Transistor as a Switch
Transistor as a Switch
• A transistor is used as an electronic switch by driving it either in
saturation or in cut off. The region between these two is the linear
region. A transistor works as a linear amplifier in this region. The
Saturation and Cut off states are important consideration in this
regard.
ON & OFF States of a Transistor
• There are two main regions in the operation of a transistor which we
can consider as ON and OFF states. They are saturation and cut off
states. Let us have a look at the behavior of a transistor in those two
states.
Operation in Cut-off condition
• When the base of the transistor is given negative, the transistor goes
to cut off state. There is no collector current. Hence .
• The voltage VCC applied at the collector, appears across the collector
resistor RC. Therefore,
Operation in Saturation region
• When the base voltage is positive and transistor goes into saturation,
flows through .
• Then drops across . The output will be zero.
Operation in Saturation region
• Actually, this is the ideal condition. Practically, some leakage
current flows. Hence we can understand that a transistor works as
a switch when driven into saturation and cut off regions by
applying positive and negative voltages to the base.
Operation in Saturation region
• Observe the dc load line that
connects the and . If the transistor is
driven into saturation, IC flows
completely and which is indicated by
the point A.
• If the transistor is driven into cut off,
IC will be zero and which is indicated
by the point B. the line joining the
saturation point A and cut off B is
called as Load line. As the voltage
applied here is dc, it is called as DC
Load line
Practical Considerations
Although the above-mentioned conditions are all convincing, there are
a few practical limitations for such results to occur.
• During the Cut off state
An ideal transistor has and .
But in practice, a smaller leakage current flows through the collector.
Hence will be a few μA.
This is called as Collector Leakage Current which is of course, negligible.
Practical Considerations
• During the Saturation State
An ideal transistor has and
But in practice, decreases to some value called knee voltage.
When decreases more than knee voltage, decreases sharply.
As this decreases the collector current.
Hence that maximum current which maintains at knee voltage, is
known as Saturation Collector Current.
Practical Considerations
• A Transistor which is fabricated only to make it work for switching
purposes is called as Switching Transistor. This works either in
Saturation or in Cut off region. While in saturation state, the collector
saturation current flows through the load and while in cut off state,
the collector leakage current flows through the load.
Switching Action of a Transistor
• A Transistor has three regions of operation. To understand the
efficiency of operation, the practical losses are to be considered. So
let us try to get an idea on how efficiently a transistor works as a
switch.
During Cut off (OFF) state
• The Base current
• The Collector current (collector leakage current)
• Power Loss = Output Voltage × Output Current
• As is very small and is also low, the loss will be of very low value.
Hence, a transistor works as an efficient switch in OFF state.
During Saturation (ON) state
• The output voltage is .
• Power loss = Output Voltage × Output Current
• As will be of small value, the loss is low. Hence, a transistor works as
an efficient switch in ON state.
Switching Times
• The Switching transistor has a pulse as an input and a pulse with few
variations will be the output. There are a few terms that you should
know regarding the timings of the switching output pulse. Let us go
through them.
• Let the input pulse duration = T
• When the input pulse is applied the collector current takes some
time to reach the steady state value, due to the stray capacitances.
The following figure explains this concept.
Switching Times
Switching Times
• Time delay() − The time taken by the collector current to reach from
its initial value to 10% of its final value is called as the Time Delay.
• Rise time() − The time taken for the collector current to reach from
10% of its initial value to 90% of its final value is called as the Rise
Time.
• Turn-on time () − The sum of time delay () and rise time () is called as
Turn-on time.
Switching Times
• Storage time () − The time interval between the trailing edge of the input
pulse to the 90% of the maximum value of the output, is called as the
Storage time.
• Fall time () − The time taken for the collector current to reach from 90%
of its maximum value to 10% of its initial value is called as the Fall Time.
• Turn-off time () − The sum of storage time () and fall time () is defined as
the Turn-off time.
• Pulse Width() − The time duration of the output pulse measured between
two 50% levels of rising and falling waveform is defined as Pulse Width.
