International Islamic University Islamabad

Faculty of Engineering and Technology

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT DESIGN-I LAB

Experiment No. 7: Characteristics of a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)

Name of Student: ……………………………………

Registration No.: ……………………………………..

Date of Experiment: …………………………………

Submitted To: ………………………………………...

Experiment No. 7: Characteristics of a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) Page 1

Objectives:
 To determine type of bipolar junction transistor (BJT), terminals and material using a DMM.
 To plot output characteristics of a BJT using experimental method.
 To determine the value of alpha (α) and beta (β) of a BJT.
Equipment Required:
 DMM
 DC Power Supply = +24V (fixed);
 Resistors: 680-Ω [Qty =1]; 330-kΩ [Qty =1];
 Potentiometers: 1-kΩ [Qty =1]; 1-MΩ [Qty =1];
 Transistor: 2N3904 (or equivalent) [Qty =1];
 Connecting wires
Theory:
Bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) are current controlled devices, which are made of
either silicon (Si) or germanium (Ge). Their structure consists of two layers of N-type material
separated by a layer of P-type material (NPN) or two layers of P-type material separated by a
layer of N-type material (PNP). In either case, the center layer forms the base of the transistor,
while the external layers form the collector and the emitter of the transistor. The arrow at the
emitter terminal of the transistor tells about the direction of conventional current flow. The
relationships between the voltages and the currents associated with a BJT under various
operating conditions determine its performance. These relationships are collectively known as
the characteristics of the transistor. As such, they are published by the manufacturer of a given
transistor in a specification (data) sheet. It is one of the objectives of this laboratory experiment
to experimentally measure these characteristics and to compare them with their published values.
There are three regions of operation of a BJT (active, cut-off and saturation region).
i. Active region: In this region, the base emitter junction is forward biased and the base-
collector junction is reverse biased. This region is the normal transistor operation mode for
amplification and it is characterized by the transistor current gain (β).
ii. Cut-off region: In this region, both base-emitter and base-collector junctions are reverse
biased and the transistor acts like an open switch (IC = 0).
iii. Saturation region: In this region, both base emitter and base-collector junctions are forward
biased and the transistor acts like a closed switch (VCE = 0).
In the active region, a figure of merit has been defined to quantify the capability of the
transistor to amplify the input signal. This parameter is defined as the ratio between I C to IB

Experiment No. 7: Characteristics of a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) Page 2

 (β = IC / IB). Similarly an α factor is defined as the ratio between IC to IE (α = IC / IE). It can
be easily shown that β = α /(1 - α) and α = β /(β + 1).

Procedure:
Part 1: Determination of Transistor’s Type, Terminals and Material
The following procedure will determine the type of a transistor, the terminals of a transistor,
and the material from which it is made. The procedure will utilize the diode testing scale found
on many modern DMMs. If no such scale is available, the resistance scales of the meter may be
used.
a. Label the transistors terminals of Figure 7.1 as 1, 2 and 3.

Figure 7.1: Determination of the identities of BJT Pins

b. Set the selector switch of the DMM to the diode scale (or to the 2-kΩ range if diode scale is
not available).
c. Connect the positive lead of the meter to terminal 1 and the negative lead to terminal 2;
record your reading in Table 7.1.
Table 7.1

DMM leads connected

to BJT Diode check
Step
reading of
No.
Positive Negative DMM

1(c) 1 2
1(d) 2 1
1(e) 1 3
1(f) 3 1
1(g) 2 3
1(h) 3 2

d. Reverse the leads and record your reading in Table 7.1.

e. Connect the positive lead of the meter to terminal 1 and the negative lead to terminal 3;
record your reading in Table 7.1.

Experiment No. 7: Characteristics of a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) Page 3

f. Reverse the leads and record your reading in Table 7.1.
g. Connect the positive lead of the meter to terminal 2 and the negative lead to terminal 3;
record your reading in Table 7.1.
h. Reverse the leads and record your reading in Table 7.1.
i. The meter readings between two of the terminals will read high (OL), regardless of the
polarity of the meter leads connected. Neither of these two terminals will be the base. Based
on the above data, identify the base terminal (1, 2 or 3) and record it in Table 7.2.
Table 7.2
1(i) Base terminal
1(j) Transistor type (NPN or PNP)
1(k) Collector terminal
1(k) Emitter terminal
1(l) Transistor material (Si or Ge)

j. Connect the negative lead to the base terminal and the positive lead to either of the other
terminals. If the meter reading is low (approx. 0.7V for Si and 0.3V for Ge), the transistor
type is PNP; go to step k(1). If the meter reading is high, the transistor type is NPN; go to
step k(2). Record the type of transistor in Table 7.2.
k. (1). For PNP type, connect the negative of DMM at the base terminal and the positive lead
alternately to either of the other two terminals. The lower of the two readings obtained
indicates that base and collector are connected. Thus, the other terminal is emitter. Record
the terminals (collector and emitter) in Table 7.2.
(2). For NPN type, connect the positive of DMM at the base terminal and the negative lead
alternately to either of the other two terminals. The lower of the two readings obtained
indicates that base and collector are connected. Thus, the other terminal is emitter. Record
the terminals (collector and emitter) in Table 7.2.
l. If the readings in either step k(1) or step k(2) were approximately 700mV, the transistor
material is Silicon (Si). If the readings were approximately 300mV, the transistor material is
Germanium (Ge). Record the type of material in Table 7.2.
Modern DMMs have the capability to determine the terminals and type of the BJT transistor.
The DMM has transistor socket, which is used to test the BJT transistor. This socket has 4 upper
and 4 lower holes to test both the types of BJT transistor (NPN or PNP). Since BJT transistor has
three terminals, you can test the transistor by inserting it randomly into these holes. When proper
slot is achieved, transistor will show some gain value (hfe). At this instant, you can find the

Experiment No. 7: Characteristics of a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) Page 4

terminals as well as the type of the transistor by reading the statistics of DMM.
Part 2: Output Characteristics of BJT
a. Construct the circuit of Figure 7.2 on the breadboard. Record the measured values of RB and
RC.
RB (measured) =___________
RC (measured) =___________

Figure 7.2
b. Set the voltage VRB = 3.3V by varying the 1-MΩ potentiometer (Pot-1). This adjustment will
𝐕𝐑𝐁
set IB = ≅ 10µA, as indicated in Table 7.3.
𝐑𝐁

c. Vary the 1-kΩ potentiometer (Pot-2) to adjust VCE from 2V to the values appearing in Table
7.3. Note that IB is maintained at 10µA for the range of VCE levels. For each value of VCE,
record VRC and VBE. Record all the values in Table 7.3.
d. Repeat step 2(b) and 2(c) for VRB = 9.9V. VRB will be adjusted by varying the 1-MΩ
𝐕𝐑𝐁
potentiometer (Pot-1). This adjustment will set IB = ≅ 30µA, as indicated in Table 7.3.
𝐑𝐁

Record all the desired values in Table 7.3.

𝐕𝐑𝐁
e. Again repeat step 2(b) and 2(c) for VRB = 16.5V. This newer value of VRB will set IB = ≅
𝐑𝐁

50µA, as indicated in Table 7.3. Record all the desired values in Table 7.3.
𝐕𝐑𝐂
f. Now, find the collector currents as IC = using measured values VRC and RC. Obtain the
𝐑𝐂

emitter currents as IE = IB + IC.

Experiment No. 7: Characteristics of a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) Page 5

 Table 7.3: Output Characteristics of BJT

VRB IB VCE VBE VRC IC = VRC /RC IE = IC + IB α β

(mA) (mA) (meas.) (meas.)
(meas.) (meas.) (meas.) (meas.) (meas.)
(meas.) (meas.)

2V
4V
6V
8V
10uA =
3.3V 0.01mA 10V
12V
14V
16V

2V
4V
6V
8V
30uA =
9.9V 10V
0.03mA
12V
14V
16V

2V
4V
6V
8V
50uA =
16.5V 0.05mA 10V
12V
14V
16V

Experiment No. 7: Characteristics of a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) Page 6

g. Using the data of Table 7.3, plot IC versus VCE for the different values of IB (10uA, 30uA
and 50uA) on the graph paper given in Figure 7.3.

Figure 7.3
Part 3: Variation of α and β

a. For each line of Table 7.3, calculate the corresponding levels of α and β
𝐈𝐂 𝐈𝐂
using α = and β = and complete the Table 7.3.
𝐈𝐄 𝐈𝐁

b. In there a significant variation in α and β from one region of the characteristics to another?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

c. Find out the largest and smallest level of βmax and βmin.

βmax =______________

βmin =______________

d. In general, did β increase or decrease with increase in IC?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Experiment No. 7: Characteristics of a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) Page 7

e. In general, did β increase or decrease with increase in VCE?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

f. Find the average value of β using the data of Table 7.3. That is, find the sum of β values and

divide it by the total number of values.

βaverage =______________

g. Similarly, determine the average value of VBE using the data of Table 7.3.

VBE (average) =______________

Experiment No. 7: Characteristics of a Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) Page 8