Collector - Base - Emitter

Author: Hans Lohninger

Bipolar transistors (bipolar junction transistor, or BJT) are so called because they conduct by using both majority (n-type) and minority (p-type) carriers. The three terminals of the BJT are named emitter, base and collector. Two p-n junctions exist inside a BJT: the base/emitter junction and base/collector junction.

In an NPN transistor operating in the active region, the emitter-base junction is forward biased, and electrons are injected into the base region. Because the base is narrow, most of these electrons will diffuse into the reverse-biased base-collector junction and be swept into the collector; perhaps one-hundredth of the electrons will recombine in the base, which is the dominant mechanism in the base current. By controlling the number of electrons that can leave the base, the number of electrons entering the collector can be controlled.

Related topics:

• Acceptors - P-Type Germanium
• Donors - N-Type Germanium
• Basic Transistor Connections