-----------~---~-~-~,
Gr'· c: D
.. ~
..----o-----<>--1.l- ~~._-+,-<>-----------C
+
I I
l , .. '," ,, '" ~··1

+ 1.· I

R0 : Vg~ · td :
::v:i -,·;:-'.;"' ,'(,·-,_;'?
I I
I I
I - ·.· I

Fig. 8.28 AC equivalent of the FET amplifier circuit

(b)

Fig. 8.26 AC equivalent circuit of the FET amplifier of Fig. 8.25

 280 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits 281
Small-Signal Amplifiers

It is obv10Lts that Vg, = V;. The output voltage 1·0 is determined by the current
source and the effective resistance Rerr between the drain and the source, Solution: The reactance of the bypass capacitor Cs is
1 1
Xcs = -- = -----------
6
3
2rcfCs 2x3.141x1x10 x25x10-
where
= 6.3 .Q
The minus sign corn es because the current gm Vgs flows through Reff from bottom to
This is much smaller than Rs = 1 k.Q. We can assume Rs to be Gompletely bypassed.
top, making the top point negative. The voltage gain of the amplifier is
The magnitude of the voltage gain of the amplifier is
v 3
Av =---"-=-gm (rd II Rn II RLJ (8.14) A= µRL = 20x12x10 =2.14
~
RL +rd 12X103 +100X10 3
The minus sign reminds us that the output voltage is inverted with respect to the
input. That is, the output and input are 180° out ofphase. Therefore the output signal voltage is
The input resistance of the amplifier is V0 =Avi = 2.14 x 0.1=0.214 V
R; =RG (8.15)
The output resistance of the amplifier is • Review Questions * --~----
Ro = RL II Ro II rd (8.16) 1. Draw the circuit diagram of a single-stage transistor amplifier. State the
Look at the expressions given in Eqs. 8.14 and 8.16. Normally rc1 is of the order function(s) of each component used in this circuit.
of 400 k.Q whereas R 0 and RL are only a few kilohms. We can therefore ignore rd. 2. Explain how amplified voltage becomes available at the output points of a
single-stage amplifier.
Maximum voltage gain The gain of a given FET amplifier varies with the ac 3. Explain how phase reversal of the signal takes place when it is amplified by a
load Raco as single-stage voltage amplifier.
4. Draw an ac equivalent circuit of a common-emitter transistor amplifier. Derive
Av= -gm (rd II Rae)= -gm rd1; =-gm rd
rd+ "ac rd/Rae+ 1 the following expression using this equivalent circuit:

It increases with Rae• as shown in Fig. 8.29. The maximum voltage gain that can be Av = /3Rac L 180°
obtained from an FET is when Rae ~ oo, and is given as rin

A'"O =-gm rd=-µ (8.17) Explain with the help .of equivalent circuit, the phase reversal of the signal.
The gain Av0 is called open-circuit gain of the FET. 5. State the name of the four h parameters for a transistor in CE configuration.
Define them. Write down the typical values of these parameters.
6. A step-up transformer can increase the voltage level of an ac signal. This can
also be achieved by a transistor voltage amplifier. Explain the difference in the
two processes.
7. Explain the following terms in brief(say, within 5 lines), in connection with a
transistor voltage amplifier:
(a) Input impedance (Zi)
0 Rae__.. (b) Output impedance (Z0 )
Fig. 8.29 Variation of voltage gain with ac load resistance (c) Voltage gain
(d) Current gain
(e) Power gain
Example 8.4 In an FET amplifier, the load resistance RL = 12 ki2; Re;= I MQ, 8. State what will happen to the voltage gain of an amplifier if the bypass
R:', = I k.Q, C:; = 25 uF. The FET used has µ = 20 and rd = 100 kQ. If the input capacitor (CE) is open circuited.
signal voltage is 0.1 V at a frequency of 1 kHz, find the output signal voltage of
the amplifier.
 Small-Signal Amplifiers 283
282 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

i' 9. Explain the difference between de load line and ac load line. Why is it 3. An amplifier circuit of voltage gain 100, gives 2 V output. The value of input
necessary to draw ac load line for calculating the voltage gain of an amplifier? voltage is
10. Why have you to draw de load line while you r.:alculate the gain from an ac (a) 200 V (b) 50 V
load line? (c) 20 mV (d) 2 mV
11. Using the transistor characteristics and the load line, explain the phase reversal 4. The input signal to an amplifier having a gain of200 is given as 0.5 cos (313t).
of the signal. The output signal may be represented by
(a) 100cos(313t+90°)
(b) 10 cos (403t)
(c) 100cos(313t+l80°)
L A number of statements are given below. Choose the correct statement. (d) 200 cos (493t)
1. The voltage gain of a transistor amplifier is a constant quantity and is III. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences using the most appropriate alterna-
independent of load resistance. tive from those given in bracket.
2. The voltage gain of a transistor amplifier increases as ac load resistance
1. For a good voltage amplifier, its input impedance should be _ _ __
increases.
compared to the resistance of the somce. (high/low/inductive/capacitive)
3. The voltage gain of a transistor amplifier in CE mode is always less than 1mity.
2. The coupling capacitors mainly affect cut-off frequency of an
4. The input impedance of a transistor amplifier in CE configuration is very high amplifier. (lower/upper/single/double)
(say, 5 MQ).
3. In a PNP transistor, the emitter resistor (RE) keeps the emitter at a _ _ __
5. The input impedance of a transistor amplifier in CE mode is low (say, 1.5 kQ).
voltage compared to its ground potential. (positive/negative/zero)
6. The input impedance of CE amplifier is extremely low (say, 10 Q).
4. The output current waveform in CE amplifier is with input
7. The output impedance of a transistor amplifier is independent of the transistor current wave. (in phase/out of phase by 180°/out of phase by 90°)
configuration. 5. The output voltage waveform of CE amplifier is with its input
8. The voltage gain of a transistor amplifier decreases when the emitter-bypass
voltage wave.
capacitor CE is present in the circuit. (in phase/out of phase by 180°/leading by 90°/lagging by 90°)
9. The voltage gain of a transistor amplifier using potential-divider biasing
arrangement with emitter-bypass capacitor depends upon the value of RE·
10. The phase reversal between output and input takes place only for voltage Answers
waves and not for current waves, in a transistor amplifier in CE configuration. I. 2, 5, 10

II. l. (d) 2. (a) · 3 .. (c)· · .4. (c). ·

II. Below are some incomplete statements. Four alternatives are provided for each.
Choose the alternative that completes the statement correctly. III.. 1. high 2. lower 3. negative 4. inphase
1. In an amplifier, the coupling capacitors are used 5. out of phase by 180°
(a) to control the output
(b) to limit the bandwidth
(c) to match the impedances ~ Tutorial Sheet 8.1 e ,__,,.......- - - - -
(d) to prevent de mixing with input or output.
1. The amplifier circuit given in Fig. T. 8.1.l uses a transistor AC125. The
2. If the power gain of an amplifier is X and its voltage gain is Y, then its current
collector characteristics of this transistor are given in Fig. T. 8.1.2. Locate
gain will be the Q point if the quiescent base current is 15 µA. Draw the ac load line
(a) X!Y (b) Y!X on the collector characteristics to determine the output voltage, if input base
(c) XY (d) X+ y current swing is 5 µA (peak) sine wave. If the dynamic input resistance of the
transistor is 800 n, calculate the voltage gain.
[Ans. V0 = 0.95 V (p-p); Av= 119]
 Small-Signal Amplifiers 285
284 Rmir. Uectrnnics and l.ineor (.'irruil •,

12

10

8
~------- 60\lA
soµA
4oµA
6
3oµA
4

2
Fig. T. 8.1.1

Fig. T. 8.1.3
--11

-\0
AC\25 3. Ifwe connect a resistor across the output of the amplifier in Q. 2 such that the
effective ac load resistance becomes 1 kQ, draw the ac load line and calculate
-9 the voltage gain of the amplifier circuit assuming rin to be 1 kQ. Also calculate
the value of the load resistor connected at the output points.
[Ans. Av= 150; RL = 1.67 kn]

-6 • Tutorial Sheet 8.2 •

-5 1. It is desired that the coupling capacitor Cc of Fig. T. 8.2.l should couple all
frequencies from 500 Hz to 1MHz of the source to the output. Calculate the
value of the coupling capacitor such that its impedance is not more than 10 %
-3 of the load impedance, at any frequency. [Ans. 0.32 µF]
-5 µA
-2
~----------------
lOkQ
--1

0 -------·-------------------
0 -I 2 3 -4 'i -6 -7 8 l) Ver-. (volt;,) -»- 40kQ Output
40kQ

Fig. T. 8.1.2

2. Figure T. 8.1.3 shows the collector characteristics of a transistor used in an

amplifier circuit. If the emitter resistor RE is 20() Q, determine the value of
the collector resistance with the help of de load line, drawn on the givc:n Fig. T. 8.2.1
characteristics. If the biasing resistors are such that the Q point base current is
40 ~lA, determine the collector current and collector-to--emitter voltage.
jAns. Re= 2.5 kG; ho= 5 5 mA; Vn- = 10 VJ
286 Basic Electronics and Linear Ciffuils Small-Signal Amplifiers 287

2. The point A in Fig. T 8.2.2 is desirEd to be -!OV

effectively at the ground potential for the frequency +JOV
0-
range 40 I-tl to 8 kHz. Calculate suitable value of
bypass capacitor CE. Assume that for effective
lkQ
bypassing, the impedance of the capacitor CE
should not be more than 10 % of the resistance RE.
[Ans. 10 µF]
3. Work out the foilowing quantitic:-, for the circuit
-1
given in Fig. T 8.2.3: (a) ac emitter curn.:i.t; (b) ac v,
voltages a~ emitter, base and collector; (c) volta!!e 0

gain. Assume hie or rin = 250 Q.

