Common Base Configuration

Introduction

In common base configuration, emitter is the input terminal,

collector is the output terminal and base terminal is connected as
a common terminal for both input and output.

In common base configuration, the base terminal is grounded

so the common base configuration is also known as grounded
base configuration.

Sometimes common base configuration is referred to as

common base amplifier, CB amplifier, or CB configuration.
Common Base (CB) Configuration
Common Base (CB) Configuration
The supply voltage between base and emitter is denoted by
VBE while the supply voltage between collector and base is
denoted by VCB.

As mentioned earlier, in every configuration, the baseemitter

junction JE is always forward biased and collector-base junction JC
is always reverse biased.

Therefore, in common base configuration, the base-emitter

junction JE is forward biased and collector-base junction JC is
reverse biased.
Current flow in common base amplifier
Let us consider NPN transistor in common base configuration.

Due to the forward bias voltage VBE, the free electrons

(majority carriers) in the emitter region experience a
repulsive force from the negative terminal of the battery

similarly holes (majority carriers) in the base region

experience a repulsive force from the positive terminal of the
battery.

As a result, free electrons start flowing from emitter to base

similarly holes start flowing from base to emitter.
Current flow in common base amplifier
Thus free electrons which are flowing from emitter to base and
holes which are flowing from base to emitter conducts electric
current.

The actual current is carried by free electrons which are

flowing from emitter to base.

However, we follow the conventional current direction which is

from base to emitter. Thus electric current is produced at the
base and emitter region.
Current flow in common base amplifier

The free electrons which are flowing from emitter to base will
combine with the holes in the base region similarly the holes
which are flowing from base to emitter will combine with the
electrons in the emitter region.

From the above figure, it is seen that the width of the base
region is very thin.

Therefore, only a small percentage of free electrons from

emitter region will combine with the holes in the base region and
the remaining large number of free electrons cross the base
region and enters into the collector region.
Current flow in common base amplifier

A large number of free electrons which entered into the

collector region will experience an attractive force from the
positive terminal of the battery.

Therefore, the free electrons in the collector region will flow

towards the positive terminal of the battery. Thus, electric
current is produced in the collector region.

The electric current produced at the collector region is

primarily due to the free electrons from the emitter region
similarly the electric current produced at the base region is also
primarily due to the free electrons from emitter region.
Therefore, the emitter current is greater than the base current
and collector current. The emitter current is the sum of base
current and collector current.

IE = I B + I C
To fully describe the behavior of a transistor with CB
configuration, we need two set of characteristics: they are

1. Input characteristics

2. Output characteristics.
Input characteristics
Note

When the output voltage (VCB) is increased from zero volts to a

certain voltage level the emitter current flow will be increased
which in turn reduces the depletion region width at emitter-base
junction.

As a result, the cut in voltage will be reduced. Therefore, the

curves shifted towards the left side for higher values of output
voltage VCB.
Output characteristics
Output characteristics

The output characteristics describe the relationship between

output current (IC) and the output voltage (VCB).

To determine the output characteristics, the input current or

emitter current IE is kept constant at zero mA and the output
voltage VCB is increased from zero volts to different voltage
levels.

For each voltage level of the output voltage VCB, the output
current (IC) is recorded.
Output characteristics
When the emitter current or input current IE is equal to 0 mA,
the transistor operates in the cut-off region.

From the above characteristics, we can see that for a constant

input current IE, when the output voltage VCB is increased, the
output current IC remains constant. This region is known as the
active region of a transistor.

At saturation region, both emitter-base junction JE and collector-

base junction JC are forward biased.

From the above graph, we can see that a sudden increase in the
collector current when the output voltage VCB makes the collector-
base junction JC forward biased.
Early effect
Due to forward bias, the base-emitter junction JE acts as a
forward biased diode and due to reverse bias, the collector-base
junction JC acts as a reverse biased diode.

Therefore, the width of the depletion region at the base

emitter junction JE is very small whereas the width of the
depletion region at the collector-base junction JC is very large.
Early effect

If the output voltage VCB applied to the collector-base junction

JC is further increased, the depletion region width further
increases.

The base region is lightly doped as compared to the collector

region. So the depletion region penetrates more into the base
region and less into the collector region.

As a result, the width of the base region decreases. This

dependency of base width on the output voltage (VCB) is known
as an early effect.
Transistor parameters

Dynamic input resistance (ri) : Dynamic input resistance is

defined as the ratio of change in input voltage or emitter voltage
(VBE) to the corresponding change in input current or emitter
current (IE), with the output voltage or collector voltage (VCB)
kept at constant.
Common Base Voltage Gain
Common Emitter Configuration
Common Emitter Configuration
In common emitter configuration, base is the input terminal,
collector is the output terminal and emitter is the common
terminal for both input and output.

In common emitter configuration, the emitter terminal is

grounded so the common emitter configuration is also known as
grounded emitter configuration.

