BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor)

A bipolar junction transistor is a three-terminal semiconductor device that can amplify current or switch signals. It consists of two PN junctions forming either an NPN or PNP structure.

Terminals

  • base - Control terminal
  • collector - High-current terminal
  • emitter - Low-current terminal (reference)
  • substrate - Substrate/bulk connection

Parameters

Essential Parameters

ParameterTypeDefaultDescription
nameStringrequiredComponent identifier
TypeString"npn"Transistor type: "npn" or "pnp"
IsReal1e-15Transport saturation current (A)
BfReal100Ideal maximum forward beta
NfReal1.0Forward emission coefficient
NrReal1.0Reverse emission coefficient
BrReal1.0Ideal maximum reverse beta

Forward/Reverse Parameters

ParameterTypeDefaultDescription
IkfReal0Forward beta high current roll-off knee current (A)
IkrReal0Reverse beta high current roll-off knee current (A)
VafReal0Forward Early voltage (V)
VarReal0Reverse Early voltage (V)
IseReal0Base-emitter leakage saturation current (A)
NeReal1.5Base-emitter leakage emission coefficient
IscReal0Base-collector leakage saturation current (A)
NcReal2.0Base-collector leakage emission coefficient

Resistance Parameters

ParameterTypeDefaultDescription
RbReal0Zero bias base resistance (Ω)
RbmReal0Minimum base resistance (Ω)
IrbReal0Current at which Rb falls to half of Rbm (A)
RcReal0Collector ohmic resistance (Ω)
ReReal0Emitter ohmic resistance (Ω)

Junction Capacitance Parameters

ParameterTypeDefaultDescription
CjeReal0Base-emitter zero-bias depletion capacitance (F)
VjeReal0.75Base-emitter built-in potential (V)
MjeReal0.33Base-emitter junction grading coefficient
CjcReal0Base-collector zero-bias depletion capacitance (F)
VjcReal0.75Base-collector built-in potential (V)
MjcReal0.33Base-collector junction grading coefficient
XcjcReal1.0Fraction of Cjc connected internal to Rb
CjsReal0Substrate zero-bias depletion capacitance (F)
VjsReal0.75Substrate built-in potential (V)
MjsReal0.0Substrate junction grading coefficient
FcReal0.5Forward bias depletion capacitance coefficient

Transit Time Parameters

ParameterTypeDefaultDescription
TfReal0Ideal forward transit time (s)
XtfReal0Coefficient for bias dependence of Tf
VtfReal0Voltage describing Vbc dependence of Tf (V)
ItfReal0High current parameter for Tf (A)
TrReal0Ideal reverse transit time (s)
PtfReal0Excess phase at 1/(2π·Tf) Hz (deg)

Noise Parameters

ParameterTypeDefaultDescription
KfReal0Flicker noise coefficient
AfReal1.0Flicker noise exponent
FfeReal1.0Flicker noise frequency exponent
KbReal0Burst noise coefficient
AbReal1.0Burst noise exponent
FbReal1.0Burst noise frequency exponent

Temperature Parameters

ParameterTypeDefaultDescription
TempReal26.85Device temperature (°C)
TnomReal26.85Nominal temperature (°C)
XtbReal0Forward/reverse beta temperature coefficient
XtiReal3.0Is temperature effect exponent
EgReal1.11Energy gap (eV)

Geometry

ParameterTypeDefaultDescription
AreaReal1.0Area scaling factor

Example

using CircuitSim

circ = Circuit()

q1 = BJT("q1", Type="npn", Bf=100, Is=1e-15)
vcc = DCVoltageSource("vcc", voltage=12.0)
vb = DCVoltageSource("vb", voltage=0.7)
rc = Resistor("rc", resistance=1000.0)
rb = Resistor("rb", resistance=10000.0)
gnd = Ground("gnd")

add_component!(circ, q1)
add_component!(circ, vcc)
add_component!(circ, vb)
add_component!(circ, rc)
add_component!(circ, rb)
add_component!(circ, gnd)

@connect circ vcc.nplus rc.n1
@connect circ rc.n2 q1.collector
@connect circ q1.emitter gnd.n
@connect circ q1.substrate gnd.n
@connect circ vb.nplus rb.n1
@connect circ rb.n2 q1.base
@connect circ vb.nminus gnd.n
@connect circ vcc.nminus gnd.n

println("Circuit netlist:")
println(netlist_qucs(circ))
Circuit netlist:
# Qucs netlist generated by CircuitSim.jl
BJT:q1 3 4 0 0 Type="npn" Is="1.0e-15" Nf="1.0" Nr="1.0" Ikf="0" Ikr="0" Vaf="0" Var="0" Ise="0" Ne="1.5" Isc="0" Nc="2.0" Bf="100" Br="1.0" Rbm="0" Irb="0" Rc="0" Re="0" Rb="0" Cje="0" Vje="0.75" Mje="0.33" Cjc="0" Vjc="0.75" Mjc="0.33" Xcjc="1.0" Cjs="0" Vjs="0.75" Mjs="0.0" Fc="0.5" Vtf="0" Tf="0" Xtf="0" Itf="0" Tr="0" Temp="26.85" Kf="0" Af="1.0" Ffe="1.0" Kb="0" Ab="1.0" Fb="1.0" Ptf="0" Xtb="0" Xti="3.0" Eg="1.11" Tnom="26.85" Area="1.0"
Vdc:vcc _net2 gnd U="12.0"
Vdc:vb _net1 gnd U="0.7"
R:rc _net2 _net4 R="1000.0"
R:rb _net1 _net3 R="10000.0"

This common-emitter configuration demonstrates basic BJT amplification. With VBE ≈ 0.7V, the transistor should be in active mode with collector current IC = β·IB flowing through RC.