[Am. (a) ie(peak) = 1.02 mA ::::-:: 1 mA.
Fig. T. 8.2.2
(b) Ve= 0 V, vb= 5 mV (peak);
V0 = 1 V (peak); (c) Av= 200) Fig. T. 8.2.4

1. A single-stage amplifier uses a JFET whose gm = 2 mS and rct = 50 kQ. Find

the gain of the amplifier, ifthe load resistance is 25 ill. [Ans. 33.3]
2. In an FET amplifier circuit, Rn= 10 kQ, Ra= 1 MQ, Rs = 1 kQ and Cs = 25 µF.
The FET used hasµ= 20 and rct = 100 kQ. If the input signal voltage is 0.2 V
at a frequency of 1 kHz, detennine the output signal voltage.
[Ans. 0.364 V]
5mvtfr
0
1

,_
-5mV I * Experimental Exercise 8.1 *
Title Single-stage transistor amplifier.
Fig. T. 8.2.3
Objectives To
4. In the _single-stage amplifier circuit in Fig. T. 8.2.4, transistor AC126 is used. 1. trace the circuit diagram of single-stage transistor amplifier;
D~aw 1ts ac equivalent circuit and calculate the voltage gain (v 0 /v 8) with and 2. measure the Q point collector current and collector-to-emittei:: voltage;
without RL. Assume the following transistor parameters: 3. measure the maximum signal which can be amplified by the amplifier without
hre or f3ac = 150; having clipped output;
[Ans. 50, l 00] 4. measure the voltage gain of the amplifier at 1 kHz;
5. In the amplifier circuit of Fig. T. 8.2.4, calculate 5. measure the voltage gain of the amplifier for different values ofload resistance.
(a) v0 /v 5 , if the source resistance is 600 Q.
(b) '.olii, where io is the current through the output resistance Ri. and ii is the
Apparatus Required Amplifier circuit, electronic multimeter, ac millivolt-
IPput current as shown. meter, CRO.
(c) iolis, where is is the ac current supplied by the input source.
Circuit Diagram As given in Fig. E. 8.1.1 Typical values of the components are
[Ans. (a) 29.85; (b) 75; (c) 44.44J also given.
 289
Small-Signal Amplifiers
Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
288
Also measure VcE• i.e., de voltage between the collector and the emitter.
4. Make sure that the transistor is operating in the active region by noting that
VCE is about half of Vee· Feed ac signal at 1 kHz at the input of the amplifier.
Observe the amplified output on the CRO. Increase the input signal till the
output waveshape starts getting distorted. Measure this input signal. This is
_____.s the maximum signal that the amplifier can amplify without giving distorted
output.
5. Now feed an ac signal that is less than the maximum signal handling capacity
of the amplifier. Fix the frequency of the input signal at 1 kHz. Note the input
and output voltages and calculate the voltage gain.
1 kQ 6. Connect different load resistors and find the voltage gain of the amplifier for
each.

Observations
l. Qpoint of the amplifier:
Fig. E. 8.1.1
_Vee-Ve VeE
Ve Vee- Ve 1c-
Brief Theory In the amplifier circuit shown in the figure, the resistors R 1, R 2 Vee Re
and RE fix a certain Q point. The resistor RE stabilises it against temperature varia-
tions. The capacitor CE bypass the resistor RE for the ac signal. As it offers very low
impedance path for ac, the emitter terminal is almost at ground potential. When the
ac signal is applied to the base, the base-emitter voltage changes, because of which 2. Maximum signal that can be handled by the amplifier without introducing
the base-current changes. Since collector current depends upon the base current, the distortion = m V. Frequency of the input signal = 1 kHz.
collector current also changes. When this changing collector current passes through
the load resistance Re, an ac voltage is produced at the output. As the output voltage 3. Voltage gain of the amplifier:
is much more than the input voltage, the circuit works as an amplifier circuit. The v
Output voltage Gain=__.£.
voltage gain of this amplifier is given by the formula Load resistor Input voltage Vi
S.No.

Av = f3Rac L.180°

I
rin

where rin is the dynamic input resistance, f3 is the current amplification factor, and Rae
is the ac load resistance in the circuit. Result
~ 1. Q point of the transistor is
Procedure I c = - m A , VcE=-V
1. Look at the circuit and draw it accordingly in your notebook. With the help of
the colour code, find the values of every resistor. Note the values of capacitors Since VCE ".::::'. .!_ VCC• the transistor is biased in the middle of active region.
2
also. 2. Maximum signal handing capacity of the amplifier (at 1 kHz)= _JnV.
2. Connect the de supply Vee (either from the regulated transistorised power
supply or from IC power supply). Measure the de voltage supplied. 3. The voltage gain reduces as the load resistance decreases.
3. For the measurement of quiescent collector current, measure the voltage of
collector terminal with reference to ground (Ve)- Calculate collector current
form the formula
_Vee-Ve
1c-
Rc
 291
Multi-Stage Amplifiers

9.1 DO WE REQUIRE MORE THAN ONE STAGE?

UNIT An amplifier is the basic building block of most electronic systems. Just as one brick
MULTI~STAGE AMPLIFIERS does not make a house, a single-stage amplifier is not sufficient to build a practi-
cal electronic system. In the last chapter, we had discussed the performance of a
single-stage amplifier. Although the gain of an amplifier does depend on the device
parameters and circuit components, there exists an upper theoretical limit for the
gain obtainable from one stage. The gain of single stage is not sufficient for practi-
"Well, the big products in electronics in the '50s were radio and cal applications. The voltage level of a signal can be raised to the desired level if we
television. The first big computers were just beginning to come in use more than one stage. When a number of amplifier stages are used in succession
and represented the most: logical market for us to work in" (one after the other) it is called a multi-stage amplifier or a cascaded amplifier. Much
Jack Kilby (1923-2005) higher gains can be obtained from the multi-stage amplifiers.
American Engineer
9.2 GAIN OF A MULTI-STAGE AMPLIFIER
A multi-stage amplifier (n-stages) can be represented by the block diagram shown in
Fig. 9 .1. You may note that the output of the first stage makes the input of the second
stage; the output of the second stage makes the input of the third stage, .. ., and so
on. The signal voltage Vs is applied to the input of the :first stage. The final output v0
is then available at the output terminals of last stage. The output of the first (or the
After completing this unit, students will be abie to:
input to the second stage) is
" explain the need of multi-stage amplifiers in electronic systems vi=AiVs

• calculate the overall gain (as a ratio and also in dB) of a multi- where A is the voltage gain of the first stage. Then the output of the second stage (or
1
stage amplifier, if the gain of each stage is known the input to the third stage) is
• explain the working of different types of multi-stage amplifiers V2 =A2Vi

(resistance-capacitance coupled, transformer-coupled and direct- Similarly, the final output v 0 is given as
coupled) using BjTs, and FETs
• state applications of RC-coupled, transformer-coupled and direct-
coupled multi-stage amplifiers _ where An is obviously the voltage gain of the last (nth) stage.

.
• explain the frequency response curve of an RC-coupled amplifier
• compute the mid-frequency gain of a given two-stage RC-coupled
amplifier I' 111----~j I ______
• compute the lower and upper cutoff frequencies of a single-stage
RC-coupled amplifier using an FET Fig. 9.1 Block diagram of a multi-stage amplifier having n stages
• state the effect of cascading a number of stages on the bandwidth
of an amplifier We may look upon this multi-stage amplifier as a single amplifier, whose input is
• explain different types of distortion that occur in the signal when Vs and output is v 0 • The overall gain A of the amplifier is then given as
it is amplified by an amplifier V Vi Vz
A =__£_=-x-x ... x - - x - -
Vn-i V0
• state :he classification of amplifiers on the basis of frequency, Vs Vs Vi Vn-2 Vn-i
(9.1)
couplmg, purpose, and operating point A =Ai xA 2 x ... xA,._i xA,,
or
The gain of an amplifier can also be expressed in another unit called decibel.
 292 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Multi-Stage Amplifiers 293

9.2.1 Decibel As an example; if the voltage gain of an amplifier is 10, it can be denoted on the
dB scale as
In many problems it is found very convenient to compare two powers on a logarith-
v
mic scale rather than on a linear scale. The telephone industry proposed a logarithmic Gain in dB= 20 log 1o ~ = 20 log10 10
unit, named be! after Alexander Graham Bell. The number ofbels by which a power Vi
P2 exceeds a power P 1 is defined as =20X 1 =20 dB
P2
Numbers ofbels = log 10 Pi 9.2.2 Gain of Multi-Stage Amplifier in dB
The gain of a multi-stage amplifier can be easily computed if the gains of the indi-
For practical purposes it has been found that the unit bel is quite large. Another unit,
vidual stages are known in dB. lfwe take logarithm (to the base 10) ofEq. (9.1) and
one-tenth as large, is more convenient. This smaller unit is called the decibel (abbre-
then multiply each term by 20, we get
viated as dB), and since one decibel is one-tenth of a bel, we have
20 log 10 A = 20 log 10 A 1 + 20 log10 A1 + ... + 20 log10 An
Number of dB = 10 x Number ofbels = 10 log 10 p2 (9.2) In the above equation, the term on the left is the overall ga~n of the ~ult~-~tage ampli-
Pi fier expressed in dB. The terms on the right denote the gams o~ the mdlVld~al s~ages
Note that the unit dB denotes a power ratio. Therefore, the specification of a cer- expressed in dB. Thus, the overall voltage gain in dB of a multi~stage amplifier 1s the
tain power in dB is meaningiess unless a standard reference level is either implied or sum of the decibel voltage gains of the individual stages. That 1s,
'is stated explicitly. In communication applications, usually 6 mW or 1 mW is taken
as standard reference level. When 1 mW is taken as reference, the unit dB is often Acts = AdB1 + Acts2 + · · · AdBlnl (9.5)
referred to as dBm. A negative value of number of dB in Eq. (9.2) means that the
power P2 is less than the reference power P 1. 9.2.3 Why is dB Used?
For an amplifier, P 1 may represent the input power and P 2 the output power. If Vi You may wonder why we use a logarithmic scale to denote volta~e or power gains,
and V2 are the input and output voltages of the amplifier, then instead of using simpler linear scale. The reasons for the populanty of dB scale are
v;2 as follows:
P1 =-I-
R;. 1. It permits gains to be directly added when a number ~~ stages are cascaded.
v;2 (Use oflogarithms changes multiplication into an addition). ..
2. It permits us to denote, both very small as well as very l~rge, quant1t1e s(~f
1
and P2 =-2-
Ro linear scale by conveniently small figures. Thus a voltage gam of0.000 00 ~n
where Ri and R 0 are the input and output impedances of the amplifier. Then, Eq. (9 .2) fact, it represents a loss instead of gain) may. be represented a~ a voltage ga~n
can be written as of-120 dB, or a voltage loss of 120 dB. Sinularly, a power gam of 456 000 is
v;2/Ro simply 56.59 c~ 56.6) dB on the logarithmic scale. . .
2
Number ofdB = 10 log1 0 - - (9.3) 3. The output of many amplifiers is ultimately converted mto sound andd thihs
Vi2 IR;. sound is received by human ear. Experiments show that the ear respon s t~ t e
In case the input and output impedances of the amplifier are equal, i.e., Ri = R 0 = R, sound intensities on a proportional of logarithmic scale rather than the Jmear
Eq. (9.3) simplifies to scale If the audio uower increases from 4 W to 64 W, the hearing level does
2 not i~crease by a f~ctor of 64/4 = 16. The response of the ear will increase by
NumberofdB = 10 log 10 Vi: = 10 Iog 10 (Vi ) a factor ofonly 3, since (4) 3 = 64. Thus, the use of the dB unit is justified on a
Vi Vi psychological basis too.
= 10 x 2 log10 -
V2 V2
= 20 log10 - (9.4)
Vi Vi Example 9.1 A inulti-sta'.g~ 'amplifier consists d'.f thtee·sta:ges; The voitage· ·
However, in general, the input and output impedances are not always equal. But the .··gains qfthe stages are 30, .50 and 80, Calculate the overall vol~ge gai11jn dB .. ; .·. j
expression ofEq. (9.4) is adopted as a convenient definition of the decibel voltage
gain of an amplifier, regardless of the magnitudes of the input and output imped-
ances. Of course, this usage is technically improper.
294 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuit<; Multi-Stage Amplifiers 295

