1.

1 Power BJT:

1.6.1 Introduction:
A Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) is a three terminal semiconductor device, whose operation
depends on the interaction of both majority and minority carriers. As its operation is dependent
on both the minority and majority carriers, it is termed as a bipolar device. If a thin layer of N –
type Silicon is sandwiched between two layers of P – type Silicon, then it is called a PNP
transistor. Alternately, if a thin layer of P – type Silicon is sandwiched between two layers of N –
type Silicon, then it is called a NPN transistor. The BJT has three terminals namely: Emitter (E),
Base (B) and Collector (C). The symbolic representation of the NPN and PNP transistors is as
shown in fig.5 below.

C C

B B

E E

Fig1 Symbols of NPN and PNP transistors

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It should be noted that the NPN and PNP transistors are differentiated by the arrow on the
emitter terminal. The arrow on the emitter specifies the direction of current flow when the EB
junction is forward biased.

1.6.2 Construction of power BJT:

The need for a large blocking voltage in the off state and a high current carrying capability in the
on state means that a power BJT must have substantially different structure than its small signal
equivalent. The modified structure leads to significant differences in the I-V characteristics and
switching behavior between power transistors and its logic level counterpart.

Fig.2. Construction of Power BJT

The constructional features of power BJT are:

 A power BJT has vertically oriented alternating layers of n type and p type
semiconductor materials as shown in Fig.2. The vertical structure is preferred for power
transistors because it maximizes the cross sectional area through which the on state
current flows. Thus, on state resistance and power loss is minimized.

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  In order to maintain a large current gain “β” (and hence reduce base drive current) the
emitter doping density is made several orders of magnitude higher than the base region.
The thickness of the base region is also made as small as possible. However if the base
thickness is small the breakdown voltage capability of the transistor is compromised.
 In order to block large voltage during “OFF” state a lightly doped “collector drift region”
is introduced between the moderately doped base region and the heavily doped collector
region. The function of this drift region is similar to that in a Power Diode. However, the
doping density donation of the base region being “moderate” the depletion region does
penetrate considerably into the base. Therefore, the width of the base region in a power
transistor cannot be made as small as that in a signal level transistor. This comparatively
larger base width has adverse effect on the current gain (β) of a Power transistor which
typically varies within 5-20.
 Practical Power transistors have their emitters and bases interleaved as narrow fingers.
This is necessary to prevent “current crowding” and consequent “second break down”. In
addition multiple emitter structure also reduces parasitic ohmic resistance in the base
current path.

1.6.3 Output V – I characteristics of Power BJT

A typical output characteristics ( ) of an n-p-n type power transistor is shown in Fig.7.

Fig.3. Output Characteristics of Power BJT

There is maximum collector-emitter voltage that can be sustained across the transistor when it is
carrying substantial collector current. This voltage is usually labeled BVSUS. In the limit of zero
base current, the maximum voltage between collector and emitter that can be sustained increases

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somewhat to a value labeled BVCEO, the collector-emitter breakdown voltage when the base is
open circuited. This latter voltage is often used as a measure of the transistor’s voltage standoff
capability because usually the only time the transistor will see larger voltages is when the base
current is zero and the BJT is in cutoff. The voltage BVCBO is the collector-base breakdown
voltage when the negative voltage is applied across BE junction.
In the active region, the ratio of collector current to base current (DC current Gain (β))
remains fairly constant up to certain value of the collector current after which it falls off rapidly.
Manufacturers usually provide a graph showing the variation of β as a function of the collector
current for different junction temperatures and collector emitter voltages. This graph is useful for
designing the base drive of a Power transistor. Typically, the value of the dc current gain of a
Power transistor is much smaller compared to their signal level counterpart. The maximum
collector – emitter voltage that a power transistor can withstand in active region is determined by
the Base collector avalanche break down voltage. This voltage, denoted by VSUS in Fig.2, is
usually smaller than VCEO. The voltage VSUS can be attained only for relatively lower values of
collector current. At higher collector current the limit on the “total power dissipation” defines the
boundary of the allowable active region as shown in Fig.2.
At still higher levels of collector currents, the allowable active region is further restricted
by a potential failure mode called “the Second Break down”. It appears on the output
characteristics of the BJT as a precipitous drop in the collector-emitter voltage at large collector
currents. The collector voltage drop is often accompanied by significant rise in the collector
current and a substantial increase in the power dissipation. Most importantly this dissipation is
not uniformly spread over the entire volume of the device but is concentrated in highly localized
regions. This localized heating is a combined effect of the intrinsic non uniformity of the
collector current density distribution across the cross section of the device and the negative
temperature coefficient of resistively of minority carrier devices which leads to the formation of
“current filaments” (localized areas of very high current density) by a positive feed-back
mechanism. Once current filaments are formed, localized “thermal runaway” quickly takes the
junction temperature beyond the safe limit and the device is destroyed.
It is in the saturation region that the output characteristics of a Power transistor differ
significantly from its signal level counterpart. In fact the saturation region of a Power transistor
can be further subdivided into a quasi saturation region and a hard saturation region.
The quasi saturation region of a power transistor is a direct consequence of
introducing the drift region into the structure of a power transistor. In the quasi saturation
region, the base-collector junction is forward biased but the lightly doped drift region is not
completely shorted out by excess minority carrier injection from the base. The resistivity of this
region depends to some extent on the base current. Therefore, in the quasi saturation region, the
base current still retains some control over the collector current although the value of β decreases
significantly. Also, since the resistivity of the drift region is still significant, the total voltage

