How NPN transistor works?

Tutorials of forward & reverse biasing of an NPN transistor

VSagar December 3, 2011 25 Comments This is the discussion series of bipolar transistors. This is Part-1 of this series. Bipolar Transistor in this type of transistor, holes as well as electrons, are responsible to the flow of electric current. These transistors are used in amplifier circuits. They are of two types 1) NPN Transistor when a p-layer is sandwiched between two n-layers, as shown in the following figure, the NPN transistor is formed. There are following important points about this transistor

a) Area of collector layer is largest. b) Area of base layer is smallest. It is very thin layer. c) Area of emitter layer is medium. d) Collector layer is moderately doped. It has medium number of charges (electrons). e) Base layer is lightly doped. It has a very few number of charges (holes). f) Emitter layer is heavily doped. It has largest number of charges (electrons). g) There are two junctions in this transistor junction J1 and junction J2. h) The junction between collector layer and base layer is called as collector-base* junction or c-b junction.

i) The junction between base layer and emitter layer is called as base-emitter* junction or b-e junction. j) The two junctions have the same potential barrier or depletion layer, as it is in diode. k) When n-p-n transistor is forward biased, its base-emitter junction is forward biased and its collector-base junction remains always reverse biased. Now current flows through the transistor from collector to emitter*. l) When n-p-n transistor is reverse biased, its both junctions remain reverse biased. Now the current through the transistor is practically zero. 2) PNP Transistor when an n-layer is sandwiched between two p-layers, as shown in the following figure, the PNP transistor is formed. There are following important points about this transistor

a) Area of collector layer is largest. b) Area of base layer is smallest. It is very thin layer. c) Area of emitter layer is medium. d) Collector layer is moderately doped. It has medium number of charges (holes). e) Base layer is lightly doped. It has a very few number of charges (electrons). f) Emitter layer is heavily doped. It has largest number of charges (holes). g) There are two junctions in this transistor junction J1 and junction J2. h) The junction between emitter layer and base layer is called as emitter-base* junction or e-b junction. i) The junction between base layer and collector layer is called as base-collector* junction or b-c junction. j) The two junctions have the same potential barrier or depletion layer, as it is in diode.

k) When p-n-p transistor is forward biased, its emitter-base junction is forward biased and its base-collector junction remains always reverse biased. Now current flows through the transistor from emitter to collector*. l) When p-n-p transistor is reverse biased, its both junctions remain reverse biased. Now the current through the transistor is practically zero. m) The symbol of both transistors is given above. The arrow is always shown at emitter region of transistor and its direction indicates the direction of conventional current through the transistor. Working of NPN Transistor

1) Forward Biasing to forward bias an n-p-n transistor it is connected as shown in the following figure. Note the important points of its forward biasing a) The collector is connected to high positive voltage with respect to base i.e. Vcb is very high. b) So c-b junction is reverse biased. c) The base is connected to low positive voltage with respect to emitter i.e. Vbe is low. d) Also Vcb is always greater than Vbe. e) When Vbe is greater than or equal to potential barrier voltage of b-e junction, the transistor is forward biased. f) Now large number of electrons in emitter layer is repelled by negative terminal of Vbe and they flow towards b-e junction. g) They cross the junction and enter into small base layer. Here some electrons combine with holes, some of them are attracted by positive terminal of Vbe and remaining large number of electrons flow into collector layer, crossing c-b junction. h) The resident electrons of collector are repelled by these (guest) electrons and thus, all the electrons are attracted by positive terminal of Vcb.

i) Thus, all these electrons complete their journey back into emitter layer and thus, produce currents in the transistor as shown in the above circuit. j) Thus, as per KCL, we can write Ic + Ib = Ie k) Now as Vbe increases, more electrons from base are attracted by positive terminal of Vbe. So base-collector junction is more and more forward biased and base current (Ib) increases. l) Hence, we conclude that collector current (Ic) is the function of base current (Ib) i.e. Ic Ib.

2) Reverse Biasing to reverse bias an n-p-n transistor it is connected as shown in the following figure. Note the important points a) The collector is connected to high positive voltage with respect to base i.e. Vcb is very high. b) So c-b junction is reverse biased. c) The base is connected to low negative voltage with respect to emitter i.e. Veb is low. d) Also Vcb is always greater than (Vbe)*. e) Since battery Veb is connected in opposite direction, the base-emitter junction is now reverse biased. f) So the electrons in emitter layer are attracted by positive terminal of Veb and thus, the electrons cannot cross the junction. g) So there are no electrons that can produce base current. So Ib = 0. h) So collector current Ic = 0 and emitter current Ie = 0. i) Thus, the KCL cannot be applied here, as the equation, Ic + Ib = Ie has no meaning.

j) Now if Veb is increas ed further, nothing will happen as all the electrons in emitter layer are already attracted by positive terminal of Veb. k) Hence, we conclude that transistor is reversed biased.