base of the second stage through the capacitor Cc. The coupling capacitor Cc blocks
Sol~ti~n: We know that the overall voltage gain in dB of the three-stage ampli-
the de voltage of the first stage from reaching the base of the second stage. In this way,
fier 1s given as
the de biasing of the next stage is not interfered with. For this reason, the capacitor
AclB = Ac1B1 + AdB2 + AdB3
Cc is also called a blocking capacitor.
But, we are given the voltage gains of the individual stages as ratios. So, we should
first find the gains of the individual stages in decibels. Thus,
AdBI = 20 log10 30 = 29.54 dB
Ac1B2 = 20 log 10 50 = 33.98 dB
AdB3 = 20 log10 80 = 38.06 dB
Therefore,
AdB = 29.54 + 33.98 + 38.06 = 101.58 dB
_Al_ternatively, we could have determined AdB as follows: The overall voltage
gam 1s
A =Ai xA2 xA3
= 30 x 50x80=120000
Therefore, the overall voltage gain in dB is
Fig. 9.2 Two-stage RC-coupled ampiijier using B]Ts
AdB = 20 log10120000=101.58 dB
Some loss of the signal voltage always occurs due to the drop across the coupling
capacitor. This loss is more pronounced when the frequency of the input signal is low.
9~3 .. now !0 COUPLE TWO STAGES? i
(This point is discussed in more detail in Section 9.4.1.) This is the main drawback
of this coupling scheme. However, if we are interested in amplifying ac signals of
In a ~ulti-stage amplifier, the output of one stage makes the input of the next stage frequencies greater than about 10 Hz, this coupling is the best solution. It is the most
(s~e Fig. 9.1). Can we c?nnec~ the output terminals of one amplifier to the input ter- convenient and least expensive way to build a multi-·stage amplifier.
mma~s oft~e next amplifier d!fectly? This may not always be possible due to practi-
RC coupling scheme finds applications in almost all audio small-signal amplifiers
cal ~1~culttes. We must use a suitable coupling network between two stages so that
used in record players, CD players, public address systems, radio receivers, television
a mlillmum loss of voltage occurs when the signal passes through this network to the
receivers, etc. Figure 9.3 illustrates the use of RC coupling in the case of two stages
next stage. Also, the de voltage at the output of one stage should not be permitted
to go to the input of the next. If it does, the biasing conditions of the next stage are ofFET amplifiers.
disturbed.
T~e coupling network not only couples two stages; it also forms a part of the
load impedance of the preceding stage. Thus, the performance of the amplifier will
also depend upon the type of coupling network used. Three generally used coupling
schemes are:
1. Resistance-capacitance coupling
2. Transformer coupling
3. Direct coupling

9.3.1 Resistance-Capacitance Coupling

Figure 9 .2 s~ows how to co~pl_e two stages of amplifiers using resistance-capacitance
(~C) couplmg scheme. This 1s the most widely used method. In this scheme, the Fig. 9.3 Two-stage RC-·coupled amplifier using FETs
signal developed across the collector resistor Re of the first stage is coupled to the
 Multi-Stage Amplifiers 297
296 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

9.3.2 Transformer Coupling and interwinding capacitances. Because of these stray elements, t?e transformer-
coupled amplifier does not amplify the signals of different frequencies equally well.
In this type of coupling, a transformer is used to transfer the ac output voltage of the The interwinding capacitance may give rise to a phenom~non of.resonance at some
first stage to the input of the second stage. The resistor Re (see Fig. 9 .2) is replaced frequency. This may make the gain of the amplifier very_ high at this frequency. At the
by the primary winding of a transformer. The secondary winding of the transformer same time, the gain may be quite low at other frequencies.
replaces the wire between the voltage divider (of the biasing network) and the base Because of the above drawbacks, the transformer-coupling scheme is not used ~or
of the second stage. Figure 9.4 illustrates the transformer coupling between the two amplifying low frequency (audio) signals. However, they are wi~ely used for amphfi-
stages of amplifiers, using BJTs. cation ofradio-frequency signals. Radio frequency means anythmg above 20 kHz. In
radio receivers, the rf ranges from 550 kHz to 1600 kHz for the ~edium-wave ~and;
and from 3 MHz to 30 MHz for the short wave band. In TV recei~ers, the rf ~ignals
have frequencies ranging from 54 MHz to 216 MHz. By putting suitable shuntmg_ ca-
pacitors across each winding of the transformer, we can get.resonance at any_ desi:ed
rffrequency. Such amplifiers are called tuned-voltage amplifiers. These provide_high
gain at the desired rf frequency. For this reas~n,. the trar_isformer-coupled a~phfiers
are used in radio and TV receivers for amphfymg rf signals. (Such amplifiers are
discussed in Unit 11 of this book.)
The use of a transformer for coupling not only saves power l~ss in the c~llector
resistor Re, but also helps in proper impedance matching. By suitably_ selectmg the
turns ratio of the transformer, we can match any load with the output rm~edance of
the amplifier. This helps in transferring maximum power from ~he amphfier to the
load. This is discussed in more details in Unit 10 on power amphfiers.
A tuned transformer-coupled amplifier using FETs is shown in Fig. 9.5.

Fig. 9.4 Two stages, using B]Ts, are coupled by a transformer

Note that in this circuit there is no coupling capacitor. The de isolation between
the two stages is provided by the transformer itself. There exists no de path between
the primary and the secondary windings of a transformer. However, the ac voltage
across the primary winding is transferred (with a multiplication factor depending
upon the turns-ratio of the transformer) to the secondary winding.
The main advantage of the transformer coupling over RC coupling is that all the
de voltage supplied by Vee is available at the collector. There is no voltage drop
across the collector resistor Re (of RC-coupled scheme). The de resistance of the
primary winding is very low (only a few ohms). The ac impedance across the pri-
mary depends upon the turns-ratio of the transformer and the input impedance of
the second amplifier; and it can be made sufficiently high. The absence of resistor
Re in the collector circuit also eliminates the unnecessary power loss in this resistor. . 9 .5
F1g. T.rans•ormer-coupled,
'1' tuned voltage amplifier using FETs
These considerations of power are important when the amplifier is to work as a power
amplifier (see Unit 10). 9.3.3 Direct Coupling
The transformer coupling scheme has some disadvantages also. The most
In certain applications, the signal voltages are of very low ~equency. For example,
obvious disadvantage is the increased size of the system. The transformer is very
thermocouples are used for the measurement of temperature m furnaces. The volta~e
bulky as compared to a resistor or a capacitor. It is also relatively costlier. Another
induced in the thermocouple is very small in magnitude (of the order of µV). This
disadvantage of this scheme arises from the fact that the transformer used differs in
voltage needs to be amplified to a suitable level before it can be used to deflect the
its working from an ideal one. In the transformer, there is some leakage inductance
298 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Multi-Stage Amplifiers 299

needle of a meter. The temperature of the furnace may change very slowly. The indi-
cating meter should respond to such slowly varying changes. The amplifier used for
the amplification of such slowly varying signals makes use of direct coupling. In this
type of coupling scheme, the output of one stage of the amplifier is connected to the
input of the next stage by means of a simple connecting wire.
+
For applications where the signal frequency is below 10 Hz, coupling capacitors
and bypass capacitors cannot be used. At low frequencies, these capacitors can no +
longer be treated as short circuits, since they offer sufficiently high impedance. On
the other hand, if coupling and bypass capacitors are to serve their purpose, their
values have to be extremely large. Such capacitors are not only very expensive, but
also are inconveniently large in size. For example, to bypass a 100 .Q emitter resis-
tor at a frequency of 10 Hz, we need a capacitor of about 1000 µF. The lower the
Fig. 9. 7 Two-stage direct-coupled amplifier using FETs
frequency, the worse the problem becomes. To avoid this problem, direct coupling is
used. Figure 9.6 shows a two-stage direct-coupled amplifier, using BJTs. Note that no
coupling and bypass capacitors are used. Therefore, both de as well as ac are coupled Example 9.2 A two-stage direct~coupled amplifier is shown in Fig. 9.8. The
to the next stage. The de voltage at the collector of the first stage reaches the base
transistors used in the circuit haveVBE = O.JVand :f3 = 300. If the voltage at the
of the second stage. This should be taken into account while designing the biasing
circuit of the second stage (see Example 9.2). input is + 1.4 V, calculat~. pie Y?::l~ge at. tlle .O,lf!pV(t-~~it1~I,: >·~· .. -~

