The Higher Institute of Engineering

El-Shorouk City

Electronic Devices (ECE 120)

Lecture (10)
First year-communications and computer Engineering
Dept.
1
 Example
• Determine Q-point in figure below and find the maximum peak value of base
current for linear operation. Assume βDC=200.
 Solution
• Q-point is defined by values of IC and VCE.
V BB − V BE 10 − 0.7
IB = = = 198A
RB 47k
I C =  DC I B = 200(198 ) = 39.6mA
VCE = VCC − I C RC = 20V − ( 39.6mA )( 330) = 6.93V

• Q-point is at IC=39.6mA and VCE=6.93V. Since IC(cutoff)=0, we need to know IC(sat) to

determine variation in IC can occur and still in linear operation.
VCC 20
I C ( sat ) = = = 60.6mA
RC 330
• Before saturation is reached, IC can increase an amount equal to: IC(sat) – ICQ =
60.6mA – 39.6mA = 21mA.
 Solution cont..
• However, IC can decrease by 39.6mA before cutoff (IC=0) is reached. Since the gap
of Q-point with saturation point is less than gap between Q-point and cutoff, so
21mA is the max peak variation of IC.
• The max peak variation of IB is:

I c ( peak ) 21m
I b( peak ) = = = 105A
 DC 200
 Voltage-Divider Bias
• Voltage-divider bias is the most widely used type
of bias circuit.
• Only one power supply is needed and voltage-
divider bias is more stable( independent) than
other bias types. For this reason it will be the
primary focus for study.
• dc bias voltage at base of transistor is developed
by a resistive voltage-divider consists of R1 and R2.
• Vcc is dc collector supply voltage.
•two current paths between point A and ground:
one through R2 and the other through BE junction
and RE.
 Voltage divider bias
• If IB is much smaller than I2, bias
circuit is viewed as voltage divider
of R1 and R2 as shown in Figure a.

• If IB is not small enough to be

neglected, dc input resistance
RIN(base) must be considered.
RIN(base) is in parallel with R2 as
shown in figure b.
 Input resistance at transistor base
• VIN is between base and ground and IIN is the
current into base.
•By Ohm’s Law,
RIN(base) = VIN / IIN
• Apply KVL, VIN=VBE+IERE
• Assume VBE<<IERE, so VIN≈IERE
•Since IE=(βDC +1)IB,
VIN≈( βDC +1)IBRE
•IN=IB, so
RIN(base)= ( βDC +1)IBRE/ IB
RIN(base) = ( βDC +1)RE
Analysis of Voltage-Divider Bias Circuit
 Analysis of voltage divider bias circuit
➢Total resistance from base to ground is:
R 2 R IN (base )

R 2 (  DC + 1) R E

➢A voltage divider is formed by R1 and resistance from base to ground in parallel

with R2.  R 2 (  DC + 1)R E 
VB = V
 R1 + R (  DC + 1)R E  CC
 2 

➢If ( βDC +1)RE>>R2, (at least ten times greater), then the formula simplifies to

 R2 
V B =  VCC
 R1 + R 2 
 Analysis of Voltage-Divider Bias Circuit
• Now, determine emitter voltage VE.
VE=VB – VBE
• Using Ohm’s Law, find emitter current IE.
IE = VE / RE
• All the other circuit values
IC =  IE
VC = VCC – ICRC
• To find VCE,
VCE = VC - VE =( VCC – IC RC ) – (IE RE )
 Example
• Determine VCE and IC in voltage-divider biased transistor circuit below if βDC=100.
 Solution
1. Determine dc input resistance at base to see if it can be neglected.
R IN (base ) = (  DC + 1) R E = 101(560) = 56.56 kΩ
2. RIN(base)=10R2, so neglect RIN(base). Then, find base voltage
 R2   5.6 kΩ 
VB = =
 CC 
V 10V = 3.59V
 1
R + R 2   15.6 kΩ 
3. So, emitter voltage
V E = V B − V BE = 3.59 − 0.7 = 2.89V
4. And emitter current
V E 2.89
IE = = = 5.16 mA
RE 560
5. Thus, 
IC = I E = ( ) I E = 0.99(5.16 mA) = 5.11 mA
 +1
6. And VCE is VCE = VC - VE =( VCC – IC RC ) – (IE RE )=4.9 -2.89=2.01 V
 Other bias methods
➢ Base Bias
• Solving for IB, VCC − VBE
IB =
RB

• Then, apply KVL around collector

circuit. VCC – ICRC – VCE = 0
• We know that IC = βDCIB,

 VCC − VBE 
I C =  DC  
 RB 
➢ Base bias
• From the equation of IC, note that IC is dependent on DC.
When DC vary, VCE also vary, thus changing Q-point of
transistor.
• This type of circuit is beta-dependent and very unstable.
Recall that DC changes with temperature and collector
current. Base biasing circuits are mainly limited to switching
applications.
➢ Emitter Bias
• This type of circuit is independent of DC making it as
stable as the voltage-divider type. The drawback is that
it requires two power supplies.
• Apply KVL and Ohm’s Law,
IBRB + IERE + VBE = -VEE
• Since IC≈IE and IC= DC IB, IB 
IE
 DC
• Solve for IE or IC, − V EE − V BE
IC 
R E + RB /  DC

• Voltage equations for emitter base circuit.