Sometimes common emitter configuration is also referred to as

CE configuration, common emitter amplifier, or CE amplifier
Common Emitter (CE) Configuration

Note: The common emitter (CE) amplifiers are

used when large current gain is needed.
Input characteristics

The input characteristics describe the relationship between

input current or base current (IB) and input voltage or base-
emitter voltage (VBE).

To determine the input characteristics, the output voltage VCE is

kept constant at zero volts and the input voltage VBE is increased
from zero volts to different voltage levels.

For each voltage level of input voltage (VBE), the corresponding

input current (IB) is recorded.
Input characteristics
Input characteristics
In common emitter (CE) configuration, the input current (IB) is
very small as compared to the input current (IE) in common base
(CB) configuration.

The input current in CE configuration is measured in

microamperes (μA) whereas the input current in CB configuration
is measured in milli amperes (mA).

In common emitter (CE) configuration, the input current (IB) is

produced in the base region which is lightly doped and has small
width.

So the base region produces only a small input current (IB). On
the other hand, in common base (CB) configuration, the input
current (IE) is produced in the emitter region which is heavily
doped and has large width.
Input characteristics
So the emitter region produces a large input current (IE).
Therefore, the input current (IB) produced in the common emitter
(CE) configuration is small as compared to the common base (CB)
configuration.

Due to forward bias, the emitter-base junction acts as a forward

biased diode and due to reverse bias, the collector-base junction
acts as a reverse biased diode.

Therefore, the width of the depletion region at the emitter-base

junction is very small whereas the width of the depletion region at
the collector-base junction is very large
Input characteristics
If the output voltage VCE applied to the collector-base junction is
further increased, the depletion region width further increases.

The base region is lightly doped as compared to the collector

region. So the depletion region penetrates more into the base
region and less into the collector region.

As a result, the width of the base region decreases which in turn
reduces the input current (IB) produced in the base region.
Input characteristics

Note: From the above characteristics, we can see that for higher
fixed values of output voltage VCE, the curve shifts to the right
side.
Output characteristics

The output characteristics describe the relationship between

output current (IC) and output voltage (VCE).

To determine the output characteristics, the input current or

base current IB is kept constant at 0 μA and the output voltage
VCE is increased from zero volts to different voltage levels.

For each level of output voltage, the corresponding output

current (IC) is recorded.
Output characteristics
Output characteristics
A curve is then drawn between output current IC and output
voltage VCE at constant input current IB (0 μA).

When the base current or input current IB = 0 μA, the

transistor operates in the cut-off region. In this region, both
junctions are reverse biased.

A curve is then drawn between output current IC and output

voltage VCE at constant input current IB (20 μA). This region is
known as the active region of a transistor.

In this region, emitter-base junction is forward biased and the

collector-base junction is reverse biased.
Output characteristics
When output voltage VCE is reduced to a small value (0.2 V),
the collector-base junction becomes forward biased.

This is because the output voltage VCE has less effect on

collector-base junction than input voltage VBE.

As we know that the emitter-base junction is already forward

biased. Therefore, when both the junctions are forward biased,
the transistor operates in the saturation region.

In this region, a small increase in output voltage VCE will rapidly
increases the output current IC.
Transistor parameters

Dynamic input resistance (ri)

Dynamic input resistance is defined as the ratio of change in

input voltage or base voltage (VBE) to the corresponding change
in input current or base current (IB), with the output voltage or
collector voltage (VCE) kept at constant.

Note: In CE configuration, the input resistance is very low.

Dynamic output resistance (ro)

Dynamic output resistance is defined as the ratio of change in

output voltage or collector voltage (VCE) to the corresponding
change in output current or collector current (IC), with the input
current or base current (IB) kept at constant.

Note: In CE configuration, the output resistance is high.

Current gain (α)

The current gain of a transistor in CE configuration is defined as

the ratio of output current or collector current (IC) to the input
current or base current (IB).

Note: The current gain of a transistor in CE configuration is high.

In the Common Emitter configuration

The current gain of the common emitter transistor

configuration is quite large as it is the ratio of IC/IB and is given
as Beta, (β).

As the emitter current for a common emitter configuration is

defined as IE = IC + IB, the ratio of IC/IE is called Alpha, α.

Note: that the value of Alpha will always be less than unity.
Common Collector Configuration
Common Collector Configuration

In this configuration, the base terminal of the transistor

serves as the input, the emitter terminal is the output and the
collector terminal is common for both input and output.

In common collector configuration, the collector terminal is

grounded so the common collector configuration is also
known as grounded collector configuration.
Common Collector Configuration
Input characteristics
Output characteristics
Output characteristics
In common collector configuration, if the input current or base
current is zero then the output current or emitter current is also
zero.

As a result, no current flows through the transistor. So the

transistor will be in the cutoff region.

If the base current is slightly increased then the output current or

emitter current also increases. So the transistor falls into the
active region.

If the base current is heavily increased then the current flowing

through the transistor also heavily increases. As a result, the
transistor falls into the saturation region.
Different transistor configurations