A transistor is a three-terminal semiconductor device, also known as a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) because of two types of charge carrier electrons and holes.
There are three types of junction transistors
- n-p-n transistors: When a thin layer of p-type semiconductor is sandwiched between two thick layers of n-type semiconductor, we get a transistor known as an n-p-n transistor.
- p-n-p transistors: When a thin layer of n-type semiconductor is sandwiched between two thick layers of p-type semiconductor, we get a transistor known as a p-n-p transistor.
Since the transistor is a three-terminal device, it can be connected in a circuit in three different ways
- Common-emitter (CE) configuration
- Common-base (CB) configuration
- Common-collector (CC) configuration
Common-emitter (CE) Configuration
In this configuration, the emitter terminal of the transistor is common between the input and output circuit.
- The variation of base current IB with the variation of base-emitter voltage VBE at constant collector-emitter voltage VCE is called the input characteristic of a transistor in a common-emitter configuration.
- The input characteristics in the common-emitter configuration are the same as that of the forward-biased junction diode.
- The variation of collector current IC with the variation of collector-emitter voltage VCE at constant base current IB is called output characteristics of a transistor in common-emitter configuration
The relation between base current IB, collector current IC, and emitter current IE of a transistor in a common emitter configuration is given by
IE = IB + IC
The output voltage or collector voltage is given by
VCE = VCC + ICRC
Current gain of a common-emitter transistor is given by the ratio of collector current IC to base current IB i.e.
ꞵ = IC / IB