Da Nang University of Science and Technology

Center of Excellence

EE 332
LABORATORY REPORT

Lab 1: Bipolar Junction Transistor Characterization

Instructor: Vũ Văn Thanh

Members from class 15ECE1:

1. Đặng Hoàng Khôi

2. Đặng Đức Huy
3. Nguyễn Đức Thịnh
4. Lê Minh Tuấn

Đà Nẵng, May 14th, 2018

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 Team roles:

Activities Members’ name

Component preparation, Đặng Đức Huy

Circuit construction Lê Minh Tuấn

Đặng Hoàng Khôi

Data collection Nguyễn Đức Thịnh

(figures, pictures, etc.) Lê Minh Tuấn

Đặng Đức Huy

Đặng Hoàng Khôi

Data analysis
Nguyễn Đức Thịnh

Answer the questions The whole team

Lab report The whole team

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I. Procedure 1: BJT base lead and sex identification

1. Set-Up
Q1 = 2N3904 BJT
Q2 = 2N3906 BJT
Turn on a DMM and configure it to measure (two wire) resistance. Plug a black
squeeze-hook test lead into the negative (-) banana jack of the meter and a red squeeze-
hook test lead into the positive (+) banana jack of the meter. The objective of this
procedure will be to determine which lead of the BJT is the base, and whether the BJT
is an npn or pnp device using only the ohmmeter function of the DMM.

2. Measurement-1

• 2N3904 BJT

BJT has pn-junctions between the base and both the emitter and collector terminals.
Use the DMM in its ohmmeter setting to test pairs of leads on the BJT and therefore
identify the base lead on the device.
Pair of terminals Result
(+)1st – (-)2nd O.L (∞)
(+)1st – (-)3rd O.L (∞)
(+)2nd – (-)1st 4.68 MΩ
(+)2nd – (-)3rd 4.50 MΩ
(+)3rd – (-)1st O.L (∞)
(+)3rd – (-)2nd O.L (∞)
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 From the result, there is pn-junctions between 2nd terminal and 1st terminal,
the 2nd terminal is p, 1st terminal is n. Similarly, the 2nd terminal is p, 3rd
terminal is n. Therefore, 2N3904 is npn BJT and 2nd is base (B) terminal.

Next, use the DMM to measure the resistance between emitter and collector. We
assume that 1 is emitter and 3 is collector terminals. We use the finger stands for small
resistor which connects emitter and collector. After that, connect the (-) lead of the
DMM to the lead 1 and the (+) lead of the DMM to the lead 3. Again, try this in both
polarity directions.

Assume: 1 is emitter, 3 is collector terminals.

R31 = 57.7 kΩ

Assume: 3 is emitter, 1 is collector terminals.

R13 = O.L
 1st is emitter (E) terminal, 3rd is collector (C) terminals.

• 2N3906 BJT

Pair of terminals Result

(+)1st – (-)2nd 4.67 MΩ
(+)1st – (-)3rd O.L (∞)
(+)2nd – (-)1st O.L (∞)
(+)2nd – (-)3rd O.L (∞)
(+)3rd – (-)1st O.L (∞)
(+)3rd – (-)2nd 4.16 MΩ

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 From the result, there is pn-junctions between 2nd terminal and 1st terminal,
the 1st terminal is p, 2nd terminal is n. Similarly, the 3rd terminal is p, 2nd
terminal is n. Therefore, 2N3906 is pnp BJT and 2nd is base (B) terminal.

Assume: 1 is emitter, 3 is collector terminals.

R31 = 82.2 kΩ

Assume: 3 is emitter, 1 is collector terminals.

R13 = O.L

 1st is emitter (E) terminal, 3rd is collector (C) terminals.

3. Question-1

Draw a picture of the device package and label the leads appropriately as E, B, C.

Is it possible to distinguish the emitter lead from the collector lead using only an
ohmmeter? Explain why or why not.
From the above way which we use, it is possible to distinguish the emitter lead from the
collector lead using only an ohmmeter.

With the base lead open circuited, is the BJT a “normally-on” or a “normally-off”
device?
With the base lead open circuited, the BJT is a "normally-off" device. Because, this is a
npn BJT, it should have at least one pn-junction which is reversed biased and it will
prevent the forward-biased current. Therefore, in order for conduction to occur, we need
to connect the base lead with the positive jack of the bias, then the current will appear.

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II. Procedure 2: Measurement of BJT & Dependence of βF on collector current
level

1. Set-Up
To set up this front-end, use the following parts:
RB = 1.0 MΩ 5% 1/4W
RC = 10.0 kΩ 5% 1/4W
Q = 2N3904 BJT

The measurements will be made with the emitter at a ground potential reference. Power
supplies PPS1 and PPS2 are used for the collector and base voltage excitations,
respectively. The current sensing resistors RC and RB and the BJT under test are then
connected as shown in Figure E1.2a below.

The voltage of DMM1 is equivalent to the voltage VRB, while the voltage from DMM2
is the voltage VCE.
2. Measurement-2
Adjust the PPS2 to produce voltages +1.0 Volts. Then adjust PPS1 from 0.0 V to 10.0 V
with increment 1.0 V. Measure the VRB and VCE with DMMs. Calculate IB=VRB/1.0 MΩ
and IC=(PPS1-VCE)/10.0 kΩ. Record the IB, IC, and VCE in a table in your notebook.