24k.Q

Fig. 9.6 Two-stage, direct-coupled amplifier using B]Ts

Fig. 9.8 A direct-coupled amplifier
The direct coupling scheme has a serious drawback. The transistor parameters like
VBE and f3 vary with temperature. This causes the collector current and voltage to Solution: The input voltage is+ 1.4 V. The voltage VBE being 0.7 V, the voltage
change. Because of the direct coupling, this voltage change appears at the final out- at the emitter terminal will be
put. Such an unwanted change in output voltage which has no relationship with input VE= 1.4-0.7 = 0.7V
voltage is called drift. The drift in direct-coupled amplifiers is a serious problem. It
can be wrongly interpreted as a genuine output produced by the input signal. There Therefore, the emitter current (first stage),
are some specially designed direct-coupled amplifier circuits in which the problem I = 0.7 ~ 1 mA
of drift is minimised to a considerable extent. El 680
Figure 9.7 shows how FETs can be used in making a two-stage direct-coupled
amplifier. Since Ie 1 ~ /Ep the collector voltage is
3 3
Ve 1 = Vee - Ie 1 x 27 x 103 = 30 - 1 x 10- x 27 x 10
=3V
 300 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits 301
Multi-Stage Amplifiers

For this ci~cuit, the base voltage of the second stage is the collector vol+'l<P ''f the Figure 9 .10 shows a frequency response curve of a typical RC-coupled amplifier.
fi rst stage. fhus, · "b" u
This curve is usually plotted on a semilog graph paper with frequency on logarithmic
VB2 = Vc1=3 V scale so as to accommodate large frequency range. Note that the gain is constant
Since ' ·VBE = O·,'7 v, th r em1·tter vo 1tage of the second stage is only for a limited band of frequencies. This range of frequencies is called the mid-
frequency range and the gain is called mid-band gain, Avm· On both sides of the mid-
VB2 = 3 - 0.7 = 2.3 V
frequency range, the gain decreases. For very low and for very high frequencies, the
The emitter current,
gain of the amplifier reduces to almost zero.
2.3
I E2 = ----- :::= l mA
3
2.4xJ0 Avt
Avm ------------- - - - .
Since, fc 2 :::= !£ 2 , The voltage at the collector is
Vc2 =Vee - Ic 2 x 24 x 10 3 = 30 - 1 x 10-3 x 24 x 103
=6V
Thus, the voltage at the output terminal is
4 5 6
10° 10 1 102 103 10 10 10 /(Hz) -
V0 = 6V
Fig. 9~10 Frequency response curve of an RC-coupled amplifier
9.4 FREQUENCY RESPONSE CURVE OF
AN RC-COUPLED AMPLIFIER 9.4.1 Fall of Gain in Low-frequency Range
In the last section, we analysed an amplifier circuit to determine its voltage gain.
*h~ractical amplifier cir~uit is meant to raise the voltage level of the input si aw I
is ;~n~ m_ay be obtamed from the piezoelectric crystal of a record plave; t~~ This was the mid-frequency gain. In mid-frequency range, the coupling and bypass
capacitors are as good as short circuits. But, when the frequency is low, these ca-
so~n .ea .of a tape .recorder, the microphone in case of a PA system. or fro~i ~ de-
pacitors can no longer be replaced by the short-circuit approximation. The lower the
~:ctor ~rrcm~ of a radro or TV receiver. Such a signal is not of a sin ale frequency But
frequency, the greater is the value of reactance of these capacitors, since
~h con~1sts o a band ~f frequencies. For example, the electrical s~nal produce.ct b
30e voice ofhu?1an bemg or by a musical orchestra may contain frequencies as low a~ 1
Xc=--
Hz and as high as l? ~Hz. Such a signal is called audio signal. If the louds eakers 2rtfC
~re to reproduce the ongmal sound faithfully, the amplifier used must amplifyall the
requency compo~ents of the signal equally well. If it does not do so, the ou ut. of Let us first examine how the coupling capacitor Cc affects the voltage gain of the
the loud~pead~er w1.ll not be an exact replica of the original sound. When this ha:pe·1s amplifier at low frequencies. The output section of the first stage of the two-stage RC-
coupled amplifier of Fig. 9.2 is redrawn in Fig. 9.lla. The output voltage v 0 ofthis
we say t at zstortwn has been introduced by the amplifier. ",.
stage is the input to the second stage. The resistors R 1 and R2 are the biasing resistors
The performance of an amplifier is judged by· observina whet.her· all f·
com t f h · " "' - ' 1eouencv for the second stage. From the ac point of view, this circuit is equivalent to the one
its ;onen s o t e signal are amplified equally well. This information is provided b~
drawn in Fig. 9.1 lb. Assume for the time being, that the capacitor CE is replaced by
. equency ~espons~ curv.e. This curve illustrates how the magnitude of the volta e
g~i~ (~fbamphfier). vanes with the frequency of the input signal (sinusoidal) It can ~e a short circuit. The resistors Ri. R2 and input impedance hie of the next stage are in
parallel and are equivalent to a resistor R. This resistance forms a part of the load
P. o e 'dyl melasurmg the :ol~age gain of the amplifier for different frequen~ies of the
resistance of the previous (first) stage. It really does not matter whether the output
smusoi a vo tage fed to its mput (see Fig. 9.9).
voltage v0 is taken at the left side or at the right side of the resistor R.
The capacitor Cc is in series with the resistor R, and this series combination is in
parallel with the collector resistor Re. The whole of this impedance forms the ac load
for the preceding stage. But the effective output of the stage is the ac voltage devel-
oped across the resistor R (see Fig. 9.1 lc). At mid-frequencies (and also at high fre-
quencies), the reactance of the capacitor Cc is sufficiently small compared to R. We
can treat it as a short circuit so that the resistor R comes in parallel with the resistor
Re. In such a case, the voltage vi across resistor Re will be the same as the voltage v 0
Fig. 9.9 Measurel!!entorvo/taaeqa·
'J ._, ,_ in °
1· 1.P1(.1Lting
.,.. .f1equency-re~c:.11unse
- curve
 303
Multi-Stage Amplifiers
302 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

the reactance of the capacitor CE becomes comparable to resistance RE· The bypass-
sufficiently large. This causes a signifi~ant vol e o c [ - l/(2nfCc)] be~omes
across R. However, at low frequencies the reactanc f C -
ing action of the capacitor is no longer as good as at mid- and high-frequencies. The
the effective output voltage v dee Th ~age drop across Cc. The _result 1s that emitter is not at ground potential for ac. The emitter current ie divides into two parts,
higher will be the reactance ;fth:::~:~itore Cowerdt~~ frequenc~ ofth1s signal, the i and i • A part of current i 1 passes through the resistor RE· The rest of the current
2
in output voltage Vo· At zero fre u . can e more will be the reduction i1 (= ie - i ) passes through the capacitor CE- Due to current i 1 in RE, an ac voltage
infinitely large (an open circuit).\~~';ff~~~i~~gnals), the reactance of capacitor Cc is 2 1
i 1 x RE is developed.
Thus we see that the output volt output voltage Vo then reduces to zero. When the polarity of the input signal voltage is as shown in figure, the current i 1
frequency of the signal decrease:g:e~;J~nhde mhe1.ndcefrthe voltage gain) decreases as the flows from the emitter to ground. The polarity of the voltage i 1RE is also marked in
- equency range.
the figure. Then, the effective input voltage to the amplifier (that is the voltage be-
tween the base and emitter of the transistor) becomes
(9.6)

