DC BIASING -BJTs

Chapter 4

Introduction
The term biasing is used for application of dc voltages to
establish a fixed level of current and voltage.
Transistor must be properly biased with dc voltage to
operate as a linear amplifier.
If amplifier is not biased with correct dc voltages on input
and output, it can go into saturation or cutoff when the input
signal applied.
There are several methods to establish DC operating point.
In DC analysis all capacitor act as open circuit.

Biasing
Biasing: The DC voltages applied to a transistor in order
to turn it on so that it can amplify the AC signal or to
establish a fixed level of current and voltage.
The base current, is the first to be determined. Once
is known, the remaining quantities can be determined.
The basic relationships for a transistor
0.7; = + 1 ;
=

Operating Point
The DC input establishes an
operating point or quiescent
point called Q-point
Quiescent means quiet,
still, inactive
A transistors operating
point (Q-point) is defined by
IC, VCE, and IB

Active Operating Region

For the BJT to be biased in its linear or active region the
following must be true:
BE junction must be forward biased (p-region more positive)
with a resulting forward biased voltage of about 0.6 0.7V
BC junction must be reversed based 9n-region more positive)
with the reverse bias voltage being any value within the
maximum limits of device.
Note :for FB, voltage across the pn junction is p positive
whereas for RB it is opposite with n positive.

The three states of operation

Active or linear region operation
Base-Emitter junction is forward biased
Base-Collector junction is reverse biased
Cutoff region operation
Base-Emitter junction is reverse biased
Base-Collector junction is reverse biased
Saturation region operation
Base-Emitter junction is forward biased
Base-Collector junction is forward biased

The DC Operating Point

The goal of amplification in most cases is to increase the
amplitude of an ac signal without altering it.

The DC Operating Point

For a transistor circuit to amplify it must be properly biased with dc
voltages. The dc operating point between saturation and cutoff is called the
Q-point. The goal is to set the Q-point such that that it does not go into
saturation or cutoff when an a ac signal is applied.

The DC Operating Point

Recall that the collector characteristic curves graphically show the

relationship of collector current and VCE for different base currents. With
the dc load line superimposed across the collector curves for this
particular transistor we see that 30 mA of collector current is best for
maximum amplification, giving equal amount above and below the Qpoint. Note that this is three different scenarios of collector current
being viewed simultaneously.
VCC
1
V
+
I
=
(
)
CE
c
Slope of the dc load line?
RC
Rc

The DC Operating Point

With a good Q-point established, lets look at the effect a superimposed ac
voltage has on the circuit. Note the collector current swings do not exceed
the limits of operation(saturation and cutoff). However, as you might already
know, applying too much ac voltage to the base would result in driving the
collector current into saturation or cutoff resulting in a distorted or clipped
waveform. (Example 5-1)

Saturation
When the transistor is operating in saturation, current
through the transistor is at its maximum possible values.

DC biasing circuit

Fixed-bias circuit
- highly dependent on dc
Emitter-stabilized bias circuit

Add emitter resistor

Greatly reduces effect of change of
Equations

Collector-emitter loop

Less common than CE circuit

Collector connected to ground
Similar analysis
Voltage gain < 1

Voltage divider bias circuit

DC bias with voltage feedback

BJT - DC Analysis
Using KVL for the input and output circuits and the transistor
characteristics, the following steps apply:
1. Draw the load lines on the transistor characteristics curve
2. For the input characteristics determine the Q point for the
input circuit from the intersection of the load line and the
characteristic curve where Q point is between saturation
and cut off(Note that some transistor do not need an input
characteristic curve.)
3. From the output characteristics, find the intersection of
the load line and characteristic curve determined from the
Q point found in step 2, determine the Q point for the
output circuit.
4. Best Q for a linear amplifier - Midway between saturation
and cut-off

Base/Fixed Bias
This type of circuit is very unstable since its changes
with temperature and collector current. Base biasing
circuits are mainly limited to switching applications.

Base/Fixed Bias
In a simple biasing circuit, VBB is eliminated by
connecting the resistor RB to the supply VCC

As shown in the above circuit, two dc

voltage supplies are needed to bias a
BJT which is not practical
This biasing circuit is called base bias, or fixed bias.
Single power supply
Coupling capacitors

Base/Fixed bias

Applying KVL,
Therefore,

= +

= ; = ; since
= 0; = =

The Base-Emitter Loop

From KVL
+
Solving for base current

=

Collector-Emitter Loop
Collector current
=
From KVL
=

Feedback bias: collector-feedback bias

Feedback bias: Emitter-feedback bias

Load line for fixed bias circuit

The Q-point is the operating point:
Where the value of RB sets the value
of IB
Where IB and the load line intersect
That sets the values of VCE and IC

DC load line is defined by two points,

consider = 0 and = 0 thus
=
=

=0

=0

DC Load Line

Circuit Values Affect the Q-Point

Increasing
level of IB

Decreasing
value of VCC

Increasing
level of RC

Emitter-Stabilized Bias Circuit

This type of circuit is independent of

making it as stable as the voltage-divider
type. The drawback is that it requires two
IB IE/
power supplies.
Two key equations for analysis of this type
of bias circuit are shown below. With these
two currents known we can apply Ohms
law and Kirchhoff's law to solve for the
voltages.