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 Table 1: Measured values of VRB, VCE and calculated values of IB, IC, βF

PPS1 (V)
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0
VRB(V) 0.83 0.88 0.86 0.89 0.90 0.90 0.91 0.89 0.92 0.93 0.88
VCE(V) 0.0 0.14 0.51 1.49 2.55 3.55 4.48 5.50 6.52 7.49 8.49
1.0 IB(µA) 0.83 0.88 0.86 0.89 0.90 0.90 0.91 0.89 0.92 0.93 0.88
IC(µA) 0.0 86 149 151 145 145 152 150 148 151 151
βF= IC/ IB 0.0 98 173 170 161 161 167 169 160 162 172
VRB(V) 1.29 1.30 1.30 1.29 1.31 1.28 1.29 1.32 1.31 1.27 1.30
VCE(V) 0.0 0.11 0.15 0.22 1.07 2.08 3.03 4.05 4.96 6.01 6.99
PPS2
1.5 IB(µA) 1.29 1.30 1.30 1.29 1.31 1.28 1.29 1.32 1.31 1.27 1.30
(V)
IC(µA) 0.0 89 185 278 293 292 297 295 304 299 301
βF= IC/ IB 0.0 68 142 216 224 228 230 223 232 235 232
VRB(V) 1.68 1.65 1.66 1.69 1.70 1.68 1.72 1.67 1.69 1.67 1.70
VCE(V) 0.0 0.10 0.12 0.15 0.18 0.43 1.33 2.32 3.25 4.29 5.26
2.0 IB(µA) 1.68 1.65 1.66 1.69 1.70 1.68 1.72 1.67 1.69 1.67 1.70
IC(µA) 0.0 90 188 285 382 457 467 468 475 471 474
βF= IC/ IB 0.0 55 113 169 225 272 272 280 281 282 279

IC(µA) I-V characteristics when PPS2 = 1.0V

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

VCE (V)

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IC(µA) I-V characteristics when PPS2 = 1.5 V
350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

VCE (V)

IC(µA) I-V characteristics when PPS2 = 2.0 V

500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6

VCE (V)

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 3. Question-2:

Table2: Value of βF

PPS1 (V)
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0
1.0 βF= IC/ IB x 98 173 170 161 161 167 169 160 162 172
PPS2
1.5 βF= IC/ IB x 68 142 216 224 228 230 223 232 235 232
(V)
2.0 βF= IC/ IB x 55 113 169 225 272 272 280 281 282 279

III. Procedure 3: Measurement of BJT output conductance

1. Set-Up

Start from the same set up as in Procedure 2 except using:

RB = 100 kΩ 5% 1/4W
RC = 1.0 kΩ 5% 1/4W
Q = 2N3904 BJT
2. Measurement-3
Table 3: Measured values of VRB, VCE and calculated values of IB, IC, βF

PPS1 (V)
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0
VRB(V) 0.32 0.31 0.26 0.24 0.24 0.25 0.26 0.29 0.28 0.27 0.28
VCE(V) 0.0 0.10 0.12 0.18 0.33 0.80 1.28 1.97 2.31 2.92 3.49
1.0
IB(µA) 3.2 3.1 2.6 2.4 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.9 2.8 2.7 2.8
IC(mA) 0.0 0.90 1.88 2.82 3.67 4.20 4.72 5.03 5.69 6.08 6.51
VRB(V) 0.77 0.79 0.76 0.78 0.77 0.76 0.74 0.75 0.73 0.70 0.71
PPS2 VCE(V) 0.0 0.05 0.08 0.09 0.15 0.19 0.25 0.46 0.90 1.45 2.0
1.5 7.7 7.9 7.6 7.8 7.7 7.6 7.4 7.5 7.3 7.0 7.1
(V) IB(µA)
IC(mA) 0.0 0.95 1.92 2.91 3.85 4.81 5.75 6.54 7.10 7.55 8.0
VRB(V) 1.22 1.23 1.19 1.19 1.18 1.16 1.14 1.15 1.17 1.18 1.19
VCE(V) 0.0 0.05 0.07 0.10 0.13 0.16 0.21 0.25 0.38 0.76 1.20
2.0
IB(µA) 12.2 12.3 11.9 11.9 11.8 11.6 11.4 11.5 11.7 11.8 11.9
IC(mA) 0.0 0.95 1.93 2.90 3.87 4.84 5.79 6.75 7.62 8.24 8.80
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IC (mA) I-V characteristics when PPS2 = 1.0 V
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0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4

VCE (V)

IC (mA) I-V characteristics when PPS2 = 1.5 V

9

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

VCE (V)

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 IC (mA) I-V characteristics when PPS2 = 2.0 V
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4

VCE (V)

3. Question-3:
Unlike when the 10 kΩ resistor was connected, the value of the BJT output
conductance will tend to increase in proportion to the collector current I C. The
output conductance is usually expressed as 𝜆ICsat, where 𝜆 is a constant with units of
V-1. ICsat is the saturated value of forward-active collector current, i.e. the current
that would result in the absence of any output conductance, and which is usually
measured close to the saturation knee of the output curve. Using Excel, find the best
fit value of 𝜆 which allows the forward-active output curves to be well
approximated by the relationship
IC = ICsat (1 + 𝜆VCE) .

The BJT in saturation region when VCE is small ~ 0.2V, therefore, we get the values
of IC when VCE in range from 0.0V to 0.2V.
IC
( −1)
𝐼𝐶𝑠𝑎𝑡
 𝜆= with ICsat = 10-16 A
𝑉𝐶𝐸

VCE(V) 0.05 0.08 0.09 0.15 0.19

IC(mA) 0.95 1.92 2.91 3.85 4.81
𝝀(V-1) 1.9x1014 2.4 x1014 3.2 x1014 2.7 x1014 2.5 x1014

The best fit value of 𝜆 is 2.5 x1014 V-1

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