The Transistor

Do not do error analysis this week, but please record

errors in tables of raw data.
Planning
1. Sketch what you think a plot of Ic versus Vbe in
section 1 below would be.
2. Write a brief experimental plan including the data you
need to measure. Include
a plan of how to arrange the circuit on
breadboard (see lab manual).
a circuit diagram for part 2
3. Go through this sheet and highlight the places where it
tells you to limit the current through the circuit (if not you
will spend a lot of time trying to sort out blown transistors
and fused ammeters).

2V

Experiment
You are provided with 2 digital multimeters, 2 variable 030V power supplies, a BC182L transistor and
breadboard.

Figure 1. Experimental setup for part 1

Figure2 Experimental setup for part 3.

1 Input characteristic
Set up the circuit as shown in figure 1. Note the polarity
of the power supplies and the directions of the meters.
Vary Vbe and note the value of Vbe at which Ic suddenly
starts to increase (sketch but do not plot exactly the
relationship between Ic and Vbe). Do not allow the
collector current to exceed 20mA. Compare this
characteristic with the current-voltage characteristic of a
silicon diode.
2. Output characteristic
Set the power supplies to 0V and turn them off while you
rearrange the circuit.
Take out the DMM measuring Vbe and change it to measure A. Insert it back into the circuit to measure the current
into the base of the transistor (To do this remove the connection to the base, connect the COM lead into the base and
the other lead to the junction of the two resistors. Now the current will flow into the base via the meter).
Measure and plot the output characteristic Ic versus Vce, for values of Ib = 5,10,15 A. Do this by setting Ib with the left
hand supply then vary Vce with the right hand supply from 0V up to 10V (getting several points below 1V). Repeat with
the next value of Ib. Dont allow the collector-emitter voltage to exceed 10V or the collector current to exceed 20 mA.
Estimate the current gain = Ic / Ib for Vce > 1V.
Transistor as a switch: Graph from part 2 shows that a very small base current switches on a much larger collector
current. However for this to happen, Vce must be large enough.
4. Load Line
In reality you are likely to have a load connected to the collector (R L in figure 2). In fact the transistor must always
operate along the load line which is the line that obeys
Vs=Vce+IcRL
(1)
where Vs is the supply voltage (=10V in this circuit). So what would happen to V ce as Ib increased?
For figure 2 you know Vs and RL. Plot the expected value of Vce for Ic=0 and one other point on the load line and draw
this onto your out characteristic plot from section 2 above (it is possible it will not fit depending on the points you
chose.. in that indicate where it would be with a sketch). The transistor with a collector load always has to operate at
points along this line.
5. The transistor as a voltage amplifier.
Set up the circuit shown in figure 2 and plot a graph of Vce versus Vbe for values of Vbe between 0 and 0.7V.

From the results above, why Vce goes down as Vbe goes up.
Over what range of Vbe does the transistor operate as a linear amplifier?