BJT Transistor as a Switch, Saturation Calculator

BJT Transistor as a Switch, Saturation Calculator is an Online Calculator to calculate Transistor as a Switch automate.

BJT Transistor as a Switch, Saturation Calculator

Rc (Collector resistor)
(K ohms)
VP (Positive Voltage)
(V)
Beta(min) (Current gain)
VBE (Base to emitter drop)
(V)
Rb (Base resistor)
(K ohms)

Equations

The current through the load at saturations is Ic= VP/Rc. The base current must be Ib= Ic/Beta. Transistors have a varying gain so we want to use the minimum beta value, to ensure saturation.

Rb= (VP-VBE)/Ib= (VP-VBE)*Beta/Ic=(VP-VBE)*Beta*Rc/VP

Introduction

A SIMPLE explanation of a Transistor as a Switch. Understand the working principle of a transistor as a switch, and the theory behind how it works.

Transistors as a Switch: Theory & Explanation

BJT Transistor as a Switch, Saturation Calculator

BJT Transistor as a Switch, Saturation Calculator is an Online Calculator to calculate Transistor as a Switch automate.

Introduction of BJT Transistor

Definition of BJT Transistor

The Bipolar Junction Transistor shorts for BJT.  And BJT is a semiconductor device with a 3-layers, 3 terminals(base, emitter and collector) and 2 PN junctions. Generally, BJT is used to amplify the input signal to produce an output signal, which is larger than that of the input as an amplifier circuits. But it can be also used as a transistor switch. Meanwhile BJTs can be also used for oscillator, rectifier and filter applications. The BJT transistor acts as a switch when it is biased in the cut-off and saturation regions. However, this transistor biased into the linear region will act as an amplifier or other liner circuit.

Types of BJT Transistor

There are 2 types of BJT Transistors: NPN transistor and PNP transistor. Their principle of operation is the same, however, the difference between NPN and PNP transistor lies in terms of biasing and power supply polarity.

NPN Transistor

NPN transistors are BJT transistors, in which p-channel material is set between 2 n-channel materials. The NPN transistor is a bipolar junction transistor, In an NPN transistor, the primary letter N shows a negatively charged layer of cloth and a P shows a undoubtedly charged layer. These transistors have a advantageous layer, that's placed in-among  bad layers. NPN transistors are usually utilized in circuits for switching, amplifying the electric indicators that bypass thru them.

These transistors incorporate 3 terminals namely, base, collector and emitter and those terminals join the transistor to the circuit board. When the cutting-edge flows thru the NPN transistor, the transistor base terminal gets the electric sign, the collector makes a more potent electric powered cutting-edge than the only passing thru the base, and the emitter passes this more potent cutting-edge directly to the relaxation of the circuit. In this transistor, the cutting-edge flows thru the collector terminal to the emitter.

Generally, this transistor is used due to the fact it's so smooth to produce. For an NPN transistor to paintings properly, it wishes to be fashioned from a semiconductor cloth, which includes a few electric powered cutting-edge, however now no longer the most quantity as very conductive substances like metal.

"Si" is one of the maximum normally used semiconductor, and NPN transistors are the very best transistors to make out of silicon. The software of an NPN transistor is on a laptop circuit board. Computers want all their statistics to be translated into binary code, and this manner is carried out thru a plethora of small switches flipping on and rancid at the computer systems circuit boards. NPN transistors may be used for those switches. A effective electric powered sign turns the switch on, while a loss of a sign turns the switch off.

PNP Transistor

The PNP transistor is a bipolar junction transistor; In a PNP transistor, the primary letter P suggests the polarity of the voltage required for the emitter; the second one letter N suggests the polarity of the bottom. The operating of PNP transistor is the complete opposite to the NPN transistor. In this form of transistor, the bulk fee vendors are holes.

Basically, this transistor works similar to the NPN transistor. The substances that are used to assemble the emitter, base and collector terminals withinside the PNP transistor are specific from the ones used withinside the NPN transistor. The PNP transistor bias setup is proven withinside the underneath figure. The base-collector terminals of the PNP transistor are usually reversed biased, then the bad voltage need to be used for the collector. Therefore, the bottom terminal of the PNP transistor need to be bad with recognize to the emitter terminal, and the collector need to be bad than the bottom.

NPN VS. PNP: What is the difference?

It's simple to know that NPN stands for Negative-Positive-Negative and PNP stands for Positive-Negative-Positive transistors. Let's take a better study how NPN and PNP transistors work.

