Chapter 5

Transistor Bias
Circuits

Objectives
Discuss the concept of dc biasing of a transistor
for linear operation
Analyze voltage-divider bias, base bias, and
collector-feedback bias circuits.
Basic troubleshooting for transistor bias
circuits

Lectures outline

Objectives
Introduction
DC operating point
Voltage-divider bias
Other bias methods
Base bias
Emitter bias
Collector-feedback
bias

Troubleshooting
Summary

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.
We will discuss some of the methods
used for biasing transistors.

DC OPERATING POINT

The DC Operating Point

The goal of amplification in most cases is to
increase the amplitude of an ac signal without
altering it.
Improper biasing can cause distortion in the output
signal.

The DC Operating Point

The purpose of biasing a circuit is to establish a proper
stable dc operating point (Q-point). The dc operating
point between saturation and cutoff is called the Qpoint. The goal is to set the Q-point such that that it
does not go into saturation or cutoff when an ac signal
is applied.

Q-point of a circuit: dc operating point

of amplifier specified by voltage and
current values (VCE and IC). These values
are called the coordinates of Q-point.
Refer to figure a, given IB = 200A and
DC=100. IC=DCIB so IC=20mA and

VCE VCC I C RC 10V ( 20mA )( 220) 10 4.4 5.6V

Figure b, VBB is increased to produce IB of

300A and IC of 30mA.

VCE VCC I C RC 10V ( 30mA )( 220) 10 6.6 3.4V

Figure c, VBB is increased to produce IB of

400A and IC=40mA. So, VCE is:
VCE VCC I C RC 10V ( 40mA )( 220) 10 8.8 1.2V

DC Operating Point-DC load line

Recall that the collector characteristic curves graphically show the
relationship of collector current and VCE for different base currents.
When IB increases, IC increases and VCE decreases or vice-versa.
Each separate Q-point is connected through dc load line. At any
point along line, values of IB, IC and VCE can be picked off the
graph.
Dc load line intersect VCE axis at 10V, where VCE=VCC. This is
cutoff point because IB and IC zero. Dc load line also intersect IC
axis at 45.5mA ideally. This is saturation point because IC is max
and VCE=0.

DC Operating Point-Linear operation

Region between saturation and cutoff is linear region of
transistors operation. The output voltage is ideally
linear reproduction of input if transistor is operated in
linear region.
Lets look at the effect a superimposed ac voltage has
on the circuit. IB vary sinusoidally 100A above and
below Q-point of 300A. IC vary up and down 10mA of
its Q-point(30mA). VCE varies 2.2V above and below its
Q-point of 3.4V.
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.
When +ve peak is limited, transistor is in cutoff. When
ve peak is limited, transistor is in saturation.

Variations in IC and VCE as a result of variation in

IB.

Graphical load line illustration of transistor being driven into

saturation or cutoff

Graphical load line for transistor in saturation and cutoff

Example 1
Determine Q-point in figure below and find the maximum
peak value of base current for linear operation. Assume
DC=200.

Solution
Q-point is defined by values of IC and VCE.
V BB V BE 10 0.7
IB

198 A
RB
47 k
I C DC I B 200(198 ) 39.6mA
VCE VCC I C RC 20V ( 39.6mA )( 330) 6.93V

Q-point is at IC=39.6mA and VCE=6.93V. Since IC(cutoff)=0,

we need to know IC(sat) to determine variation in IC can
occur and still in linear operation.
I C ( sat )

VCC
20

60.6mA
RC 330

Before saturation is reached, IC can increase an amount equal

to: IC(sat) ICQ = 60.6mA 39.6mA = 21mA.

Solution cont..
However, IC can decrease by 39.6mA before cutoff (IC=0) is
reached. Since the gap of Q-point with saturation point is less
than gap between Q-point and cutoff, so 21mA is the max peak
variation of IC.
The max peak variation of IB is:
I c ( peak ) 21m
I b ( peak )

105 A
DC
200

VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS

Voltage-Divider Bias
Voltage-divider bias is the
most widely used type of bias
circuit. Only one power supply
is needed and voltage-divider
bias is more stable(
independent) than other bias
types. For this reason it will be
the primary focus for study.
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

Voltage divider bias

If IB is much smaller than I2, bias

circuit is viewed as voltage divider
of R1 and R2 as shown in Figure a.
If IB is not small enough to be
neglected, dc input resistance
RIN(base) must be considered.
RIN(base) is in parallel with R2 as
shown in figure b.

Input resistance at transistor base

VIN is between base and
ground and IIN is the current
into base.
By Ohms Law,
RIN(base) = VIN / IIN
Apply KVL, VIN=VBE+IERE
Assume VBE<<IERE, so VINIERE
Since IEIC=DCIB,
VIN DCIBRE
IN=IB, so
RIN(base)= DCIBRE / IB
R

= R

Analysis of Voltage-Divider Bias Circuit

Analysis of voltage divider bias circuit

Total resistance from base to ground is:
R2 R IN ( base )
R2 DC R E
A voltage divider is formed by R1 and resistance
from base to ground in parallel with R2.
R2 DC R E
VCC
VB
R1 R DC R E
2

If DCRE >>R2, (at least ten times greater), then

the formula simplifies to
R2

VCC
V B
R1 R 2

Analysis of Voltage-Divider Bias Circuit

Now, determine emitter voltage VE.
VE=VB VBE
Using Ohms Law, find emitter current IE.
IE = VE / RE
All the other circuit values
IC IE
VC = VCC ICRC
To find VCE, apply KVL:
VCC ICRC IERE VCE =0
Since IC IE,
VCE VCC IC (RC + RE)

Example 2
Determine VCE and IC in voltage-divider biased transistor
circuit below if DC=100.