VE = VEE + IERE
VB = VE + VBE
VC = VCC – ICRC Npn transistor with emitter bias
 ➢ Collector-Feedback Bias
Collector-feedback bias is kept stable
with negative feedback, although it is
not as stable as voltage-divider or
emitter. With increases of IC, VC decrease
and causing decrease in voltage across
RB, thus IB also decrease. With less IB ,IC
go down as well.
 Analysis of collector-feedback circuit
• By Ohm’s Law, VC − V BE
IB =
RB
• Collector voltage with assumption IC>>IB.
VC = VCC – ICRC
• And IB = IC / DC
• So, collector current equation
VCC − V BE
IC 
RC + RB /  DC
• Since emitter is ground, VCE = VC.
VCE = VCC - ICRC
 The Common-Emitter Amplifier
➢ The common-emitter amplifier exhibits high voltage and current gain.
The output signal is 180º out of phase with the input.
➢ Now let’s use our dc and ac analysis methods to view this type of
transistor circuit.
 The Common Emitter Amplifier
DC Analysis
▪ The dc component of the circuit “sees” only
the part of the circuit that is within the
boundaries of C1, C2, and C3 as the dc will
not pass through these components.
▪ The equivalent circuit for dc analysis is
shown.
▪ The methods for dc analysis are just are the
same as dealing with a voltage-divider
circuit.
 Common Emitter Amplifier
AC Equivalent Circuit
➢ The ac equivalent
circuit basically
replaces the
capacitors with
shorts, being that ac
passes through
easily through them.
➢ The power supplies
are also effectively
shorts to ground for
ac analysis.
 Common Emitter Amplifier
AC Equivalent Circuit
➢ The input resistance as seen by the input voltage
can be illustrated by the r parameter equivalent
circuit. The simplified formula below is used.
Rin(base) =(  ac +1)r’e

➢ The output resistance is for all

practical purposes the value of RL// RC.

➢ Voltage gain can be easily determined by

dividing the ac output voltage by the ac input
voltage.
Av = Vout / Vin = Vc / Vs
 The Common-Collector Amplifier
The common-collector amplifier is usually referred to as the emitter follower
because there is no phase inversion or voltage gain. The output is taken from
the emitter. The common-collector amplifier’s main advantages are its high
current gain and high input resistance.
 The Common-Collector Amplifier
Because of its high input resistance the
common-collector amplifier used as a
buffer to reduce the loading effect of
low impedance loads. The input
resistance can be determined by the
simplified formula below.

Rin(base)  (  ac +1) (r’e + Re)

The Common-Collector Amplifier
➢ The output resistance is very low. This makes it useful for
driving low impedance loads.

➢ The current gain(Ai) is approximately ac.

➢ The voltage gain is approximately 1.

➢ The power gain is approximately equal to the current

gain(Ai).
 The Common-Collector Amplifier
The darlington pair is used
to boost the input impedance
to reduce loading of high
output impedance circuits.
The collectors are joined
together and the emitter of
the input transistor is
connected to the base of the
output transistor. The input
impedance can be determined
the formula below.
Rin = ac1ac2Re
 The Common-Base Amplifier
The common-base amplifier has high voltage gain with a current gain no
higher than 1. It has a low input resistance making it ideal for low impedance
input sources. The ac signal is applied to the emitter and the output is taken
from the collector.
 The Common-Base Amplifier
➢ The common-base voltage gain(Av) is approximately equal
to Rc /r’e
➢ The current gain is approximately 1.

➢ The power gain is approximately equal to the voltage gain.

➢ The input resistance is approximately equal to r’e .

➢ The output resistance is approximately equal to RC.

 Multistage Amplifiers
➢ Two or more amplifiers can be connected to increase the gain of an ac signal.
The overall gain can be calculated by simply multiplying each gain together.

Av = Av1Av2Av3 ……

➢ Gain can be expressed in decibels(dB). The formula below can be used to express
gain in decibels.
A v(dB) = 20logAv

➢ Each stage’s gain can now can be simply added together for the total.
 Multistage Amplifiers
➢ The capacitive coupling keeps dc bias voltages separate but allows the ac to
pass through to the next stage.
 Multistage Amplifiers
➢ The output of stage 1 is loaded by input of stage 2. This lowers the gain of
stage 1. This ac equivalent circuit helps give a better understanding how
loading can effect gain.