Electronics 1 Lab (ECE 2410)

School of Electrical Engineering

and Information Technology Laboratory Experiment (5)

The Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)

Characteristics & DC Operation

1. Objective:
1. To be familiar with BJT transistors and to learn how they works.
2. To study the concept of biasing a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT).

2. Theory:
The transistor is a three-terminal device. The transistor consists of two n-type materials separated
by a p-type material (npn transistor) or two p-type materials separated by an n-type material (pnp
transistor). Figure 10.1 below shows a schematic representation of a transistor.

Fig. 10.1: The bipolar transistor

Because there are three terminals and the operations of the two p-n junctions are coupled, one
single voltage-current characteristic (as was possible for the diode) is no longer valid for the
BJT. Therefore, a set of curves is necessary.

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Input characteristics: The input characteristic is a plot of the input base current IB as a function
of the controlling base-emitter voltage VBE while the collector-emitter voltage VCE is constant:
I B = f (VBE ) V =const
CE

Output characteristics: a plot of the output collector current IC versus the output collector-
emitter voltage VCE with the input base current IB as a parameter:
IC = f (VCE ) I =const
B

3,0 IC / mA
active region

2,0
IC IB = 10 mA
 DC =
IB 1,0
IB = 5 mA
IB / A
VCE / V
20 15 10 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

0,5

VBE / V

Fig. 10.2: Input and output characteristic curves

The transistor has different modes of operation. Out of these modes is

(a) the ACTIVE mode where the transistor operates linearly over a specified range as a
controlled current source. In this mode of operation, the output collector current IC is
approximately directly proportional to the base current IB with the proportionality constant
being the DC-current gain  DC :
IC
 DC = ....................................... (1)
IB
Our mission in this experiment is to carefully bias the BJT such that it is operating in the
linear active mode. The chosen operating point depends on the bias voltage VBE, the current
gain  DC , and the collector circuit resistance.
(b) A BJT can be made to act as a simple ON/OFF switch. In such an application, the transistor
is operated in the saturation region to simulate the ON (closed) switch condition (with
minmal voltage drop) and in the cut-off region to simulate the OFF (open) switch condition
(with no current flowing). These conditions are dependent on the input applied to the base of
the transistor. When the transistor switch is ON, VCE = VCE sat and when the transistor switch
is OFF, VCE = VCC .

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BJT Circuit Examples:

A BJT circuit is shown in Fig. 10.3. The operating point of the BJT is described by the two
quantities I C and VCE . We find them by analyzing the input loop (with RB) and the output loop
(with RC).
RC Vcc source reverse bias the
collector-base diode
IC +VCC
RB
IB VB source forward bias the base-emitter
VCE
VB
diode with RB as a current limiting
VBE
resistor.

Fig. 10.3: Example of a BJT circuit

To find the collector current I C we first have to calculate the base current I B . To find its value
we apply KVL to the left loop:
RB  I B + VBE − VB = 0
VB − VBE
IB = .................................. (2)
RB

Then, using the DC-current gain  DC to calculate I C with equation (1)

IC =  DC  I B ......................................... (3)

The collector-emitter voltage VCE we get by applying KVL to the right loop:

RC  I C + VCE − VCC = 0
VCE = VCC − RC  I C ................................ (4)

3. Equipment & Instruments

Module No. : DL 3155E14
Multimeter

4. Components List:
R1 = 120 k , R2 = 10 k , R4 = 15 k  R5 = 1 k

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5. Procedure
1) connect the circuit as shown in Fig. 10.4 ;

+VCC =15 V
R4
R1
Vin is the input voltage,
Vout Vout is the output voltage.
IC
I1 Both are not used in this experiment.
IB
Vin T1
I2
VBE IE VC
VB
R2 VE
R5

Fig. 10.4: Common emitter circuit

2) measure the voltages VB, VE and VC, determine the emitter current I E = VE by
R5
using the measured value of VE ;
create a table like Tab. 10.1 and put these value in;
name these values of step (2) the “measured” values ;
3) calculate the voltages VB, VE and VC,
considering the voltage VBE = 0.6V; name other assumptions you used for the
calculation;
calculate the value of the emitter current IE by using the calculated value of VE;
put them all as “calculated” values in a second row of Tab. 10.1;
4) measure the voltages between the 3 terminals of the transistor and write these 3 values
in a new Tab. 10.2 ;
5) measure the voltage drops on R1 and R2 and write them in further columns of
Tab. 10.2 ;
6) calculate the base current IB and the DC-current gain DC and write them in further
columns of Tab. 10.2 ;
7) observe and comment the carried out measures (transistor currents and bias voltage)
and verify that the transistor works in the active zone.

VB /V VE /V VC /V IE /mA= IC /mA

Tab. 10.1 Measured Values

Calculated Values

VBE /V VBC /V VCE /V VR1 /V VR2 /V IB /mA DC = IC/IB

Tab. 10.2 Measured Values Calculated Values

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Modification insertion

Modification M1
1) remove the cover of the Modifications/Faults simulator and set the first dip-switch
M1 to ON position (covered dot);
2) measure and record in Tab. 10.3 the collector, base and emitter voltages with
reference to ground;
3) determine if the transistor T1 works:
a. at the saturation point
b. in the active region
c. at the cut-off point
4) set the dip-switch M1 back to the initial upwards position;

Modification M2

5) set the dip-switch M2 to ON position (covered dot);

6) measure and record in Tab. 10.3 the collector, base and emitter voltages with
reference to ground;
7) determine if the transistor T1 works:
a. at the saturation point
b. at the cut-off point
c. in the active region
d. at an optimum collector voltage (VC)
8) set the dip-switch M2 back to the initial upwards position;

Modification M3

9) set the dip-switch M3 to ON position (covered dot);

10) measure and record in Tab. 10.3 the collector, base and emitter voltages with
reference to ground;
11) determine if the transistor T1 works:
a. at the cut-off point
b. at the saturation point
c. in the active region
12) set the dip-switch M3 back to the initial upwards position;

VC / V VB / V VE / V

Modification M1
Tab. 10.3
Modification M2

Modification M3

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