IC IE ( -VEE-VBE)/(RE + RB/DC)

Base-emitter loop(input loop)

Collector-emitter loop(output loop)

KVL at loop 1
+ + + = 0

Since = + 1 :
+ 1 = 0
Solving for IB
=

+(+1)

KVL at loop 2
+ = 0
Since :
= ( + )

Also

=
=
= + =
= = +

Load Line for Emitter-bias circuit

From equation (2)
= ( + )

The end points of the load line

are:
=

=0

=0

Voltage-Divider Bias
Voltage-divider bias is the most widely
used type of bias circuit..
DC bias voltage at base of transistor is
developed by a resistive voltage-divider
consists of R1 and R2.
Vcc is dc collector supply voltage. 2
current path between point A and
ground: one through R2 and the other
through BE junction and RE.
The current in the base-emitter circuit is
much smaller, so for all practical
purposes we say that IE approximately
equals IC.
IE IC

Voltage-Divider Bias
This is a very stable bias circuit.
The currents and voltages are
almost independent of
variations in .
There are two ways of analyzing
the voltage divider bias circuit : 1. Exact analysis
2. Approximate analysis

Voltage Divider Bias

For the Voltage Divider Bias configurations
Draw Equivalent Input circuit
Draw Equivalent Output circuit
Write necessary KVL and KCL Equations
Determine the Quiescent Operating Point

1. Exact Analysis
Step 1 : Redraw circuit

Step 3 : Replace thevenin equivalent circuit

Step 2 : find thevenin equivalent

circuit

Step 4 : Apply KVL to determine IB

and VCE
= 0

Substitute = ( + 1)

=
+ ( + 1)

= 1 //2

2
=
1 + 2

= ( + )

2. Approximate Analysis
Used for circuit that have a very small
IB due to large resistance between
base and ground.
If Ri R2, IB < I2. So approx. I1 I2

Testing RE 10R2. If satisfied

2

=
; = ;
=
1 + 2

And
Apply KVL at output loop:
=
Substitute

= ( + )

Voltage-Divider Bias for PNP Transistor

Pnp transistor has opposite polarities from npn. To obtain
pnp, required negative collector supply voltage or with a
positive emitter supply voltage. The analysis of pnp is
basically the same as npn.

Analysis of voltage bias for pnp transistor

Base voltage
Emitter voltage

By Ohms Law,

And,

R
1
VB =
R +R R
DC E
2
1

V E = V B + V BE

IE

V EE V E
=
RE

VC = I C RC
V EC = V E VC

V EE

Collector Feedback configuration

Another way to improve the stability of a bias circuit is to

add a feedback path from collector to base.
In this bias circuit the Q-point is only slightly dependent on
the transistor beta, .

Base Emitter Loop Solve for IB

KVL at input loop:
= 0

Where IB IC, so approx.:

IC = + = ;

Knowing IC = IB and IE IC, the

loop equation becomes:
= 0
Solving for

=
+ ( + )

Collector Emitter Loop

KVL at output loop:
+ + = 0
Since IC IC as IB=0 and IC = IB:
( + ) + = 0

Solving for VCE:

= ( + )

BJT DC Analysis - Summary

Calculating the Q-point for BJT is the first step in analyzing the
circuit
To summarize:
We ignored the AC (variable) source
Short circuit the voltage sources
Open Circuit the current sources
We applied KVL to the base-emitter circuit and using load line analysis
on the base-emitter characteristics, we obtained the base current Qpoint
We then applied KVL to the collector-emitter circuit and using load
line analysis on the collector-emitter characteristics, we obtained the
collector current and voltage Q-point

This process is also called DC Analysis

We now proceed to perform AC Analysis

Troubleshooting
Shown is a typical voltage divider circuit with correct voltage readings.
Knowing these voltages is a requirement before logical troubleshooting can
be applied. We will discuss some of the faults and symptoms.

Troubleshooting
R1 Open
With no bias the
transistor is in cutoff.
Base voltage goes down
to 0 V.
Collector voltage goes
up to
10 V(VCC).
Emitter voltage goes
down to 0 V.

Troubleshooting
Resistor RE Open:
Transistor is in cutoff.
Base reading voltage will stay
approximately the same.
Collector voltage goes up to 10
V(VCC).
Emitter voltage will be
approximately the base voltage +
.7 V.

Troubleshooting
Base Open Internally:
Transistor is in cutoff.
Base voltage stays
approximately the same.
Collector voltage goes up to 10
V(VCC).
Emitter voltage goes down to 0
V.

Troubleshooting
Open BE Junction:
Transistor is in cutoff.
Base voltage stays
approximately the same.
Collector voltage goes up to 10
V(VCC)
Emitter voltage goes down to 0
V.

RC Open:

Troubleshooting

Base voltage goes down to 1.11 V

because of more current flow
through the emitter.
Collector voltage will drop to .41 V
because of current flow from
forward-biased collector-base
junction.
Emitter voltage will drop to .41 V
because of small current flow from
forward-biased base-emitter
junction.

Summary
The purpose of biasing is to establish a stable operating point (Q-point).
The Q-point is the best point for operation of a transistor for a given collector
current.
The dc load line helps to establish the Q-point for a given collector current.
The linear region of a transistor is the region of operation within
saturation and cutoff.