The effective input voltage is thus reduced. The output voltage v 0 of the amplifier will
now naturally be reduced. In other words, the gain of the amplifier(= vJvi) reduces.
This reduction in gain occurs due to the inability of the capacitor CE to bypass ac
current. The lower the frequency, the higher is the impedance of the capacitor CE> and
the greater is the reduction in gain.
Note that the resistor RE is not only a part of the input section, but also is a part of
the output section. The voltage i 1RE developed across the resistor RE depends upon
the output ac current. In this way, the effective input to the amplifier depends on the
output current. The reduction in gain due to such a process is technically described
(a) (b) as negative current feedback effect.
In Fig. 9.12, there is also a coupling capacitor Cc in the input section of the ampli-
fier. Due to this capacitor, the effective input voltage is reduced at low frequencies in
much the same way as the effective output voltage v 0 is reduced due to the coupling
capacitor in the output section. Thus, the coupling capacitor in the input side is also
responsible for the decrease of gain at low frequencies.
In practical circuits, the value of the bypass capacitor CE is very large ('.'.: :'. l 00 µF).
Therefore, it is the coupling capacitor that has the more pronounced effect in reduc-
ing the gain at low frequencies.
(c)
9.4.2 Does Gain Fall at High Frequencies?
~~~~~~~~:1:~:~;r::i~~e~;~c;:f~e:n~~~~t;:~ (b) Its ac equivalent; (c) The
Fig. 9.11
As the frequency of the input signal
increases, the gain of the amplifier re-
The other component, due to which the gain duces. Several factors are responsible
:ecrease~ at low frequencies, is the bypass capaci- for this reduction in gain. Firstly, the
or C~. Figure 9. 12 shows the input section of the beta (/J) of the transistor is frequency
amph~er. The capacitor CE is connected across dependent. Its value decreases at high
the emitter resistor RE. This capacitor is meant to frequencies (see Fig. 9.13). Because of
bypa~s the a~ cm:rent to ground. The impedance this, the voltage gain of the amplifier
o~ th~s c_apac1tor is quite low (as good as a short 1--
redu~es as the frequency increases. 0
c~rcmt) m the mid-frequency range as well as in
Another important factor responsi- Fig. 9.13 Variation of short-circuit current
high-~requency range. Therefore, at these fre-
ble for the reduction in gain of the am- gain f3ac with frequency
quencies, the emitter is effectively grounded for Fig. 9.12 Input section of an RC-
plifier at high frequencies is the pres-
ac current. However, as the frequency decreases, coupled amplifier
 Multi-Stage Amplifiers 305
304 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

ence of the device. In case of a transistor, there exists some capacitance due to the
formation of a depletion layer at the junctions. These inter-electrode capacitances
are shown in Fig. 9.14. Note that the connection for these capacitances are shown by
-
ic=i1 +iz+i3

dotted lines. This has been done to indicate that these are not physically present in the
circuit, but are inherently present with the device (whether we like it or not).

Fig. 9.15 Output section of an RC-coupled amplifier at high frequencies

As can be seen from Fig. 9.15, the collector current ic is made up of three currents
ii> i and i3. As the frequency of the input signal increases, the impedance of the shunt
2
capacitance Cs decreases, since
1
Xcs = 2nfCs

As a result, the current i 2 through this capacitance increases. This reduces both the
currents ii and i3, since the total current ic (=ii+ i1 + i3) is almost constant. It means
that the output voltage v0 (= i3 R) decreases. The higher the frequency, the lower is the
impedance offered by Cs and the lower will be the output voltage v 0 •

9.4.3 Bandwidth of an Amplifier

Fig. 9.14 RC-coupled amplifier. Capacitances that affect high-frequency response are
shown by dotted connections Frequency response curve of an RC-coupled amplifier is shown in Fig. 9 .16. The gain
remains constant only for a limited band of frequencies. On both the low-frequency
The capacitance Che between the base and collector connects the output with side as well as on the high-frequency side, the gain falls. Now an important question
the input. Because of this, negative feedback takes place in the circuit and the gain arises-where exactly should we fix the frequency limits (of input signal) within
decreases. This feedback effect is more, when the capacitance Che provides a better which the amplifier may be called a good amplifier? The limit is set at those frequen-
conducting path for the ac current. Such is the case at high frequencies. As the fre- cies at which the voltage gain reduces to 70. 7 % of the maximum gain Avm· These
quency increases, the reactive impedance of the capacitor becomes smaller. frequencies are known as the cut-offfrequencies of the amplifier. These frequencies
.The capacitance Che offers a low-impedance path at high frequencies in the input are marked in Fig. 9.16. The frequency Ji. is the lower cut-offfrequency and the fre-
side. This reduces the input impedance of the device, and the effective input side sig- quencyh is the upper cut-offfrequency. The difference of the two frequencies, that is
nal is reduced. So the gain falls. Similarly, the capacitance Cee produces a shunting h-fi., is called the bandwidth (BW) of the amplifier. The mid-frequency range of the
effect at high frequencies in the output side. amplifier is from Ji to Ji. Usually, the lower cut-off frequency Ji. is much lower than
Besides the junction capacitances, there are wiring capacitances Cwi and Cw2, as upper cut-off frequency Ji, so that we have
shown in Fig. 9.14. The connecting wires of the circuit are separated by air which BW =Ji-Ji. :::!.Ji (9.8)
serves as a dielectric. This gives rise to some capacitance between the wires, though
the capacitance value may be very small. But at high frequencies, even these small Avt
capacitances Cw Cw2, and the input capacitance Ci of the next stage can be repre- Avm ----------------:----
sented by a single shunt capacitance
0.707Avm --------------- '.--------------------------: ---·
(9.7) ! Mid-frequency !
: - Range - :
: :
The output section of the amplifier is shown in Fig. 9.15 from the ac point of view,
l: l:
for high-frequency considerations. The capacitance Cs is the equivalent shunt ca- 5
2 3 4
pacitance as given by Eq. (9.7). Note that the coupling and bypass capacitors do 10° 101 10 10 10 10 /(Hz)-
not appear in the figure, because they effectively represent short circuits at these Fig. 9.16 Bandwidth of an RC-coupled amplifier
frequencies.
306 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
Multi-Stage Amplifiers 307

Why the limit is set at 70. 7 % of maximum gain At the cut-off frequencies
the voltage gain is Effect on bandwith when stages are cascaded A number of stages are cas-
caded to obtain higher values of voltage gain. But then the bandwidth of the amplifier
0.707Avm [(=1/.J2)AvmJ does not remain the same. It decreases. The upper cut-off frequency decreases and
where Avm is the maximum gain or the mid-frequency gain of the amplifier. It means the lower cut-off frequency increases. It happens because greater number of stages
at these frequencies. the output voltage is 11.J2 times the maximum voltage. Since means a greater number of capacitors in the circuit. And each capacitor adversely
affects the frequency response.
the power is proportional to the square of the voltage, the output power at these
cut-off frequencies becomes one-half of the power at mid-frequencies. On the dB If n identical stages are cascaded, the overall mid-band voltage gain becomes
scale this is equal to a reduction in power by 3 dB. For this reason, these frequencies
are also called half-power frequencies, or 3 dB jl-equencies. (9.9)
We have taken a difference of 3 dB in power to define the cut-off frequencies, where Avm is the mid-band voltage gain of an individual stage. If.Ii and h are the
because this represents an audio-power difference that can just be detected by the lower and upper cut-off frequencies of an individual stage, the overall all cut-off
human ear. For the frequencies below .fi and above fz, the output power will reduce frequencies are given by
by more than 3 dB.
f{ = 1 .Ii (9.10)
Example 9.3 An RC-coupled amplifier has a voltage gain of 100 in the fre-
~(2 11n- l)
quency range of 400 Hz to 25 kHz. On either side of these frequencies, the gain and fz = ~(2 11n -1) f2 (9.11)
falls so that it is reduced by 3 dB at 80 Hz and 40 kHz. Calculate gain in dB at
cut-off frequencies and also construct a plot of frequency response curve. .~

9~s · ANA.tvs1s OF Two.:s'fAGE .ac-qotiPM~Q

Solution: The gain in dB is
AM-PtIFIER
AdB = 20 log 10 A = 20 log 10 100 = 40 dB
We have complete information about an amplifier if following parameters are known:
This is the mid-band gain. The gain at cut-off frequencies is 3 dB less than the mid-
band gain, i.e., 1. Mid-band voltage gain Avm
(ActB) (at cut-off frequencies) = 40 - 3 = 37 dB 2. Bandwidth, i.e.,fz - .fi
The plot of the frequency response curve is given in Fig. 9.17. 3. Input impedance Zi
4. Output impedance Z0

The analysis of a two-stage amplifier will depend upon what active device is used.
We shall analyse a two-stage amplifier circuit using BJTs as well as JFETs.
40 ------------c:.;-----.,-,-----....,.._,-
37 ------- -----------r-----------------------;------
9.5.1 Two-Stage BJT RC-Coupled Amplifier
A two-stage RC-coupled amplifier circuit using identical BJTs is shown in Fig. 9 .18.
For its analysis, we first draw the circuit from the ac point of view. This is shown in
Fig. 9.19. Since we wish to determine the gain in the mid-frequency range, all the
coupling and bypass capacitors are replaced by short circuits. The de power supply is
80 400 25x10 3 40x10 3 f (Hz) - also replaced by a short circuit. Next, we replace the transistors by their h-parameter
approximate models. The result is the Fig. 9.20. In the approximate model of the
Fig. 9.17 transistor, small parameters hre and hoe are neglected.
 308 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
Multi-Stage Amplifiers 309

Az = _ •lzrel?acz
(9.13)
~e
where Racz is the ac load resistance for the second stage, given by

-Rez llRL-
Racz- - Rc2RL (9.14)
Rcz+RL
For determining the gain of the first stage, let us have a closer look into what con-
v,
stitutes its ac load resistance, Raq. From Fig. 9 .20, the resistance Rael is the parallel
combination of Re1> Rs and hie (the input impedance of the second stage). That is,

Rac1 =Rei II RB II hie

The voltage gain of the first stage is then given as
Fig. 9.18 Two-stage B]T RC-coupled amplifier
A
1= _ lzrel?acl
(9.15)
~e
Using Eqs. (9.13) and (9.15) the overall gainAvm can be easily determined, since

(9.16)
It should be noted that the voltage gain of the first stage A 1 is always less than the
