QUESTION BANK WITH SOLUTION

UNIT-02: BJT AND FET AT HIGH FREQUENCY

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Q.1: What is the physical origin of the two capacitors in the hybrid-π model? Which one
is having the greater magnitude and why? What is the order magnitude of each
capacitance?

Ans: Physical Origin of the Two Capacitors in the Hybrid-π Model

In the hybrid-π model of a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT), there are two key
capacitances:

1. Base-Emitter Capacitance (Ce)

o Origin: This capacitance arises due to the depletion region formed at the base-
emitter (BE) junction and the diffusion capacitance due to minority carrier
storage in the forward-biased base-emitter junction.
o It is dominant in low-frequency operations and affects the transistor’s high-
frequency response.
2. Base-Collector Capacitance (Cc)
o Origin: This capacitance is due to the depletion region at the reverse-biased
base-collector (BC) junction.
o It is also called the Miller capacitance when dealing with amplifier
configurations due to its amplification effect in high-gain circuits.

Which Capacitance Has the Greater Magnitude and Why?

 Ce (Base-Emitter Capacitance) is greater than Cc (Base-Collector Capacitance).

 Reason:
o The base-emitter junction is forward-biased, meaning it has a significant
diffusion capacitance component, which increases its overall capacitance.
o The base-collector junction is reverse-biased, leading to a much smaller
depletion capacitance.

Since diffusion capacitance (Cd) is typically much larger than depletion capacitance (Cj), the
overall value of Ce is significantly higher than Cc.

Order of Magnitude of Each Capacitance

 Base-Emitter Capacitance (Ce): Typically, in the range of 10–500 pF.

 Base-Collector Capacitance (Cc): Usually in the range of 0.1–10 pF, which is much
smaller due to the reverse-biased nature of the junction.

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com

Q.2: Why h-parameter model is not suitable for high frequency analysis?

Ans: The h-parameter model is not suitable for high-frequency analysis due to several
limitations related to transistor behavior at high frequencies. The main reasons are:

1. Neglects Internal Capacitances

 The h-parameter model does not account for the intrinsic capacitances of the
transistor, such as:
o Base-Emitter Capacitance (Ce): Significant at high frequencies due to
diffusion and depletion effects.
o Base-Collector Capacitance (Cc): Affects high-frequency response,
contributing to the Miller effect in amplifier circuits.
 At high frequencies, these capacitances play a crucial role in determining the transistor's
frequency response, making the hybrid-π model more appropriate.

2. Frequency Dependence of Parameters

 The h-parameters (hie, hoe, hfe, etc.) are measured under low-frequency small-signal
conditions and vary significantly with frequency.
 At higher frequencies, transistor behavior is dominated by reactive components
(capacitors and inductances), which are not included in the h-parameter model.

3. Feedback and Miller Effect

 The reverse voltage gain parameter (hre) does not properly model the Miller effect,
which significantly impacts high-frequency performance.
 The base-collector capacitance (Cc) can cause feedback, affecting gain and stability
at high frequencies, which the h-parameter model fails to represent accurately.

4. Inaccurate Representation of High-Frequency Behavior

 At high frequencies, the transistor's behavior is better represented by transmission line

theory and distributed elements, rather than simple lumped parameter models like the
h-parameter model.
 The hybrid-π model or S-parameters (scattering parameters) are more appropriate
for analyzing high-frequency circuits.

The h-parameter model is suitable only for low-frequency analysis because it ignores
transistor capacitances, fails to account for frequency-dependent effects, and does not properly
model feedback mechanisms like the Miller effect. For high-frequency analysis, models like
the hybrid-π model or S-parameter model should be used instead.

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com

Q.3: Define 𝑭𝜷 .

Ans: The 𝐹𝛽 (Beta Figure of Merit) is a parameter used in the high-frequency analysis of
Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs). It represents the maximum frequency at which the
current gain (β) of a transistor drops to unity (1). Mathematically, it is defined as:

𝑔𝑚
𝐹𝛽 =
2𝜋𝐶𝑒

Where:
𝐼𝐶
 𝑔𝑚 = → Transconductance of the transistor
𝑉𝑇
 Ce → Base-Emitter Capacitance (diffusion and depletion capacitance combined)
 𝐼𝐶 → Collector Current
 𝑉𝑇 → Thermal Voltage (≈26mV at room temperature)

Significance of 𝐹𝛽

 It provides an estimate of how fast a transistor can switch or operate at high

frequencies.
 A higher 𝐹𝛽 means the transistor can function effectively at higher frequencies before
the gain falls below usable levels.
 It is closely related to the transition frequency 𝐹𝑇 , where the current gain becomes
unity.

