PNP transistor NPN transistor Collector (n) Collector (p) Base (p) Base (n) Emitter(n) Emitter (p) Emitter is moderately wide and highly doped Base is very narrow and lightly doped Collector is very wide and moderately doped
How does a Transistor work? Emitter Base Collector + Conventional current Electron current N P N - + + - - - - - + - + R2 IB R1 IE + IC Base emitter junction is forward biased Base collector junction is reverse biased
View from energy band Base Emitter Collector P N N Conduction Band From emitter source N To collector source N Conduction Band Recombination path Valence Band
Summary of transistor physics Magnitude of forward biased VBE controls the number of electrons entering the base emitter junction. Magnitude of reverse biased VCB has little control over the number of electrons entering the base collector junction. α=IE/IC β=IC/IB
Question Suppose that only 1 % of the electrons injected into The base recombine with base holes. If 1 million electrons enter the emitter in 1 μs, i) how many electrons come out of the base lead in this period? ii) how many come out of the collector lead during this time? iii) what is α? iv) what is β?