Chapter 7
DC Biasing Circuits
Pictures are redrawn (with some modifications) from
Introductory Electronic Devices and Circuits
By
Robert T. Paynter
Objectives
State the purpose of dc biasing circuits.
Plot the dc load line given the value of VCC and
the total collector-emitter circuit resistance.
Describe the Q-point of an amplifier.
Describe and analyze the operations of various
bias circuits:
base-bias circuits
voltage-divider bias circuits
emitter-bias circuits
collector-feedback bias circuits
emitter-feedback bias circuits
2
Fig 7.1 Typical amplifier operation.
Fig 7.2 A generic dc load line.
VCC VCE
IC
RC
Fig 7.3 Example 7.1.
Plot the dc load line for the circuit
shown in Fig. 7.3a.
Fig 7.4 Example 7.2.
Plot the dc load line for the circuit shown in
Fig. 7.4. Then, find the values of VCE for IC =
1, 2, 5 mA respectively.
VCE VCC I C RC
IC (mA)
VCE (V)
Fig 7.6-8 Optimum Q-point with
amplifier operation.
I C I B
VCE VCC I C RC
Fig 7.9 Base bias (fixed bias).
VCC VBE
IB
RB
I C I B
VCE VCC I C RC
= dc current gain = hFE
Fig 7.10 Example 7.3.
VCC 0.7V 8V 0.7V
IB
RB
360k
20.28A
I C hFE I B 100 20.28A
2.028mA
VCE VCC I C RC
8V 2.028mA 2k
3.94V
The circuit is midpoint biased.
9
Fig 7.11 Example 7.4.
Construct the dc load line for the circuit shown in Fig. 7.10,
and plot the Q-point from the values obtained in Example
7.3. Determine whether the circuit is midpoint biased.
I C (sat )
VCC
8V
4mA
RC 2k
VCE off VCC 8V
10
Fig 7.12 Example 7.6. (Q-point shift.)
The transistor in Fig. 7.12 has values of hFE = 100 when T =
25 C and hFE = 150 when T = 100 C. Determine the Qpoint values of IC and VCE at both of these temperatures.
Temp(C)
IB (A)
IC (mA)
VCE (V)
25
20.28
2.028
3.94
100
20.28
3.04
1.92
11
Fig 7.13 Base bias characteristics. (1)
Circuit recognition: A single resistor
(RB) between the base terminal and VCC.
No emitter resistor.
Advantage: Circuit simplicity.
Disadvantage: Q-point shift with temp.
Applications: Switching circuits only.
12
Fig 7.13 Base bias characteristics. (2)
Load line equations:
I C (sat )
VCC
RC
VCE (off ) VCC
Q-point equations:
VCC VBE
IB
RB
I C hFE I B
VCE VCC I C RC
13
Fig 7.14 Voltage divider bias. (1)
Assume that
VB
I2 > 10IB.
R2
VCC
R1 R2
VE VB 0.7V
IE
VE
RE
Assume that ICQ IE (or
hFE >> 1). Then
VCEQ VCC I CQ RC RE
14
Fig 7.15 Example 7.7. (1)
Determine the values of ICQ and VCEQ for the circuit shown in Fig. 7.15.
VB VCC
R2
R1 R2
4.7k
2.07V
22.7k
VE VB 0.7V
2.07V 0.7V 1.37V
10V
Because ICQ IE (or hFE >> 1),
I CQ
VE 1.37V
1.25mA
RE 1.1k
VCEQ VCC I CQ RC RE
10V 1.25mA 4.1k 4.87V
15
Fig 7.15 Example 7.7. (2)
Verify that I2 > 10 IB.
VB 2.07V
I2
440.4A
R2 4.7k
IE
1.25mA
IB
hFE 1
50+1
24.51A
I 2 10 I B
16
Which value of hFE do I use?
Transistor specification sheet may list any
combination of the following hFE: max. hFE,
min. hFE, or typ. hFE. Use typical value if there
is one. Otherwise, use
hFE (ave) hFE (min) hFE (max)
17
Example 7.9
A voltage-divider bias circuit has the following values:
R1 = 1.5 k, R2 = 680 , RC = 260 , RE = 240 and
VCC = 10 V. Assuming the transistor is a 2N3904,
determine the value of IB for the circuit.
VB VCC
R2
680
10V
3.12V
R1 R2
2180
VE VB 0.7V 3.12V 0.7V 2.42V
I CQ
VE 2.42V
IE
10mA
RE 240
hFE ( ave ) hFE (min) hFE (max) 100 300 173
IB
IE
10mA
57.5A
hFE (ave) 1 174
18
Stability of Voltage Divider
Bias Circuit
The Q-point of voltage divider bias circuit is less
dependent on hFE than that of the base bias (fixed
bias).
For example, if IE is exactly 10 mA, the range of hFE is
100 to 300. Then
At hFE 100, I B
At hFE
IE
10mA
100A and I CQ I E I B 9.90mA
hFE 1
101
IE
10mA
300, I B
33A and I CQ I E I B 9.97mA
hFE 1
301
ICQ hardly changes over the entire range of hFE.
19
Fig 7.18 Load line for voltage
divider bias circuit.
I C (sat )
VCC
10V
20mA
RC RE 260+240
Circuit values are from
Example 7.9.
VCE (off ) VCC 10V
20
Fig 7.19-20 Base input resistance. (1)
VE I E RE I B (hFE 1) RE
RIN (base)
VE
(hFE 1) RE
IB
hFE RE
May be ignored.
21
Fig 7.19-20 Base input resistance. (2)
VB
R2 // RIN (base)
R1 R2 // RIN (base)
R2 // hFE RE
R1 R2 // hFE RE
REQ
R1 REQ
VCC
VCC
VCC
REQ R2 // hFE RE
22
Fig 7.21 Example 7.11.