voltage gainAz of the second stage. This is because RaCJ is very much reduced, as the
input impedance hie is in parallel with Re 1 and Rs. This effect is called the loading
effect in multi-stage amplifiers.
Fig. 9.19 Circuit of Fig. 9.18 from ac point of view The overall input impedance is simply the input impedance of the first stage. If
the biasing resistors R 1 and Rz are large compared to hie• the overall impedance Zi is
simply hie·
The output impedance of the amplifier is Racz·

9.5.2 Two-Stage JFET RC-Coupled Amplifier

A two-stage JFET amplifier appears in Fig. 9.21. Unlike BJTs, the input impedance
of a JFET is very high. Also the gate resistor Ra connected in the input of a stage
is much greater (of the order of 1 MQ) than the load resistance RL (of the order of
10 kQ) of the preceding stage. Therefore, a stage does not load its preceding stage.
Fig. 9.20 B]Ts of Fig. 9.19 replaced by their approximate h-parameter model
Each of the stages can be considered quite independently. For determining the overall
gain of the amplifier, we shall consider the first stage only (shown within the dotted
The parallel combination of resistors R 1 and Rz is replaced by a single resistor box in Fig. 9.21).
RB, i..e.,
In Fig. 9.22a the ac equivalent of the first stage of the RC-coupled amplifier of
RB =R111 Rz = Ri.Rz (9.12) Fig. 9.21 is shown. The JFET is replaced by its voltage-source equivalent. From the
R1+Rz ac point of view, the de supply Vnn offers a short circuit. The parallel combination
For finding the overall gain of the two-stage amplifier, we should know the gains of RsCs does not appear in the equivalent circuit. The capacitor Cs is assumed to be
the individual stages. Let us first find the gain A z of the second stage. We can use the large enough to put the source at ground potential, at the operating frequencies. The
formula derived in Unit 8 (see Eq. (8.9)) and write capacitor Csh represents the total shunt capacitance. This includes inter-electrode
capacitance Cds• wiring capacitance Cw and the effective input capacitance Ci of the
next stage. Typical value of the shunt capacitor Csh is 200 pF.
310 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Multi-Stage Amplifiers 311

Obviously, Req is the equivalent parallel combination of r & RL and Ra, i.e.,
.----------------
'
-----1
I I 1 1 I
I
I
I
-=-+-+- (9.19)
I
I
l?eq ra RL Ra
I
I
I
I
I
I G

I
s
(a) The ac equivalent of one stage of RC-coupled BJT amplifier
- I

",, G D
'-----------~~-~---~-~1
Fig. 9.21 Two-stage RC-coupled amplifier using ]FETs

In mid-frequency range, the frequency is high enough to make the reactance

of capacitor Cc small, compared to Ra. Therefore, it may be replaced by a short-
circuit. For example, if Cc = 0.05 µF, at a frequency of I kHz, the reactance
Xe= 112nfCc= 3.18 kQ. This is much smaller than the value of Ra (usually I MQ). s
(b) The same at mid-frequency
In this frequency range, the shunt capacitor Csh offers very high impedance in parallel
with the resistors RL and Ra. Cc
Hence it is neglected. The ac equivalent circuit for the mid-frequency range does
not contain any capacitor, as shown in Fig. 9.22b. If the parallel combination of RL
and Ra is replaced by a single resistor R, so that

R = RLil Ra = RLRa ' or _!_ = _I + _l_

RL+Ra R RL , Ra
the mid-band voltage gain is given as
s
(c) The same at low frequencies
µR (9.17)
Avm =--- G D
rd+R
Since µ = rdgm, the above equation becomes

A =- ragJ
vm rd +R
We now divide both numerator and denominator by raR so as to get s
(d) The same at high frequencies

Fig. 9.22

Figure 9.22c shows the ac equivalent circuit in the low-frequency range. For
low frequencies, the reactance of Cc becomes comparable to Ra. Hence, it cannot
 313
Multi-Stage Amplifiers
312 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
the network is redrawn from an ac point of view. They are also in parallel with
be neglected. The capacitor Csh need not be considered, as its reactance becomes the input impedance of the first transistor, which is approximately hie= 1.1 kQ,
much higher than what it was in mid-frequency range. The frequency response of the since the emitter resistor is bypassed by CE·
amplifier in low-frequency depends upon Cc, and the cut-off frequency Ji is given by
zi = 5.6 kQ 11 56 kQ \11.l kQ = o.905 kO
1
.fi = 2nCcR' (9 .20) (b) Output impedance: Recall that the approximate collector-to-emitter equiva-
lent circuit of a transistor is simply a current source hfeib(or /3 ib)· The dynamic
where, output resistance r (which is 1/h0 e), being very large, was neglected in the ap-
(9.21) 0
proximate analysis. Therefore, Recu• which is a parallel combination of3.3 kQ
In the high-frequency range, the ac equivalent circuit becomes as shown in and 2.2 kQ, is the effective output impedance.
Fig. ~.22d. Now, capacitor Cc does not appear, but the capacitor Csh will have a Z0 = 3.3kQ\12.2kQ=1.32 kO
shuntmg effect at the output. The fall in gain at high frequencies is due to the shunt-
ing effect of this capacitor Csh· The upper cut-off frequency is given by (c) Voltage gain: For calculating the voltage gain, the ac equivalent circuit of
1
the given two-stage amplifier is drawn (Fig. 9.24).
h= ~.2~ C2
21tCshl?eq Bi Ci B2
+
ib~
where Req is given by Eq. (9 .19). ib7).
2.2
, Equations (9 .17), (9 .20) and (9 .22) give the performance of a single-stage RC- 5.6 h· 1.1 3.3
kn Vo
5.6 56 h· kn 1e kn kn
coupled amplifier. Using these values the overall performance of the two-stage RC- kn 1e
kn
coupled amplifier can be determined with the help ofEqs. (9.9), (9.10) and (9.11).

Example 9.4 A t\yo-siiigr R~. cquJ'jed, BJt~p\lfier .is ~hown in Fig, 9 .23.
Calculate (a} input impe<:Iance'.ZJ,'.(b) Sutpuflrlip"bdance Z0 , attd(c) voltage gain Fig. 9.24 AC equivalent circuit ofa two-stage B]T RC-coupled amplifier using approximate
A.vm. for both the transistors, hre or P= 120 and tin or hie"" L1 kQ. · _"4 h-parameter model

The voltage gain of the second stage is given by

_
A 2-
-hreRac2
~e
Here hfe = 120; hie= 1.1 kQ; and 3
3.3x103 x2.2x10
+ Rae = 3.3kQ112.2 kQ = 3
(3.3+2.2)x10
= 1.32 kQ
2.2 v 3
kn 0
A = -120xl.32xl0 =-144
2 3
1.1x10
The voltage gain of the first stage is given by
_ -hreRac1
A 1-
~e
Fig. 9.23 A two-stage RC-coupled amplifier
Here, Raci = 6.8kQ1156kQ115.6kQ111.l kQ = 0.798 kQ
3
Solution: A = -120x0.798xl0 =-87 .05
(a) Input impedance: From the knowledge of single-stage analysis, it is clear I 1.1X103
that for ac response, both 5.6-kQ and 56-kQ resistors will appear in parallel if
 314 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits
Multi-Stage Amplifiers 315
Overall gainA =A 1 xA 2 = -87.05 x (-144)
The lower cut-off frequency of the amplifier is given by
= 12 535
1
Ji = , where R' =(rd llRL) +Ro
2nCcR'
Example 9.5 ·For a two-stage JFET amplifier shown in Fig. 9.25, calculate the
maximum voltagegain.andthebandwidth. Assume the following: Here, Cc= 10 µF andR' = (1°1
;
8
kQ + 470 kQ) = 474.44 k.Q
R.L = io 1dl-' R.0 = 470 ill-'c.
. ' .sh .-.: . 10.
. 0·pF.·, µ,,;, 25·, rd = 8 k.O
1
+12V Ji = = 0.0335 Hz
2n x IO x 10- x474.44x103
6

The lower cut-off frequency of the two stages is given by

j'- Ji 335
0.0 = 0.052 Hz
I - ~(2112 -1)

r
~1.414 -1

The upper cut-off frequency of the amplifier is given by

470 k.Q Vo

l Here, Csh = 100 pF and Req = 4.44 k.Q. Therefore,

Ji =
1
2n x 100x10- 12 x4.44x10 3
= 358.5 kHz
Fig. 9.25 A two-stage RC-coupled amplifier using ]FETs
The upper cut-off frequency for a two-stage amplifier is given by
Solution: In order to calculate the maximum voltage gain of the given two-stage
amplifier, the voltage gains of the individual stages are calculated. Since the two f2 ~(2112 -1) xfi = 0.6436 x 358.5 kHz= 230.72 kHz
=
stages are identical, and cascading of the stages does not affect the performance of
Bandwidth = f2 - fl= 230. 72 kHz - 52.05 Hz ~ .230 kHz
the preceding stage, the voltage gain of both the stages is same. The voltage gain of
a JFET amplifier is

Avm = groReq L'.1800

Here, µ 25
gm =-=---S The purpose of an amplifier is to boost up the voltage or power level of a signal.
rd 8xl03 During this process. the waveshape of the signal should not change. If the waveshape
and Req =rd II RL I/ Ro= 8kn1110k.Q11470 kQ of the output is not an exact replica of the waveshape of the input, we say that
distortion has been introduced by the amplifier. An ideal amplifier will amplify a
'.:':::' 8 k.Q 1110 k.Q = 4.44 kQ
signal without changing its waveshape at all. Such an amplifier faithfully amplifies
3
A = 25x4.4x10 = l3. the signal, and we say it has a good.fidelity. Such an amplifieris called Hi-Fi (high
vm 8X103 75 fidelity) amplifier.

The voltage gain of the two-stages, A~m' is given by A number of factors may be responsible for causing distortion. It may be caused
either due to the reactive components of the circuit, or due to imperfect (non-linear)
A~m = (Avm)2=(13.75) 2 =189.06 characteristics of the transistor. There are three types of distortion. These may exist
either separately or simultaneously in an amplifier.
 316 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Multi-Stage Amplifiers 317

1. Frequency distortion
harmonics of the frequencies present in the input. For example, the input signal may
2. Phase or time-delay distortion
consist of two frequency components, say 400 Hz and 500 Hz. If the amplifier gives
3. Harmonic, amplitude, or non-linear distortion rise to harmonic distortion, the output will contain

9.6.1 Frequency Distortion 400 Hz <Ji, the fundamental)

500 Hz (h, the fundamental)
In practical situations, the signal is not a simple sinusoidal voltage. It has a complex 800 Hz (second harmonic of Ji = 2 x 400 Hz)
waveshape. Such a signal is equivalent to a signal obtained by adding a number of
1000 Hz (second harmonic of Ji = 2 x 500 Hz)
sinusoidal voltages of different frequencies. These sinusoidal voltages are called the
frequency components of the signal. If all the frequency components of the signal 1200 Hz (third harmonic of Ji = 3 x 400 Hz)
are not amplified equally well by the amplifier,frequency distortion is said to occur. 1500 Hz (third harmonic of Ji = 3 x 500 Hz)
The cause for this distortion is non-constant gain for different frequencies. This 1600 Hz (fourth harmonic of Ji = 4 x 400 Hz)
occurs due to the inter-electrode capacitances of the active devices and other reactive
components of the circuit. For example, an RC-coupled amplifier can amplify signals
whose frequency lie within its bandwidth (Fig. 9.20). Let us arbitrarily state that the
input signal to this amplifier contains many equal-amplitude frequency components This is illustrated in Fig. 9.27.
spread over a large band (even beyond f2). The higher frequency components will not
be amplified to the same extent as the lower frequency components (see Fig. 9.26).
vi ti Inp
Due to such a distortion, the speech or music (produced by the amplified electrical