Relation to 𝐹𝑇

Since 𝐹𝑇 is the frequency where current gain (β) = 1, it is expressed as:

𝐹𝛽
𝐹𝑇 =
𝛽

Thus, for a given transistor, 𝐹𝛽 and 𝐹𝑇 together help characterize its high-frequency
performance.

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com

Q.4: What is 𝑟𝑏𝑏′? How does it respond to temperature?

Ans: rbb′ is the base spreading resistance in a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT). It
represents the resistance between the external base terminal (B) and the internal intrinsic
base region (B') of the transistor.

Origin of rbb′
 It arises due to the finite resistivity of the base material.
 As the base current flows from the external base contact into the active region of the
transistor, there is a resistive drop caused by this resistance.
 It is especially important in high-frequency applications, where it contributes to signal
loss and affects gain-bandwidth product.

Effect of Temperature on rbb′

1. Increases with Temperature
o The resistivity of semiconductors increases with temperature due to
increased phonon scattering in the base material.
o Since rbb′ is directly related to the resistivity of the base, it increases as
temperature rises.
2. Impact on Transistor Performance
o Higher rbb′ leads to greater voltage drop across the base, reducing the
effective base-emitter voltage.
o Reduces high-frequency performance by introducing additional resistance,
leading to more signal attenuation.
o Increases noise levels, which can be problematic in RF and analog applications.

rbb′ is an important parasitic resistance in BJTs, affecting high-frequency performance

and noise characteristics. It increases with temperature, which can degrade transistor
performance, especially in RF and high-speed circuits.

Q.5: What is the meaning of upper 3-dB frequency and lower 3-dB frequency?

Ans: In signal processing and circuit analysis, the 3-dB frequencies (also called cutoff
frequencies) define the bandwidth over which a system operates effectively. These frequencies
mark the points where the power of a signal falls to half of its maximum value.

1. Definition of 3-dB Frequency

The 3-dB point is the frequency at which the output power drops by 3 dB from its maximum
value, which corresponds to a voltage gain reduction to 21 (approximately 0.707 times the
maximum value). Mathematically, for voltage gain A(f), the 3-dB frequency occurs when:
𝐴(𝑓)
20𝑙𝑜𝑔 ( ) = −3𝑑𝐵
𝐴𝑚𝑎𝑥
2. Lower 3-dB Frequency (𝒇𝑳 )
 Also known as the low cutoff frequency.
 It is the lowest frequency at which the system's gain falls to 3 dB below its maximum
value.
 For high-pass filters, amplifiers, or circuits with capacitive coupling, this happens due
to the blocking of low-frequency signals by capacitors.
 At frequencies below 𝒇𝑳 , the gain decreases significantly.

3. Upper 3-dB Frequency (𝒇𝑯 )

 Also known as the high cutoff frequency.

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com

  It is the highest frequency at which the system's gain falls to 3 dB below its maximum
value.
 For amplifiers and low-pass filters, this is caused by parasitic capacitances, transit
time effects, and frequency-dependent losses.
 At frequencies beyond 𝒇𝑯 , the gain starts decreasing rapidly.

4. Bandwidth (BW)

The bandwidth of a system is the range of frequencies where the system operates efficiently.
It is given by: 𝐵𝑊 = 𝑓𝐻 − 𝑓𝐿

 For low-pass filters, 𝑓𝐿 = 0, so 𝐵𝑊 = 𝑓𝐻 .

 For high-pass filters, 𝑓𝐻 is very high, making the bandwidth infinite in theory.
 For band-pass filters and amplifiers, the bandwidth is finite and defined between 𝑓𝐿
and 𝑓𝐻 .

Term Meaning Cause

Lower 3-dB The lowest frequency where gain Coupling capacitors, low-
Frequency (𝒇𝑳 ) falls 3 dB below maximum. frequency response limitations.
Upper 3-dB The highest frequency where gain Parasitic capacitances, transit
Frequency (𝒇𝑯 ) falls 3 dB below maximum. time effects.
Bandwidth (BW) The range of frequencies where the 𝐵𝑊 = 𝑓𝐻 − 𝑓𝐿
system operates effectively.

The 3-dB frequencies are critical for designing amplifiers, filters, and communication
systems to ensure they function correctly over a desired frequency range.