NPN transistor is powered on while sufficient contemporary is provided from the transistor base to the emitter. Thus, the NPN transistor base must be related to a nice voltage and the emitter related to terrible voltage for contemporary to circulate the bottom. When sufficient contemporary is flowing from the bottom into the emitter, the transistor switches on directing contemporary waft from collector to the emitter in preference to the transistor base to the emitter. The PNP transistor works withinside the opposite. In PNP transistor, contemporary typically flows from the transistor's emitter to the bottom, and while sufficient contemporary flows from emitter to the bottom the transistor activates directing contemporary from emitter to collector.

Briefly, the NPN transistor calls for nice contemporary from the bottom to the emitter and PNP calls for terrible contemporary to the bottom, however contemporary ought to waft out from the bottom to ground.

Transistor as a Switch

A transistor may be used for switching operation for starting or final of a circuit. This kind strong nation switching gives vast reliability and decrease value while in comparison to traditional relays.

Both NPN and PNP transistors may be used as switches. Some of the packages use a electricity transistor as switching device, at that point it could important to apply any other sign degree transistor to power the high-electricity transistor.

NPN Transistor as a Switch

Based at the voltage implemented at the bottom terminal of a transistor switching operation is performed. When a enough voltage (VIN > 0.7 V) is implemented among the bottom and emitter, collector to emitter voltage is about identical to 0. Therefore, the transistor acts as a quick circuit. The collector present day VCC/RC flows via the transistor.

Similarly, whilst no voltage or 0 voltage is implemented on the input, transistor operates in cutoff place and acts as an open circuit. In this kind of switching connection, load (right here an LED is used as a load) is attached to the switching output with a reference point. Thus, whilst the transistor is switched ON, present day will float from supply to floor via the load.

npn-Transistor-as-Switch.jpg

PNP Transistor as a Switch

PNP transistor works identical as NPN for a switching operation, however the contemporary flows from the bottom. This sort of switching is used for poor floor configurations. For the PNP transistor, the bottom terminal is constantly negatively biased with appreciate to the emitter.

In this switching, base contemporary flows while the bottom voltage is extra poor. Simply, a low voltage or extra poor voltage makes the transistor to quick circuit otherwise, it'll be open circuit.

In this connection, load is attached to the transistor switching output with a reference point. When the transistor is became ON, contemporary flows from the supply thru transistor to the burden and ultimately to the floor.

PNP-Transistor-as-Switch.jpg

HOW TO USE A TRANSISTOR AS A SWITCH

The following picture show you a classic NPN transistor/LED circuit. And the LED in this circuit will flash on and off correspondingly, when you hook up +5V to Vcc and add the input terminal (Win) with +5V, 0V, +5V, and so on. Certainly, you should calculate the right values of resistor for RB and RC, so as to make this PNP transistor/LED circuit function properly.

The transistor is operating in the "digital" mode (on/off), when it is used as a switch. So it can't "amplify" the input voltage in any manner in this state of operation. In order to use a transistor as a switch, what you need to do is just to increase the current of the base terminal to a certain level. Meanwhile, the transistor will go into a "saturation" state. And the state is that the collector current will not increase any further, no matter how much additional current pumped into the base terminal of this transistor.

Therefore, Once a transistor is in saturation mode, it acts just like a closed SPST mechanical switch shown in the below picture. In reverse, it will be into "cut-off" mode (fully off), when the transistor is turned off (no base current).

The following is the step-by-step guide on how to use a transistor as a switch:

Step1. Google the datasheets for both the transistor and the LED, and then download them.

Step 2. According to determine the maximum current (IC(MAX)) you want to go through the LED and transistor, and verify that it doesn't exceed the max current rating of the LED (IF) or the transistor (Ic).

Step 3. Calculate the values for the collector resistor (Rc). And make sure to include the voltage drops for the LED (V(LED)) and the transistor (VCE(sat)) in the Ohm's Law formula.

Step 4. Calculate the transistor's base current IB using an ODF of 10.

Step 5. Calculate the resistance value for base resistor RB.

Practical Examples of Transistor as a Switch

Transistor to Drive the Motor

A transistor also can be used to pressure and alter the rate of the DC motor in a unidirectional manner through switching the transistor in everyday periods of time as proven withinside the underneath figure.

As cited above, the DC motor is likewise an inductive load so we ought to vicinity a freewheeling diode throughout it to guard the circuit.

By switching the transistor in cutoff and saturation regions, we are able to flip ON and OFF the motor repeatedly.

It is likewise viable to alter the rate of the motor from standstill to complete velocity through switching the transistor at variable frequencies. We can get the switching frequency from manage tool or IC like micro-controller.