signal) appears to be quite different from the original one. ~tc<>~ifi"

Ji h. 1-
vit/ Input
Fig. 9.27 Illustration of harmonic distortion

l 1 111111 111 1111

h.
~
1- h. 1 -
Harmonic distortion in an amplifier occurs because of the nonlinearity in the
dynamic transfer characteristic curve. Hence this distortion is also called nonlinear
distortion. In small-signal amplifiers (voltage amplifiers), the amplified signal is
Fig. 9.26 Illustration offrequency distortion small. Only a small part of the transfer
characteristic curve is used. Because of this,
9.6.2 Phase Distortion the operation takes place over an almost

A
---------~----------
linear part of the curve. It is called linear
Phase distortion is said to occur if the phase relationship between the various fre-
because changes in the input voltage produce
quency components making up the signal waveform is not the same in the output as
proportionate changes in the output current.
in the input. It means that the time of transmission or the delay introduced by the ·-· . .
amplifier is different for various frequencies. The reactive components of the circuit
It means that the shape of the amplified I ------------------ __
t-
waveform is the same as the shape of the l . :
are responsible for causing this type of distortion.
input waveform. Thus, in case of voltage
This distortion is not important in audio amplifiers. Our ears are not capable of amplifiers, where small signals are handled,
distinguishing the relative phases of different frequency components. But this distor- no harmonic distortion occurs.
tion is objectionable in video amplifiers used in television.
In power amplifiers, the input signal is
large. The change in the output current is no
9.6.3 Harmonic Distortion longer proportional to the changes in input Fig. 9.28 Harmonic distortion occurs
voltage (see Fig. 9.28). If the input is a sinu- due to nonlinearity of the
This type of distortion is said to occur when the output contains new frequency
soidal voltage, the output is no longer a pure transfer characteristics
components that are not present in the input signal. These new frequencies are the
sine wave. This type of distortion is also sometimes called amplitude distortion.'
318 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Multi-Stage Amplifiers 319

9. 7 CLASSIFICATION OF AMPLIFIERS Class AB: This operation is between class A and B. The transistor is in the active
region for more than half the cycle, but less than the whole cycle. The output current
/-\n amplifier is a circuit meant to amplify a signal with a minimum of distortion. so flows for more than 180° but less than 360° (see Fig. 9.29c).
as to make it more useful. The classification of amplifiers is somewhat involved. A
Class C : In a class C amplifier, the Q point is fixed beyond the extreme end of the
complete classification must include information about the following:
characteristic. The transistor is in the active region for less than half cycle. The output
1. Active device used current remains zero for more than half cycle, as shown in Fig. 9 .29d. The de current
2. Frequency range of operation drawn from the power supply is very small.
3. C(•upling scheme used
4. Ultimate purpose of the circuit
5. Condition of de bias and magnitude of signal
------~---------------

An amplifier may use either a B.IT or an FET Q :. . . .

Based on frequency range ofoperation, the amplifiers may be classified as follows: ------+----------------- -------- !----------------~

~80~
l. DC amplifiers (from zero to about 10 Hz) 7
2. Audio amplifiers (30 Hz to about 15 kHz) i%"i ( .
3. Video or wide--band amplifiers (up to a few MHz) ! t
!· . : Class B
4. RF amplifiers (a few kHz to hundreds of MHz) : '
l !
Usually, in an amplifier system, a number of stages are used. These stages may
(a) (b)
be cascaded by either direct coupling, RC coupling, or transformer coupling. Some .
times, LC (inductance capacitance) coupling is also used. Accordingly, The ampli-
fiers are classified as:
1. Direct-coupled amplifiers
2. RC-coupled amplifiers
3. Transformer-coupled amplifiers Q:----------------------~
4. LC-coupled amplifiers - ---91-82..I -i..:
V; J
Depending upon the ultimate purpose of an amplifier, it may be broadly classi- Less than 180°
fied as either voltage (small-signal), or power (large-signal) amplifier. Till now, we
had considered the voltage amplifiers. In the next unit, we shall discuss the power
amplifiers.
The amplifiers may also be classified according to where the quiescent point is (c) (d)
fixed and how much the magnitude of the input signal is. Accordingly, four classes of
operation for amplifiers are defined as follows: Fig. 9.29 Classification of amplifiers based on the biasing condition

Class A : In class A operation, the transistor stays in the active region throughout
In this unit, as well as in the previous unit, we have considered small-signal ampli-
the ac cycle. The Q point and the input signal are such as to make the output current
fiers under class A operation. In the units to follow, we will see different applications
flow for 360°, as shown in Fig. 9.29a.
of other classes of operation.
Class B: ln cl.ass B operation, the transistor stays in the active region only for half
the cycle. The Q point is fixed at the cut-off point of the characteristic. The power
drawn from the de power supply by the circuit, under quiescent conditions if, small.
Thr; output current flows only for 180° (see Fig. 9.29b). 1. Why do you need more than one stage of amplifiers in practical circuits?
2. State the reasons why we prefer expressing the gain of an amplifier pn a
logarithmic scale rather than on a linear scale.
 Multi-Stage Amplifiers 321
320 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits

3. Define the unit decibel for expressing (a) voltage; (b) current; and (c) power. 23. In a two-stage amplifier, each stage uses identical BJTs and components; yet
the voltage gain of the first stage is much less than that of the second stage.
4. What are the various coupling schemes of two stages of amplifiers?
Explain why this happens. If FETs are used in this circuit, then it is not so.
5. (a) Draw the circuit diagram of a two-stage RC-coupled amplifier using BJTs.
Give the typical values of the components used; (b) Explain why RC-coupled Why?
amplifier circuits cannot be used to amplify slowly varying de signals.
6. Draw the circuit diagram of a two-stage RC-coupled amplifier using JFETs. · - - - - • Objective-Type Questions ~
Give the typical values of the components used.
7. State the applications where you would prefer using transformer-coupling I. Below are some incomplete statements. Four alternatives are provided for each.
scheme. Choose the alternative that completes the statement correctly.
8. State the advantages and disadvantages of a transformer-coupled amplifier. 1. Two identical stages of BJT amplifiers are cascaded by RC-coupling. If 10
9. What type of coupling scheme would you use for amplifying a signal obtained is the mid-band voltage gain of each stage, the overall gain of the cascaded
from a thermocouple meant to measure the temperature of a furnace? Give amplifier will be
reasons. (a) 40 dB (b) 100 dB
10. Draw the frequency response curve of a typical RC-coupled amplifier. (c) 20 dB (d) (20 log10 20) dB
Mark the gain-axis in dB. Why do you prefer using logarithmic scale for the 2. For amplifying a signal containing :frequency components from 450 kHz to
frequency axis ? How will you find the 3-dB frequencies from this curve? 460 kHz, the most appropriate amplifier is
11. Why does the gain of an RC-coupled amplifier fall in (a) low-frequency range, (a) RC-coupled amplifier using MOSFETs
(b) high-frequency range? (b) RC-coupled amplifier using JFETs
12. How do you define the cut-off frequencies of an amplifier and what do you (c) direct-coupled amplifier using BJTs
understand by the bandwidth of an amplifier? (d) transformer-coupled tuned amplifier using transistors
13. While defining the cut-off frequencies of an amplifier, why do we take 70. 7 % 3. The coupling capacitor Cc in an RC-coupled FET amplifier is usually a
'i of the mid-band gain?
' (a) 5 µF; mica capacitor
14. When more stages are cascaded to obtain high gain, does the bandwidth of the
(b) 0.05 µF; paper capacitor
multi-stage amplifier remain the same as that of the individual stages? If not,
(c) 0.1 µF; electrolytic capacitor
why?
(d) 50 µF; electrolytic capacitor
15. What do you understand by the loading effect in a multi-stage BJT amplifier?
4. The main component responsible for the fall of gain of an RC-coupled
Why does such a loading effect not occur in the case of a multi-stage FET
amplifier? amplifier in low-frequency range is
16. Draw the ac equivalent circuit of one stage of a multi-stage RC-coupled (a) the active device itself (BJT or FET)
amplifier using JFETs for (a) mid-frequencies, (b) low frequencies, and ( b) stray shunt capacitance Csh
(c) high frequencies. Give the expressions of lower and upper cut-off (c) coupling capacitor Cc
frequencies in terms of circuit components. (d) the gate resistor RG
17. What do you understand by Hi-Fi amplifier system? 5. The overall gain of a two-stage RC-coupled amplifier is 100. A signal voltage
18. What are the different types of distortions that can occur while a signal is of 10 V, 1 kHz is applied across the output terminals ofthis amplifier. Then,
amplified by an amplifier? Give the reasons for each type of distortion. the voltage obtained across the input terminals will be
19. It is said that phase distortion does not have any importance in the case of (a) 0.1V,1 kHz (b) OV
audio amplifiers. Why? (c) 100 V, 1 kHz (d) 10 V, 1 kHz
20. Harmonic distortion is also called nonlinear distortion. Why? 6. Harmonic distortion of the signal is produced in an RC-coupled transistor
21. State at least one typical application of each type of coupling. amplifier. The probable component responsible for this distortion is
22. "In a multi-stage amplifier, the input impedance of an amplifier stage should (a) the transistor itself
be very high, and output impedance must be very low." Justify this statement. (b) the power supply Vee
(c) the coupling capacitor Cc
(d) the biasing resistors. R 1 and R 2.
322 Basic F'/ectronics and Lmear Ci1nuts Multi-Stage Amplifiers 323

6. In a multi-stage amplifier, direCt coupling is used whenever we want to

. amplify low frequency or de signals.
7. T.
· 8. In a multi:-s!age y()ltage amplifier, C ccmp/ing is usu~lly µs~cl to iup.plify •
R,
audio signals. · · ·· ·· ··· ·· · · ·· '· · · · ·.· · ·
9. We always use transformer coupling for amplifying a Slll~li band
(1400 kHz to 1410 kHz) ofrf signa,l
10. T.
11. T.
12.. The shunt capacitance is responsibl~ fot the decre~se ofwJti:tge gain at
high frequ~nciesin a multi-stage amplifier, . ·.·· ·
6. nu/1i -~S'"
1'l'"
·a r
'-i~,~C · i't'
cHnn.1,1er. ~
tran""inrnu--,. :·1" 1p 1 1o i~ i·. ,,,..1 \ .. h,.
. .. .
>J,
r·r
L