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drop across the device in this mode of operation is higher for a given collector current compared
to what it will be in the hard saturation region.
In the hard saturation region, the base current loses control over the collector current
which is determined entirely by the collector load and the biasing voltage VCC. This behavior is
similar to what happens in a signal transistor except that the drift region of a power transistor
continues to offer a small resistance even when it is completely shorted out (by excess carrier
injection from the base). Therefore, for larger collector currents, the collector-emitter voltage
drop is almost proportional to the collector current.

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 Solution:

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1.6.5. Switching Characteristics of Power BJT:
In a power electronic circuit the power transistor is usually employed as a switch i.e. it operates
in either “cut off” (switch OFF) or saturation (switch ON) regions. However, the operating
characteristics of a power transistor differ significantly from an ideal controlled switch in
following respects:
 It can conduct only finite amount of current in one direction when “ON”
 It can block only a finite voltage in one direction.
 It has a voltage drop during “ON” condition
 It carries a small leakage current during OFF condition
 Switching operation is not instantaneous
 It requires non zero control power for switching


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 Merits of BJT:

1. BJTs have small turn on and turn off times, hence their switching frequencies are
higher than SCRs but lower than MOSFETS and Power IGBTs.
2. BJTs are available easily with much reduced costs.
3. BJT has lower conduction losses as compared to MOSFET, so it can be used in
high power applications, where as MOSFET is avoided to be used in high power
applications.
4. BJT do not require commutatation circuit.
5. For applications having lower operating frequencies BJT is superior.
6.

Demerits of BJT:

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  MOSFETs are majority carrier device, means flow of current inside the device is
carried out either flow of electrons (N-Channel MOSFET) or flow of holes(P-
Channel MOSFET). So when the device turns off, reverse recombination process
won't happen. It leads to short turn ON/OFF times. As switching time is less, loss
associated with it less.
So for high frequency applications, where the switching loss is major impact
in total power loss of the circuit, this device is the right choice.
On the other hand, for applications having lower operating frequencies BJT is
superior.
 MOSFET has positive temperature coefficient for resistance. So parallel
operation is easy. BJT has negative temperature coefficient, so current-sharing
resistors are mandatory during parallel operation of BJTs.
 The major difference between Power-MOSFET and Power-BJT is, that the
Power-MOSFET do not have the secondary breakdown problem whereas
Power-BJT suffers from secondary breakdown issue.
 Input Impedance
 MOSFETs have higher input impedance than BJTs. The input impedance is a
measure of the resistance of the input terminal of the transistor to electrical
current. When designing voltage amplifiers it is desirable for the input
resistance to be as high as possible. Therefore MOSFETs are more widely used
in the input stage of voltage amplifiers.
 MOSFETs can be made much smaller than BJTs. Many more MOSFETs can
be placed in a smaller area than BJTs. For this reason MOSFETs form the bulk of
the transistors used in microchips and computer processors. MOSFETs are also
easier to manufacture than BJTs because they take fewer steps to make.
 MOSFETs are less noisy than BJTs. In an electronics context noise refers to
random interference in a signal. When a transistor is used to amplify a signal the
internal processes of the transistor will introduce some of this random
interference. BJTs generally introduce more noise into the signal than MOSFETs.
This means MOSFETs are more suitable for signal processing applications or for
voltage amplifiers.

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