REQ R2 // hFE RE
10k// 50 1.1k 8.46k
VB VCC
REQ
R1 REQ
8.46k
20V
2.21V
68k 8.46k
I CQ I E
VE VB 0.7V
RE
RE
2.21V 0.7V
1.37mA
1.1k
VCEQ VCC I CQ RC RE
20V 1.37mA 7.3k 9.99V
23
Fig 7.24 Voltage-divider bias
characteristics. (1)
Circuit recognition: The
voltage divider in the base
circuit.
Advantages: The circuit Qpoint values are stable
against changes in hFE.
Disadvantages: Requires
more components than most
other biasing circuits.
Applications: Used primarily
to bias linear amplifier.
24
Fig 7.24 Voltage-divider bias
characteristics. (2)
VCC
Load line I
equations: C (sat ) RC RE
VCE (off ) VCC
Q-point equations (assume
that hFERE > 10R2):
VB VCC
R2
R1 R2
VE VB 0.7V
I CQ I E
VE
RE
VCEQ VCC I CQ RC RE
25
Other Transistor Biasing
Circuits
Emitter-bias circuits
Feedback-bias circuits
Collector-feedback bias
Emitter-feedback bias
26
Fig 7.25-6 Emitter bias.
Assume that the transistor
operation is in active region.
VEE 0.7V
IB
RB hFE 1 RE
I C hFE I B
I E hFE 1 I B
VCE VCC I C RC I E RE VEE
Assume that hFE >> 1.
VCE VCC I C RC RE VEE
27
Fig 7.27 Example 7.12.
Determine the
values of ICQ and
VCEQ for the
amplifier shown in
Fig.7.27.
IB
12V 0.7V
RB (hFE 1) RE
11.3V
37.47A
100+2011.5k
I CQ hFE I B 200 37.47A
7.49mA
VCEQ VCC I C RC RE (VEE )
24V 7.49mA 750 1.5k
7.14V
28
Load Line for
Emitter-Bias Circuit
I C (sat )
VCC (VEE ) VCC VEE
RC RE
RC RE
VCE ( off ) VCC VEE VCC VEE
29
Fig 7.28 Emitter-bias
characteristics. (1)
Circuit recognition: A split (dualpolairty) power supply and the base
resistor is connected to ground.
Advantage: The circuit Q-point
values are stable against changes in
hFE.
Disadvantage: Requires the use of
dual-polarity power supply.
Applications: Used primarily to bias
linear amplifiers.
30
Fig 7.28 Emitter-bias
characteristics. (2)
Load line equations:
I C (sat )
VCC VEE
RC RE
VCE (off ) VCC VEE
Q-point equations:
I CQ hFE
VBE VEE
RB hFE 1 RE
VCEQ VCC I CQ RC RE VEE
31
Fig 7.29 Collector-feedback
bias.
VCC I C I B RC I B RB VBE
VCC VBE
IB
(hFE 1) RC RB
I CQ hFE I B
VCEQ VCC hFE 1 I B RC
VCC I CQ RC
32
Fig 7.30 Example 7.14.
Determine the values of ICQ and VCEQ for the
amplifier shown in Fig. 7.30.
VCC VBE
IB
RB hFE 1 RC
10V 0.7V
28.05A
180k 1011.5k
I CQ hFE I B 100 28.05A
2.805mA
VCEQ VCC (hFE 1) I B RC
10V 101 28.05A 1.5k
5.75V
33
Circuit Stability of
Collector-Feedback Bias
hFE increases
IC increases (if IB is the same)
VCE decreases
IB decreases
IC does not increase that much.
Good Stability. Less dependent
on hFE and temperature.
34
Collector-Feedback
Characteristics (1)
Circuit recognition: The base
resistor is connected between
the base and the collector
terminals of the transistor.
Advantage: A simple circuit
with relatively stable Q-point.
Disadvantage: Relatively poor
ac characteristics.
Applications: Used primarily to
bias linear amplifiers.
35
Collector-Feedback
Characteristics (2)
Q-point relationships:
IB
VCC VBE
(hFE 1) RC RB
I CQ hFE I B
VCEQ VCC I CQ RC
36
Fig 7.31 Emitter-feedback bias.
VCC VBE
IB
RB hFE 1 RE
I CQ hFE I B
I E hFE 1 I B
VCEQ VCC I C RC I E RE
VCC I CQ RC RE
37
Fig 7.32 Example 7.15.
IB
VCC VBE
16V 0.7V
RB hFE 1 RE 680k 511.6k
20.09A
I CQ hFE I B 50 20.09A 1mA
VCEQ VCC I CQ RC RE
16V 1mA 7.8k 8.2V
38
Circuit Stability of
Emitter-Feedback Bias
hFE increases
IC increases (if IB is the same)
VE increases
IB decreases
IC does not increase that much.
IC is less dependent on hFE and
temperature.
39
Emitter-Feedback
Characteristics (1)
Circuit recognition: Similar to
voltage divider bias with R2
missing (or base bias with RE
added).
Advantage: A simple circuit
with relatively stable Q-point.
Disadvantage: Requires more
components than collectorfeedback bias.
Applications: Used primarily to
bias linear amplifiers.
40
Emitter-Feedback
Characteristics (2)
Q-point relationships:
IB
VCC VBE
RB ( hFE 1) RE
I CQ hFE I B
VCEQ VCC I CQ RC RE
41
Summary
DC Biasing and the dc load line
Base bias circuits
Voltage-divider bias circuits
Emitter-bias circuits
Feedback-bias circuits
Collector-feedback bias circuits
Emitter-feedback bias circuits
42