, ....• , - .. ·:.'•.)::::
~· ..
p·
'/ . i:vc \'.'drJi to
t~.c·u c:~cvc-r

awp.ny very tow frequency or de ~;;gna!s. . ·. OR

7. RC-co11pliPg is the' t · 1· h ·
·· · ·~ · oi:s coup rng sc eme w:1en freciu;,~ncv ol' thF <:'rn 1 I ·c · The coupling· capadtors and bypil;SS capacitors are responsi~l"i for .the
·· · ·" 18 · 1., 111
the range of 60 Hz to 20 kdz. '
8. I n a _n_rnlti-s_tage voltage ::impiifier transformer coupling is usually used lo
·
a
decrease of voltage gain adow frequencies in muiti-stage amplifier. .

amplify audw signals.

at
13. In a m~ti-stage amplifier, th~ Vqltage ga,in .d¢creases; high fi;eqµ~i;i.cies .
mainly becimse ofjuneti()rtcapacita°'t(~s oftl1e active 4evi~eµ~ed:. ·. · ·
9. We always - use . RC coupling for 2mplifvirw
• ~· a small
. IYiH'
< • ..
<ifi·f ''J.40()
. 1\.'J·7 .
141 () kI-:! :t) s tgnil!. · · , _, •"')
10. While amp·Jifvinn wea'"!'. aud··w s1gna
· · Js by a mu!u-sta!!.c
·
.
k · , b · ., . I •
"tn'Jii "ei· we '>•lOdU
,. u.""" 1 --m-m=-~~-~-~-- e Tutorial Sheet 9.1 ti
ma, e sure that the coupling network docs not disturb. the b.iasmg of tl;e· 11 r·"t
stage. , , ·' · 1. A transistor multi-stage amplifier contains two stages. The voltage gain of the
11. From the point or view of "loading effect'" an FET is . 'oett ,.. . t' . · first stage is 50 dB and that of the second stage is 100. Calculate the overall
1·) b. l · · 1 · · · ' · Ci c!C 1
1ve cev1ce
. 1an a ·1po ar JUnct10n transistor. · gain of the multi-stage amplifier in dB. [Ans. 90 dB]
.~-he coupling_capac!tors and bypass_capacitors arc rcspono;il:le for the decrease
12 . 2. The overall voltage gain of a two-stage RC-coupled amplifier is 80 dB. If the
f voltag.e gam at high frequencies 1n a multi- stage amplifier. voltage gain of the second stage is 150, calculate the voltage gain of the first
13. In a rrndt1-stage amplifier, the vcilLage gain rlecre:0 ..:l'' "t· lu"· I''<' . . ·.• • stage in dB. [Ans. 36.47 dB]
b · . ·- ~ '·1 ,.....,1..luf:::nc1
1 0 .~0 n1a1n 1•.:
h_, (. .. · v'I 1

ecause of jtmct1on capacitances of th•:: ac~ive device used. . ·· 3. The voltage gain of a multi-stage amplifier is 65 dB. If the input voltage to the
first stage is 5 m V, calculate the output voltage of the multi-stage amplifier.
Answers [Ans. 8.89 V]
J. 1. (a) 4. An audio signal contains 40 Hz as the lowest frequency and 10 kHz as the
2. (d) 3. (a) 4. (c) 5. (b) 6. (a) highest frequency. This signal is amplified by an amplifier whose maximum
n. 1. T. gain at 1 kHz is 20 dB. Draw the frequency response curve of this amplifier,
2. The overaJl voltage gain of an amplifier is obtained by multiplvinu the indicating lower and upper cut-off frequencies.
0
voltage gams of each stage when expressed as voltage ratio. ·
OR ~ Experimental Exercise 9.1 ® -
Th_e overall voltage gain of an amplifa:r is obiain::::d by a!UiFF !he vofu,.,::
0
gams of each stage when expressed in terms of'dB. · Title Two-stage BJT RC-coupled amplifier.
3. When ~ou ·::01mect an identical second-siage BJT amplifier tc' the fast
stage_, tne- voltage gajn of the first stftU.c dec 1 ~ea.\'e,i..~ Objectives To
4. T. ., ....
1. trace the given circuit and note down the value of each component;
S. By c::isc<ding
" +,
!he second st<1ge of an idcnticai 1~.,n-·i·~'ei· q .,.];f.,.
•w.,_• .. c.• " 11 11 1 .1.Jd. 1he 2. measure the operating-point collector current and collector-to-emitter voltage
upper cut-of, frequency decreases. for both the amplifier stages;
 324 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Multi-Stage Amplifiers 325

3. measure the voltage gain of the first stage with and without connecting second or open. When the switch Sis open, the voltage gain is high. If the switch Sis closed
stage; the output voltage v 01 is very much reduced. This effect is known as loading offirst
4. explain the loading effect of the second stage on the first stage; stage. When the switch S is closed, the input impedance of the second stage comes
5. measure the ~axim1:1111 signal which can be fed to the input of two-stage RC- in parallel with the load resistance of the first stage. Because of this, the effective
coupled amplifier without causing distortion in the output; load resistance of the first stage is reduced and hence the gain (or output voltage)
6. measure the overall gain of the two-stage RC-coupled amplifier. also decreases.

Apparatus Requ~r~d Experimental board of two-stage amplifier, signal Procedure

generator, CRO, ac rmlhvoltmeter and electronic multimeter. 1. Take the experimental board and trace the given circuit. Find out whether
the transistor is PNP or NPN. Note down the values of all the resistors and
Circuit Diagram As given in Fig. E. 9.1.1 (typical values ofthe components capacitors.
are also given).
2. Connect the de voltage from the regulated power supply. Select a voltage,
-Vcc=-9V say 9V. You may use 6V or 15V in case single-voltage IC power supply is
available.
3. Note the Q point for both the transistors, i.e., find le and VCE for both the
transistors.
4. Feed ac signal from an audio oscillator to the input of the first stage. Adjust the
frequency at 1 kHz. See the output waveshape on the CRO. Go on increasing
the input ac voltage till distortion starts appearing in the output waveshape.
Note the value of this input signal. This is the maximum signal handling
capacity. Repeat the same experiment with a single stage (open the switch S).
v, 5. Measure the signal voltage at:
(i) the output of the first stage
(ii) the output of the second stage .
Calculate from these readings, the voltage gain of first stage, second stage and
also overall voltage gain of the two stages.
Fig. E. 9.1.1 6. Disconnect the second stage and then measure the output voltage of the
first stage. Calculate the voltage gain of the first stage under this condition
Brief Theory When the voltage gain provided by a single stage is not sufficient and compare it with the voltage gain obtained when the second stage was
w_e have more than one stage in the amplifier. The overall gain of the two stages i~ connected.
given as
A =A1 xA 2 Observations
1. Q point of the transistor :
where A 1 is the voltage gain of the first stage andA 2 is the voltage gain of the second
stage. Vee= V
In Fig. E. 9 .1.2, two stages are shown connected through a switch S. It is observed For first stage:
that the voltage gain of the first stage depends upon whether the switch S is closed
_ _ _ mA

VeE1= _ _ _ v
For second stage:
_ _ _ mA

Fig. E. 9.1.2
 326 Basic Electronics and Linear Circuits Multi-Stage Amplifiers 327

2. (a) Maximum signal handling capacity of the two-stage amplifier=_ mV 8. compare the bandwidth of a two-stage amplifier with that of single-stage
(b) Maximum signal handling capacity of single-stage amplifier = ___ m V amplifier.
3. Voltage gain:
Apparatus Required Experimental board, signal generator, electronic multi-
Input Output of Output of meter, ac millivoltmeter, CRO, and transistorised (or IC) power supply.
S. No. A1 Az A =A1 XA2
voltage first stage second stage
Circuit Diagram This is same as Fig. E. 9 .1.1.
1.
2. Brief Theory The voltage gain of an RC-coupled amplifier is maximum around
1 kHz. As frequency decreases, the gain starts falling. This decrease in gain at low
4. Voltage gain with second stage disconnected: frequencies is mainly because of coupling capacitors Cc. At low frequencies, coupling
capacitors offer sufficiently high impedance. There occurs a voltage drop across
S. No. Input voltage Output voltage GainA 1 these capacitors and hence the output voltage decreases. Also, the bypass capacitors
1. at very low frequencies are no longer effective short circuits. Because of this, the ac
current passes through the resistor RE. This gives rise to negative feedback, and the
2.
voltage gain reduces. The voltage gain also decreases at high frequencies because of
(i) the shunt capacitances made up of junction capacitances and wiring capacitances,
Result
and (ii) the decrease in f3 at such frequencies.
1. Both the transistors are operating in active region, as shown by the Q-point The frequencies where voltage gain falls by 3 dB or becomes 70.7 % of the maxi-
readings. mum value are called cut-off frequencies. These frequencies can be determined from
2. The two-stage amplifier can handle a signal of _ _ m V only. This is so, the frequency response curve.
because the overall gain of the two stages is very high. The single-stage
Iii 11
amplifier can handle a signal of _ _ m V Procedure
3. Loaded gain of the first stage ( ) is much less than its unloaded gain ( ). 1. You are already familiar with the experimental board. After making sure that
4. The overall gain A = transistors are biased in the active region, feed the input signal such that the
= 20 log 10 ( ) output is undistorted at 1 kHz. Find the overall gain of the two-stage amplifier.
dB 2. For plotting the frequency response curve of the first stage, disconnect the
second stage. Now find the voltage gain of the amplifier at 1 kHz. Change the
signal generator frequency on the lower frequency side. You will observe that
------~~ * Experimental Exercise 9.2 l1!il ---· the voltage gain is decreasing. Find such a frequency (fi) where gain becomes
70.7 % of maximum gain. In a similar mamier, find the signal frequency on
Title Frequency response curve of two-stage RC-coupled amplifier. the high frequency side (Ji) where voltage gain is reduced to 70.7 % of the
maximum gain. Calculate h - Ji. This gives the value of bandwidth of the
Objectives To single-stage amplifier.
1. identify the values of all the resistors and capacitors used in the given circuit; 3. Now connect the second stage with the first stage. By feeding a I-kHz signal,
2. make sure that the transistors are working in active region by measuring the Q find the maximum gain. Now decrease the frequency such that the gain is
point of the amplifier; reduced to 70.7 % of the maximum gain. This gives the value oflower cut-off
3. make sure that excessive signal is not fed to the input, by seeing undistorted frequency if'1) of the two-stage amplifier. By changing the frequency of the
I! output waveshape on the CRO; signal generator on the higher frequency side, determine the value of the upper
4. plot the frequency response curve of the single-stage amplifier; cut-off frequency (/2). The bandwidth of the two-stages amplifier if2-/D can
5. determine the values of upper and lower cut-off frequencies of single-stage now be calculated. ·
amplifier; 4. Most of the times, the signal generator does not supply constant output when
6. plot the frequency response curve of two-stage RC-coupled amplifier; the frequency is changed. It is possible that when measurements atfi,.f2,f{ and
7. determine the values of upper and lower cut-off frequencies for a two-stage fi. are made, the input would have changed. Now measure the voltage gain of a
RC-coupled amplifier; single stage as well as the two-stage amplifier near these frequencies. Take le$S