Activity 4

Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs) Characteristics

Objectives:
1. To observe BJTs characteristics
2. To measure the voltage output Vrb, Vrc, Vce, Vre
3. To calculate the current Ib and Ic
4. To compute the current Ic, Ib, and Ie, and rE
5. To measure Vi, Vo, Av and the frequencies
Introduction:
Bipolar junction transistors (BJT) are very versatile in certain applications. It can be used
as an amplifier, a switch, or an oscillator. It has two types, the NPN and PNP transistors. It also
has three terminals labeled as the base, the collector and the emitter. In construction of BJTs, it
should consist of a p-n junction that is reversed biased and the other forward biased. In operating
a BJT, its conditions should be set depending on the stability needed to be satisfied. This is
achieved by biasing.

Fig 1.1 Biasing an NPN transistor

Fig 1.2 Symbol for NPN transistor

The arrow in the graphic symbol defines the direction of emitter current through the
device.
Biasing is applying a DC voltage to a transistor in order to turn it on so that it can amplify
AC signals. There are many ways to bias a transistor. Example of the biases are Voltage Divider
output at the collector and emitter, and Common-Base Configuration Bias.
Materials:
Bread Board
10V DC Power Supply
Resistors

NPN transistor
Connectors
Multitester

Function Generator

Oscilloscope

Procedure:
1. Construct the circuits below.

Figure 1. Voltage Divider Output at the Collector

Figure 2. Voltage Divider Output at the Emitter

Figure 3. Common-Base Configuration

2. Measure the voltages across RB1, RB2, RC, RE and the Collector-Emitter Junction and
put the values on the table below.
3. Compute for the current across the collector (IC), emitter (IE) and base (IB), and rE.
4. Connect the circuit to the function generator and the oscilloscope.
5. Measure Vi, Vo, and the frequencies at mid, high and low. Put the measured values on
the table.
Results:
VDT output at the Collector
DC Response:
IB
IE
IC
VCE
VC
VE
VB1
VB2

95 A
0.423 mA
0.518 mA
6.52 V
2.75 V
0.57 V
8.66 V
1.22 V

AC Response:
Mid Frequency:
rE
AV
Vi
Vo

61.47 ohms
43.125
128 mV
5.52 V

fmid

9.92 kHz

High Frequency:
Vi
Vo
fhigh

126 mV
2.76 V
349.60 kHz

Low Frequency:
Vi
Vo
Flow

1.44 V
3.20 V
1.19 Hz

VDT output at the Emitter

DC Response:
IB
IE
IC
VCE
VC
VE
VB1
VB2

109 A
0.545 mA
0.436 mA
6.40 V
2.91 V
0.60 V
8.70 V
1.24 V

AC Response:
Mid Frequency:
rE
AV
Vi
Vo
fmid

47.71 ohms
0.857
616 mV
528 mV
8.71 kHz

High Frequency:
Vi
Vo
fhigh

480 mV
264 mV
5.32 MHz

Low Frequency:
Vi
Vo
Flow

296 mV
248 mV
3.61 Hz

Common Base Configuration

DC Response:
IB
IE
IC
VCE
VC
VE
VRE
VRC

6.53 V
6.09 V
-0.69 V
4.23 V
4.19 V

AC Response:
Mid Frequency:
rE
AV
Vi
Vo
fmid

40 mV
3.42 V
91.24 kHz

High Frequency:
Vi
Vo
fhigh

36.40 mV
1.72 V
2.09 MHz

Low Frequency:
Vi
Vo
Flow

106 mV
1.76 V
3.04 kHz

Graphs: