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ROHINI COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
DC Load Line and Bias Point – DC analysis of Transistor circuits

Biasing is the application of dc voltages to establish a fixed level of current
and voltage. For transistor amplifiers the resulting dc current and voltage establish
an operating point on the characteristics that define the region that will be employed
for amplification of the applied signal. Since the operating point is a fixed point on
the characteristics, it is also called the quiescent point (abbreviated Q-point). The
operating point of a device, also known as bias point, quiescent point, or Q-point, is
the point on the output characteristics that shows the DC collector–emitter voltage
(Vce) and the collector current (Ic) with no input signal applied shown in figure 1.3.1.
Figure 1.3.4 DC condition to draw dc load line

Diagram Source Brain Kart
EC8351 ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS I

We can draw a straight line on the graph of IC versus VCE which is having slope -
1/Rc.To determine the two points on the line we assume VCE = VCC and VCE =0
a) When VCE =VCC ; IC =0 and we get a point A
b) When VCE=0 ; IC=VCC/RC and we get a point B
The figure below shows the output characteristic curves for the transistor in CE
mode. The DC load line is drawn on the output characteristic curves. Load line - To
draw load line, we have to find saturation current and the cutoff voltage.
Saturation point
The point at which the load line intersects the characteristic curve near
thecollector current axis is referred to as the saturation point . At this point of time,
the current through the transistor is maximum and the voltage across collector is
minimum for a given value of load. So, saturation current for the fixed bias circuit, Ic
(sat) =Vcc/Rc .
Cutoff point
The point where the load line intersects the cutoff region of the collector
curvesis referred as the cutoff point (i.e. end of load line). At this point, collector
current is approximately zero and emitter is grounded for fixed bias circuit. so, Vce
(cut) = Vc = VccOperating point - The "Q point" for a transistor amplifier circuit
is the point along itsoperating region in a "quiescent ", where no input signal gets
amplified.
The figure below shows the output characteristic curves for the transistor in CE mode
with points A and B, and line drawn between them. The line drawn between points
A and B is called d.c load line. The d.c word indicates that only d.c conditions are
considered, i.e input signal is assumed to be zero. The d.c load line is a plot of
IC versus VCE. For a given value of Rc and a given value of Vcc. So, it represents all
collector current levels and corresponding collector emitter voltages that can exist in
the circuit. Knowing any one of Ic, IB, or VCE , it is easy to determine the other two
from the load line. The slope of the d.c load line depends on the value of RC. It is the
negative and equal to reciprocal of the RC.
Figure 1.3.2 The output characteristic curves for the transistor in CE mode
with points A and B
Applying KVL to the base circuit, we get

The intersection of curves of different values IB of with d.c load line gives different
operating points. For different values of IB, we have different intersection points such
as P, Q and R.
Selection of operating point

The operating point can be selected at different positions on the d.c load line,
near saturation region, near cut-off region or at the centre, i.e in the active region.
The selection of operating point will depend on its application. When transistor is
used as an amplifier, the Q point should be selected at the center of the d.c. load line
to prevent any possible distortion in the amplified output signal.
Output Characteristics
When the output characteristics of a transistor are considered, the curve looks
as below for different input values. In the figure 1.3.2 , the output characteristics
are drawn between collector current IC and collector voltage VCE for different
values of base current IB. These are considered here for different input values to
obtain different output curves.
Operating point
When a value for the maximum possible collector current is considered, that
point will be present on the Y-axis, which is nothing but the saturation point. As
well, when a value for the maximum possible collector emitter voltage is
considered, that point will be present on the X-axis, which is the cutoff point.

When a line is drawn joining these two points, such a line can be called as Load
line. This is called so as it symbolizes the output at the load. This line, when drawn
over the output characteristic curve, makes contact at a point called as Operating
point.
This operating point is also called as quiescent point or simply Q-point. There can
be many such intersecting points, but the Q-point is selected in such a way that
irrespective of AC signal swing, the transistor remains in active region. This can be
better understood through the figure 1.3.3 below.
Figure 1.3.3 The Q Point or Operating Point

The load line has to be drawn in order to obtain the Q-point. A transistor acts
as a good amplifier when it is in active region and when it is made to operate at Q-
point, faithful amplification is achieved.
Faithful amplification is the process of obtaining complete portions of input signal
by increasing the signal strength. This is done when AC signal is applied at its input.
This is discussed in AMPLIFIERS tutorial.
DC Load line
When the transistor is given the bias and no signal is applied at its input, the load
line drawn at such condition, can be understood as DC condition. Here there will
be no amplification as the signal is absent. The circuit will be as shown below figure
1.3.4.
The value of collector emitter voltage at any given time will be

VCE=VCC−ICRCVCE=VCC−ICRC
As VCC and RC are fixed values, the above one is a first degree equation and hence
will be a straight line on the output characteristics. This line is called as D.C. Load
line. The figure 1.3.5 below shows the DC load line.
Figure 1.3.5 DC load line

To obtain the load line, the two end points of the straight line are to be determined.
Let those two points be A and B.

To obtain A
When collector emitter voltage VCE = 0, the collector current is maximum and is
equal to VCC/RC. This gives the maximum value of VCE. This is shown as
0=VCC−ICRC0=VCC−ICRC
IC=VCCRCIC=VCCRC
This gives the point A (OA = VCC/RC) on collector current axis, shown in the above
figure 1.3.5.
To obtain B
When the collector current IC = 0, then collector emitter voltage is maximum and
will be equal to the VCC. This gives the maximum value of IC. This is shown as
=VCC=VCC
(As IC = 0)
This gives the point B, which means (OB = VCC) on the collector emitter voltage
axis shown in the above figure 1.3.5.
Hence we got both the saturation and cutoff point determined and learnt that the
load line is a straight line. So, a DC load line can be drawn as shown in the figure
1.3.5.

DC Analysis of a Bipolar Junction Transistor Circuit
DC Analysis
When doing DC analysis, all AC voltage sources are taken out of the circuit
because they're AC sources. DC analysis is concerned only with DC sources. We
also take out all capacitors because in DC, capacitors function as open circuits. For
this reason, everything before and after capacitors are removed, which in this circuit
includes resistor, Rs , Below figure 1.3.1 is the schematic of the circuit above with
respective to DC analysis:
Figure 1.3.1 Circuit for DC analysis

Now let's do the calculations to find the Vbb, Rb, Ieq, and Vceq. From this then,
we can find the quiescient or just simply Q-point of this transistor circuit.

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ROHINI COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

DC Load Line and Bias Point – DC analysis of Transistor circuits

Figure 1.3.4 DC condition to draw dc load line

EC8351 ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS I

Applying KVL to the base circuit, we get

EC8351 ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS I

Selection of operating point

EC8351 ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS I

Figure 1.3.3 The Q Point or Operating Point

The value of collector emitter voltage at any given time will be

Figure 1.3.5 DC load line

EC8351 ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS I

EC8351 ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS I

DC Analysis of a Bipolar Junction Transistor Circuit

Figure 1.3.1 Circuit for DC analysis

EC8351 ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS I

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