Q.6: Draw the hybrid-π model of a transistor at high frequency and explain the
significance of each parameter.
Solution:

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com
Q.7: Prove that: (i) 𝒉𝒇𝒆 = 𝒈𝒎 𝒓𝒃′ 𝒆 (ii) 𝒉𝒊𝒆 = 𝒓𝒃𝒃′ + 𝒓𝒃′ 𝒆
𝒓𝒃′ 𝒆
(iii) 𝒓𝒃′ 𝒄 = (iv) 𝒈𝒄𝒆 = 𝒉𝒐𝒆 − 𝒉𝒇𝒆 𝒈𝒃′ 𝒄
𝒉𝒓𝒆

Solution:

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com
Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com
Q.8: Define trans-conductance 𝒈𝒎 and derive the expression for it.
Solution:

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com

Q.9: Analyse common emitter transistor amplifier at high frequencies for short circuit
current gain. Also prove that 𝑭𝑻 = 𝒉𝒇𝒆 𝑭𝜷 .

Solution:

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com
Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com
Q.10: Derive the expression for current gain with resistive load.
Solution:

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com
Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com
Q.11: A single stage CE amplifier is measured to have a voltage gain bandwidth 𝑭𝑯 of
5MHz with 𝑹𝑳 = 𝟓𝟎𝟎Ω. Assume 𝒉𝒇𝒆 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎, 𝒈𝒎 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝒎𝑨⁄𝑽, 𝒓𝒃𝒃′ = 𝟏𝟎𝟎Ω, 𝑪𝒄 = 𝟏𝒑𝒇
and 𝑭𝑻 = 𝟒𝟎𝟎 𝑴𝑯𝒛. Find (i) The value of source resistance that will give the required
bandwidth. (ii) With the value of 𝑹𝑺 found in part (i), find the midband voltage gain
𝑽𝟎
⁄𝑽 .
𝑺

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com

Q.12: The following transistor measurements are made at 𝑰𝑪 = 𝟓𝒎𝑨, 𝑽𝑪𝑬 = 𝟏𝟎𝑽 at room
temperature, 𝒉𝒇𝒆 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎, 𝒉𝒊𝒆 = 𝟔𝟎𝟎Ω, |𝑨𝒊𝒆 | = 𝟏𝟎 at 10 MHz, 𝑪𝒄 = 𝟑𝒑𝒇. Find 𝑭𝜷, 𝑭𝑻 , 𝑪𝒆 , 𝒓𝒃′𝒆 and
𝒓𝒃𝒃′ .

Q.13: The following low frequency parameters are known for a given transistor at 𝑰𝑪 = 𝟏. 𝟑𝒎𝑨,
𝑽𝑪𝑬 = 𝟏𝟎𝑽 at room temperature, and the h-parameters are 𝒉𝒇𝒆 = 𝟓𝟎, 𝒉𝒊𝒆 = 𝟏𝟏𝟎𝟎Ω, 𝒉𝒓𝒆 = 𝟐. 𝟓 ×
µ𝑨
𝟏𝟎−𝟒 , 𝒉𝒐𝒆 = 𝟐𝟒 ⁄𝑽 at the same point 𝑭𝑻 = 𝟓𝟎 𝑴𝑯𝒛 and 𝑪𝒄 = 𝟑𝒑𝒇. Compute all the values of
hybrid-π parameters of a CE transistor.

Solution: Do it yourself using the calculations shown above.

Q.14: At 𝑰𝑪 = 𝟏𝒎𝑨 and 𝑽𝑪𝑬 = 𝟏𝟎𝑽, a certain transistor data shows 𝑪𝒄 = 𝑪𝒃′𝒄 = 𝟑𝒑𝒇,
𝒉𝒇𝒆 = 𝟐𝟎𝟎 and 𝑾𝑻 = −𝟓𝟎𝟎𝑴 rad/sec. Calculate 𝒈𝒎 , 𝒓𝒃′𝒆 , 𝑪𝒆 = 𝑪𝒃′𝒆 and 𝑾𝜷 .

Solution:

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com

Q.15: Derive the expression for 𝑭𝑯 for emitter follower at high frequency.
Solution:

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com
Q.16: Derive the expression for |𝑨𝑽𝑺𝑶 × 𝑭𝑯 | for CE amplifier.
Solution:

Dr. Pushpendra Singh, Ass. Prof., BIT Durg; www.mrpushpendrasingh.blogspot.com