Solution
1.

Determine dc input resistance at base to see if it can be

neglected.
R IN ( base ) DC R E 100(560) 56k

2.

RIN(base)=10R2, so neglect RIN(base). Then, find base voltage

R2
R1 R 2

V B

3.

5.6k
10V 3.59V
15
.
6
k

VCC

So, emitter voltage

V E V B V BE 3.59 0.7 2.89V

4.

And emitter current

5.
6.

Thus, I C 5.16mA
And VCE is VCE VCC I C ( RC R E ) 10 5.16m (1.56k ) 1.95V

IE

V E 2.89

5.16mA
RE
560

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

VB

Emitter voltage

R1
R1 R2 DC R E

V E V B V BE
By Ohms Law,

IE
And,

V EE V E

RE

VC I C RC
V EC V E VC

V EE

OTHER BIAS METHODS

BASE BIAS
EMITTER BIAS
COLLECTOR-FEEDBACK BIAS

Other bias methods - Base Bias

KVL apply on base circuit.
VCC VRB VBE = 0 or VCC IBRB VBE =0
Solving for IB,

VCC V BE
IB
RB

Then, apply KVL around collector

circuit. VCC ICRC VCE = 0
We know that IC = DCIB,
VCC V BE
I C DC
RB

Base bias

From the equation of IC, note that IC is

dependent on DC. When DC vary, VCE also
vary, thus changing Q-point of transistor.
This type of circuit is beta-dependent and very
unstable. Recall that DC changes with
temperature and collector current. Base biasing
circuits are mainly limited to switching
applications.

Emitter Bias

Npn transistor with emitter bias

Emitter base

This type of circuit is independent of DC making

it as stable as the voltage-divider type. The
drawback is that it requires two power supplies.
Apply KVL and Ohms Law,
IBRB + IERE + VBE = -VEE
IE
Since ICIE and IC= DC IB,
IB

DC

Solve for IE or IC,

IC

V EE V BE
R E R B / DC

Voltage equations for emitter base circuit.

VE = VEE + IERE
VB = VE + VBE

Collector-Feedback Bias
Collector-feedback bias is kept
stable with negative feedback,
although it is not as stable as
voltage-divider or emitter. With
increases of IC, VC decrease and
causing decrease in voltage
across RB, thus IB also decrease.
With less IB ,IC go down as well.

Analysis of collector-feedback circuit

By Ohms Law,

IB

VC V BE
RB

Collector voltage with assumption IC>>IB.

VC = VCC ICRC
And IB = IC / DC
So, collector current equation
IC

VCC V BE
RC R B / DC

Since emitter is ground, VCE = VC.

VCE = VCC - ICRC

TROUBLESHOOTING

Troubleshooting
Figure below show 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.

All indicated faults

Troubleshooting
Fault 1: R1 Open
With no bias the
transistor is in
cutoff.

Fault 2: Resistor RE
Open
Transistor is in cutoff.

Base voltage goes

down to 0 V.

Base reading voltage will

stay approximately the
same.

Collector voltage
goes up to10
V(VCC).

Since IC=0, collector

voltage goes up to 10
V(VCC).

Emitter voltage
goes down to 0 V.

Emitter voltage will be

approximately the base
voltage - 0.7 V.

Troubleshooting
Fault 3: Base lead
internally open

Fault 4: BE junction
open

Transistor is
nonconducting (cutoff),
IC=0A .

Transistor is in cutoff.

Base voltage stays

approximately the
same, 3.2V.
Collector voltage goes
up to 10 V(VCC).
Emitter voltage goes
down to 0 V because no
emitter current through
R.

Base voltage stays

approximately the
same,3.2V.
Collector voltage goes up
to 10 V(VCC)
Emitter voltage goes down
to 0 V since no emitter
current through RE.

Troubleshooting
Fault 5: BC junction open
Base voltage goes down to 1.11
V because of more base current
flow through emitter.
Collector voltage goes up to 10
V(VCC).
Emitter voltage will drop to 0.41
V because of small current flow
from forward-biased baseemitter junction.

Troubleshooting
Fault 6: RC open
Base voltage goes down
to 1.11 V because of
more current flow
through the emitter.
Collector voltage will
drop to 0.41 V because
of current flow from
forward-biased collectorbase junction.
Emitter voltage will drop
to 0.41 V because of
small current flow from
forward-biased baseemitter junction.

Troubleshooting
Fault 7: R2 open
Transistor pushed close
to or into saturation.
Base voltage goes up
slightly to 3.83V
because of increased
bias.
Emitter voltage goes
up to 3.13V because of
increased current.
Collector voltage goes
down because of
increased conduction
of transistor.

SUMMARY

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.

Summary
Voltage-divider bias is most widely used because
it is stable and uses only one voltage supply.
Base bias is very unstable because it is
dependent.
Emitter bias is stable but require two voltage
supplies.
Collector-back is relatively stable when compared
to base bias, but not as stable as voltage-divider
bias.