BJT Circuit Analysis

• Assuming that the transistor is in the active region, solve for the voltages and
currents --- why this assumption?
• In general, the problem requires solution of a set of nonlinear equations:

RC
1E3Ω
RB
100E3Ω
Q1 VCC
+ 5V
VIN + IS=1e-16
2V β = 100

Lecture 12-1
 BJT Circuit Analysis

• SPICE solves the system of nonlinear equations to obtain the voltages and
currents
• Is this circuit in the active region?

IC

1.221 mA

RC
1E3Ω

RB Q1
IB 100E3Ω Default
VOUT VCC
12.206 µA + + 5V
VIN VBE 3.779 V
+ -
+ 2V
779.365 mV
-

Lecture 12-2
 BE Diode Characteristic

• We can effectively use a simplified model for the diode if we know the
approximate operating range of the BE diode characteristic

0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8

3
mA
0.000 pA
Q1
2
VBE Default
+ 0V

0
IE

Lecture 12-3
 BE Diode Characteristic

• Note that “VON” changes if we’re analyzing an order of magnitude less

current
• So how do we know what the real “VON” is?

0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8

0.3

mA

0.000 pA
0.2
Q1
VBE Default
+ 0V

0.1

0.0

IE

Lecture 12-4
 Simplified BJT Circuit Analysis

• Assuming VBE is 0.78 volts, we can approximate this circuit solution by hand
analysis

RC
1E3Ω
RB
100E3Ω
Q1 VCC
+ 5V
VIN + IS=1e-16
2V β = 100

Lecture 12-5
 Simplified BJT Circuit Analysis

• What happens as RC is decreased?

• Will it remain in the active region?

RC
500Ω
RB
100E3Ω
Q1 VCC
+ 5V
VIN + IS=1e-16
2V β = 100

Lecture 12-6
 Simplified BJT Circuit Analysis

• What happens as RC is increased?

• Will it remain in the active region?

RC
5000Ω
RB
100E3Ω
Q1 VCC
+ 5V
VIN + IS=1e-16
2V β = 100

Lecture 12-7
 Saturation

• When both the EBJ and CBJ are forward biased, the transistor is no longer in
the active region, but it is in the saturation region of operation
• We can easily solve for the maximum iC that we can have before we reach
saturation for this circuit

RC

RB
Q1 VCC
+ 5V
VIN +

Lecture 12-8
 Saturation
• With both diodes forward biased, the collector-to-emitter voltage, vCE,
saturates toward a constant value
_
_
VBC ~0.4 volts VBC
+
+ +
v CEsat ≅ 0.3volts
+ +
_
VBE ~0.7-0.9 volts VBE
_
_
VCE
0 1 2 3 4 5
2

mA

-1
IC

Lecture 12-9
 Saturation

• In saturation, increasing iC shows little increase in iB. Why?

VCE
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
2

mA

-1

IC

Lecture 12-
 Regions of Operation

• The complete i-v characteristic is:

VCE
0 1 2 3 4 5
IC 3

mA

IB=20µA
IB=15µA
1 IB=10µA
IB=5µA
IB=1µA

-1

Lecture 12-
 Regions of Operation

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 VCE

IC
3

mA saturation active
IB=20µA
IB=15µA
1 IB=10µA
IB=5µA
IB=1µA
cut-off

Lecture 12-
 Temperature Variations

• The collector current vs. the base-emitter voltage follows a diode

characteristic, which like a diode, is temperature dependent

0.6 0.7
VBE 0.8
IC 4
R4
1E3Ω mA

Q1 T=32ºC
Default T=27ºC
VCC
+ 15V 2 T=22ºC
VBE
+ 0V

• Does this value of RC significantly impact the values for iC in this example?

Lecture 12-
 Temperature Variations

• In saturation, the collector current no longer increases with increasing VBE.

Why not?

VBE
IC 0.6 0.7 0.8
0.2

R4 mA
100E3Ω

Q1
T=32ºC
Default
T=27ºC
VCC
0.1
+ 15V
VBE T=22ºC
+ 0V

0.0

Lecture 12-
 Base Width Variation
• In the active region, iC does vary somewhat with VCB (hence RC in our
previous examples) due to the variation it causes in the base width.
• Effective base width, W*, decreases with increasing VCB

• What do you expect would happen to iC as W* decreases?

E C
n-type p-type n-type

VBE B VCB

x
*
W

Lecture 12-
 Early Voltage
• The IC vs. VCE curves in the active region have a finite slope to them due to
this iC dependence on VCB
• Early showed that these slopes all converge to one negative voltage point

-20 -10 0 VCE 10

3
IC IB=20µA

mA
VAF=20 in SPICE IB=15µA
(VA in the book)

IB=10µA
1
IB=5µA

IB=1µA

-1
-VA

Lecture 12-
 Early Voltage
• The finite slope in the active region due to decreasing base width can be
approximated by
v be ⁄ V T  v ce
i c = Is e  1 + -------
 VA 
• This means that the output resistance between the collector and emitter is not
infinite --- very important for analog design
0 1 2 3 4 5 vce 6
3

iC (mA)
∂i C
= go ≠ 0
∂ v ce
1

at some fixed
ib point

-1

Lecture 12-
 Early Voltage
• The output conductance, or resistance, at a fixed ib point represents the slope
of the line tangent to that point on the curve:

v be ⁄ V T  v ce
i c = Is e  1 + -------
 VA 

• Generally not considered for dc bias point calculations, but ro can have a
significant impact on a transistor amplifier gain

Lecture 12-
 Early Voltage
• The equivalent circuit models can be modified accordingly:

αie
ib VA
B r o = -------
iC
I s v be ⁄ V T
i e = ---- e
α
E

or
C

I s v be ⁄ V T
i b = ---- e βi b VA
β r o = -------
iC
B

Lecture 12-
 dc Bias Point Calculations
• ro is generally not considered for hand calculations of dc bias point -- why?

• For hand calculations: use VBE=0.7 and assume that the transistor is in the
active region; Later verify that your assumptions were correct.

What’s the maximum value that RC can be without reaching saturation? Assume β =100.

10V

RC

4V

3.3kΩ

Lecture 12-
 dc Bias Point Calculationsdc Bias Point Calculations
10V

RC

4V

3.3kΩ

Lecture 12-
• What value of RC saturates the transistor?

10V

2kΩ

β = 100

RC

-10V

Lecture 12-
 dc Bias Point Calculations
• What value of VCC saturates the transistor for this same circuit?

10V

2kΩ

β = 100

1kΩ

VCC

Lecture 12-