NPN-Transistor-to-Control-Motor.jpg

Transistor to Operate the Relay

It is likewise viable to manipulate the relay operation the usage of a transistor. With a small circuit association of a transistor capable of energize the coil of the relay in order that the outside load linked to it's far controlled.

Consider the underneath circuit to recognize the operation of a transistor to energies the relay coil. The enter implemented at the bottom reasons to pressure the transistor into saturation region, which similarly outcomes the circuit turns into quick circuit. So, the relay coil receives energized and relay contacts get operated.

In inductive loads, especially switching of cars and inductors, unexpected elimination of electricity can maintain a excessive capability throughout the coil. This excessive voltage can motive large harm to the relaxation circuit. Therefore, we need to use the diode in parallel with inductive load to shield the circuit from prompted voltages of the inductive load.

NPN-Transistor-to-Control-Relay.jpg

Transistor to Switch the LED

As mentioned earlier, the transistor may be used as a switch. The schematic beneath suggests how a transistor is used to replace the Light Emitting Diode (LED).

When the switch at the bottom terminal is open, no present day flows via the bottom so the transistor is withinside the cutoff state. Therefore, the transistor acts as an open-circuit and the LED turns into OFF.

When the switch is closed, base present day begins off evolved flowing via the transistor after which drives into saturation, which leads to LED to show ON. Resistors are located to restrict the currents via the bottom and LED. It is likewise feasible to differ the depth of LED via way of means of various the resistance withinside the base present day path.

NPN-Transistor-to-Control-LED.jpg

Operating Modes of Transistors

Depending at the biasing situations like ahead or reverse, transistors have 3 main modes of operation particularly cutoff, lively and saturation regions.

Saturation Mode

In this mode of operation, each the emitter-base and collector-base junctions are ahead biased. Current flows freely from collector to emitter with nearly 0 resistance. In this mode, the transistor is completely switched ON and is largely a near circuit.

Saturation Region is likewise generally utilized in switching and virtual good judgment circuits.

NPN-Transistor-in-Saturation-Region.jpg

Cutoff Mode

In this mode, each collector base junction and emitter base junction are opposite biased. As each the PN Junctions are opposite biased, there's nearly no modern-day glide besides small leakage currents (generally withinside the order of few nano amps or pico amps). BJT on this mode is switched OFF and is largely an open circuit.

Cutoff Region is by and large utilized in switching and virtual good judgment circuits.

NPN-Transistor-in-Cut-Off-Region.jpg

Active Mode

In this mode, the transistor is typically used as a contemporary amplifier. In energetic mode,  junctions are otherwise biased meaning emitter-base junction is ahead biased while collector-base junction is opposite biased. In this mode, contemporary flows among emitter and collector and the quantity of contemporary float is proportional to the bottom contemporary.

Ways to know if a Transistor is Saturated

There are numerous methods a way to understand if a transistor is saturated or not. It could be very essential that in case you layout a transistor to characteristic as a transfer that it have to function withinside the saturation and cutoff. Operation at cutoff is clearly interrupting the prejudice of the transistor.

However running at saturation isn't that easy. You want to perform a little computation, measurements or simulations in order that the selected circuit values are certainly capable of saturate the transistor. Likewise, whilst the use of a transistor to be operated as a linear circuit or amplifier, the operation have to be set withinside the energetic location. Setting into energetic location additionally needs attempt and analysis.

Related Online Calculation Tools

Frequently Asked Questions

How to calculate the base resistor (Rb) for a BJT transistor used as a switch?

To calculate Rb/ use the formula: Rb = (VP - VBE) * Beta(min) * Rc / VP. Ensure the base current (Ib) is sufficient to drive the transistor into saturation by using the minimum Beta value for reliability.

What is the difference between NPN and PNP transistors when used as switches?

NPN transistors require a positive base voltage to switch ON/ allowing current flow from collector to emitter. PNP transistors require a negative base voltage relative to the emitter/ enabling current flow from emitter to collector.

How can I determine if a transistor is saturated?

A transistor is saturated when the base current (Ib) is sufficient to ensure Ib ≥ Ic / Beta(min). In this state/ the collector-emitter voltage (VCE) drops to near zero/ acting as a closed switch.

Why is the minimum Beta (β) value used in saturation calculations?

Beta varies with temperature and manufacturing tolerances. Using the minimum Beta ensures the transistor remains saturated under worst-case conditions/ providing reliable switching.

Why is a diode added across inductive loads (e.g./ motors) in transistor switch circuits?

Inductive loads generate voltage spikes when switched off. The diode acts as a freewheeling path to dissipate this energy/ protecting the transistor from damage caused by reverse voltages.
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