INTRODUCTION TO
TRANSISTORS
and common applications in
mechatronics
Team Members
Cornelius Ejimofor
Pierre Feyzeau
Ian Harrison
ME 6405
Professor: Dr. Ume 1
Outline
• History
• Theory
• Transistor Types
• Properties of BJT
• BJT applications
• FET and applications
• Power transistor and applications
• Summary
• References
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1
What is a Transistor?
A Transistor is an electronic device
composed of layers of a semiconductor
material which regulates current or
voltage flow and acts as a switch or gate
for electronic circuit.
History of the Transistor
P-N Junction
Russell Ohl 1939
First Transistor
Bell Labs 1947
Shockley, Brattain,
and Bardeen
First Solid State
Transistor - 1951
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2
History of the Transistor
Processor development followed Moore’s Law
1965 30 Transistors
1971 15,000
2000 42 million
2x growth every 2 years
Applications
• Switching
• Amplification
• Oscillating Circuits
• Sensors
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Transistor Physics
• Composed of N and P-type Semiconductors
• N-type Semiconductor has an excess of
electrons
– Doped with impurity with more valence electrons
than silicon
• P-type Semiconductor has a deficit of
electrons (Holes)
– Doped with impurity with less valence electrons
than silicon 7
Transistor Physics
P-N Junction (Basic diode):
- Bringing P and N Semiconductors in contact
- Creation of a Depletion Zone
P-Type N-Type
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Transistor Physics
• P-N Junction
• Reverse Biased => No Current
• Applying –ve Voltage to Anode increases
Barrier Voltage & Inhibits Current Flow
Transistor Physics
• P-N Junction
• Forward Biased => Current Flows
• Applying +ve Voltage > Barrier Voltage to
Anode allows current flow
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Transistor Physics
• Basic Transistor
Base Terminal
N-type P-type N-type
Collector Base Emitter
Collector
Terminal
Emitter
Terminal
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Transistor Physics
a •Two Types - NPN and PNP
Collector Collector
N P
Base P Base N
N P
Emitter Emitter
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Transistor Physics
• Basic Transistor
Base Terminal
Emitter
Collector Base Current Terminal
Terminal Collector Current
N-type P-type N-type
Collector Base Emitter
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Water pipe analogy
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Types of Transistors
Transistors
BJT FET
TRIAC Thyristor
NPN PNP JFET MOSFET
IGBT
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Properties of the BJT
Common emitter configuration
2 basic laws:
Ie=Ib+Ic
Ic=β.Ib (β=10 to 100)
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Operating Point
• Amplifier mode
• Switching mode
V 2 − Vce
Ic =
Rc
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BJT Applications:
Small signal amplifier
R2
Vb = .12
R 2 + R1
Ve = Vb− 0.7V
Ie = Ve / Re
25mV
R ′e =
Ie
Rc
Gain = −
R ′e
Zin = R1//R2
Zout = Rc
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BJT Applications: Darlington
HC11 Power circuit
The overall current gain will be: β1*β2
R is chosen so that the saturation point can
be reached: R = (V-2*0.7)/(Ib(in)* β1)
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Basic Circuits
Common Emitter Common Base Common Collector
Input Medium, xkΩ Low, xΩ High
Impedance
Output Medium = Rc Medium = Rc Low, xΩ
Impedance
Phase Shift 180° 0° 0°
Voltage gain High High <=1
Usage Useful for low More for HF since To adapt the
frequency signal the bandwidth is impedance in a
larger circuit
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FET Basics
• Advantages
– low power
– high gate impedance
– low S/D resistance
• Uses JFET
– amplifier [Link]
– analog switch
• Design
– gate==base
– source==emitter
– drain ==collector
MOSFET 21
[Link]
FET Symbols
• Gate arrow --> n-type or p-type
• Gate/source separation --> MOSFET or
JFET
• Broken source/drain line -->
enhancement mode or depletion mode
• Gate line is offset towards the source
JFET JFET MOSFET MOSFET
n-channel p-channel n-channel p-channel
depletion mode depletion mode enhancement mode enhancement mode
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FET Applications
Analog Switch
Mechatronics (Histand & Alciatore, 1999)
Power Switch
Mechatronics (Histand & Alciatore, 1999) 23
Power Transistors
• Generally
– Fabrication differences for dissipating more
heat
– Lower gain than signal transistors
• BJT
– essentially the same as a signal level BJT
– Power BJT cannot be driven directly by HC11
• MOSFET
– base (flyback) diode
– Large current requirements:
use parallel MOSFETs 24
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Photo Transistors
• Light acts as the
base current
Opto-coupler
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H-bridge example
1 4 1 4
2 3 2 3
Left side -5V, right side +5V Æ 1 & 3 on, 2 & 4 off
Left side +5V, right side -5V Æ 1 & 3 off, 2 & 4 on
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H-bridge example – BJT
+Vcc
Size R so that PNP is
R E in saturation:
-5V B
PNP
C
2 Amps Ic = -2 Amps
Hfe = β = 10
M
Ib = ic / β = -0.2 Amps
C -5 = -0.2 * R
B
NPN
E R = 25 Ω
Repeat for NPN…
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H-bridge example –
Summary
• BJT design:
– Choose TIP31 (NPN) and TIP32 (PNP)
– Must size R to provide sufficient base current to saturate the
transistor
– Controller must supply high current to BJT
• MOSFET design:
– Choose FDN359AN(n-channel) and FDN360P(p-channel)
– Less parasitic power loss than BJT
– Just plug it in!
• HC11 issues:
– HC11 can’t supply negative voltage, so:
• Use only NPN or n-channel
• Control 1 & 3 together, 2 & 4 together
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Synthesis
• Application
– Switch for a digital signal: BJT or MOSFET
– Switch for a analog signal: JFET
– Switch for a power signal: Power MOSFET or BJT
– Current controlled-current amplifier: BJT
– Voltage controlled-current amplifier: JFET or MOSFET
• Meet current & voltage requirements
• Speed: n-channel is faster than p-channel, npn is faster than
pnp
• FET notes:
– Enhancement mode (default off) vs. depletion mode (default on)
– For an n-channel JFET, the gate must always be at a lower potential than the
source. Opposite for p-channel.
– FETs are higher cost and easier to damage
– Amplification is not linear
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References
• Mobile Robots: Inspiration to Implementation.
Jones, Seiger & Flynn. (1999).
• Introduction to Mechatronics. Histan & Alciatore.
(1999).
• The Art of Electronics. Horowitz. (1980).
• [Link]
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