Michael Lance Mioza

BS EE III

SO12

ACTIVITY 8
COMMON-BASE CONFIGURATION (NPN and PNP)
I.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this activity are to be able to design a common-base configuration amplifier
and to study the characteristics of the BJT with a dc source in this configuration along its regions
of operation.
II.

BASIC CONCEPTS
The common-base configuration is one of the three basic BJT configurations and is usually
used as an amplifier. The common-base terminology is derived from the fact that the base is
common to both the input and output sides of the configuration. In addition, the base is usually
the terminal closest to, or at, ground potential.
As with the previous activity, it requires two sets of characteristics for it to be fully described,
which is the input parameters and the output parameters. The input set for the common-base
amplifier as will relate an input current (IE) to an input voltage (VBE) for various levels of output
voltage (VCB). The output set will relate an output current (IC) to an output voltage (VCB) for various
levels of input current (IE).
Just like the previous activity, the output set of characteristics has three regions of interest:
the active, cut-off and saturation region. The active region is normally employed for linear
amplifiers. In particular, in the active region the collector-base junction is reverse-biased while
the base-emitter junction is forward biased.
The cut-off region, as inferred by its name, is defined as the region where the collector
current is 0 A. In addition, the collector-base and base emitter junctions of a transistor are both
in reverse-bias.
The saturation region is defined as the region of the characteristics to the left of VCB= 0 V.
As the VCB approaches 0 V the IC increases exponentially. In the saturation region, the collectorbase and base emitter junctions are forward-biased.

Figure 8-1. A simple common-base circuit configuration

Figure 8-2. A common base transistor amplifier circuit

Figure 8-3. Output characteristics of a common-base configuration

Figure 8-4. Input characteristics of a common-base configuration

In dc mode the levels of IC and IE can be related by a quantity called alpha (). Which is
defined as =IC/IE. For practical devices, the alpha typically extends from 0.9 to 0.998, with most
approaching the high end of the range.
III. MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENTS
BJT: 2N3904 NPN transistor, 2N3906 NPN transistor. (See Table 8-1 and 8-2 for Data Sheet)
Resistors
Connectors
Breadboard
DC Power Supply
Multitester
IV. PROCEDURE
Refer to the BJTs specification on the manufacturers data sheet for values needed to
operate at different regions.
Active Region (Amplifier) NPN and PNP
1. Construct a circuit as shown in Figure 7-4.

Figure 8-5
Figure 8-6
Figure 8-5 & 8-6. Linear mode NPN and PNP

2.

3.

4.
5.

6.
V.

A voltage divider circuit was used so the circuit would be less dependent on the value of
the beta and if used for designing purposes, it would not affect the other values too much.
The circuit also contains an emitter resistor to improve stability level over that of
the fixed bias-configuration.
For an active region operation, the output must be found along the upper right area of
the characteristic graph. Thus, values of VCB and IC must be somewhere along middle of
the load line meaning greater than the cut-off current and the saturation voltage. For
this, we use half of the value of the input for VCE and a tenth of the input for VE.
The value of during an active region operation is greater compared to other operations
and must be assumed to be so, but since our circuit is in the voltage divider network, the
value of would not affect our values too much. Refer to the data sheets for values
needed to operate at the active region.
Calculate the values of Rc and Re using the assumed values of VCE, IC and that makes
the network operate on the active region.
Calculate the values of R1 and R2 assuming that the current across R1 is 11 times IB and
the current across R2 is equal to 10 times IB. Then select the correct ratio of the resistors
to provide the voltage required at the base.
Replace the NPN transistor with the PNP transistor and repeat steps 1 to 3.

TABLES/GRAPHS

The student used a simulation of the given procedure when conducting the activity. He used
NI Multisim 11.0, a circuit design software.

Table 8-1. 2N3904 NPN Transistor Datasheet

Table 8-2. 2N3906 PNP Transistor Datasheet

VCC, V

VCE, V

10

-10

-5

R1,

R2,

Rc,

Re,

IC,
mA

IE, mA

Region of Transistor
Operation
Type

8200 1800

400

100

10

9.9

Active
region

NPN

8200 1800

400

100

-10

-9.9

Active
region

PNP

Table 8-3. Assumed and calculated values for common-base configuration

VCC,
V

VCE, V

10

5.086

-10

5.178

R1,

R2,

Rc,

Re,

IC, mA

IE, mA

Region of Transistor
Operation
Type

8200 1800

400

100

9.816

9.874

Active
region

NPN

8200 1800

400

100

-9.653

-9.683

Active
region

PNP

Table 8-4. Simulated values for common-base configuration

VI. Conclusion
After the activity was conducted, a common-base configuration that works as an amplifier
was designed. The circuit configuration was named as such since the base is common to both the
emitter and the collector. For the amplifier, some parameters were assumed and approximated
so that it will operate at the active region.
From the data taken during the activity, the only difference between the NPN and PNP
transistor is the signs of the values of their components. There is also a small difference between
the simulated and calculated values. This is because most of the values were initially assumed
and approximated.

REFERENCES
1. Boylestad, R. &Nashelsky L. (1998). Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory. Prentince Hall,
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
2. Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation (October, 2011). 2N3904 NPN General Purpose
Amplifier. https://www.fairchildsemi.com/datasheets/2N/2N3904.pdf
3. Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation (October, 2011). 2N3906 PNP General Purpose
Amplifier. https://www.fairchildsemi.com/datasheets/2N/2N3906.pdf
4. Bayer, Stefan. Common Base Circuit. http://en.transistoramp.de/common-base-circuit/
5. Poole, Ian. Common Base Amplifier. http://www.radioelectronics.com/info/circuits/transistor/common-base-amplifier-configuration.php