Electronic – Why is this BJT transistor saturated

biasbjt

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The bias point (without the 623mv input) is calculated as

\$I_b = \frac{5-0.6}{5.5 M\Omega} = 800nA\$

\$Ic = \beta I_b = 290*800nA = 233\mu A\$

These calculations checks out in the simulator.
But when I connect, the Input signal, whose peek is at 623mV, the transistor saturates. Why?

Because, if I do the calculations again with \$V_{BE} = 0.62318V\$, the results do not change much from the previous calculation.

\$I_b = 795.78nA \$ which should give the \$I_c = \beta I_b = 290*795.78nA = 230.8 \mu A\$, and this is \$ << I_C(sat)\$. Then why is the transistor saturated?

I know the transister is saturated because the \$V_{CE} = 67.4mV\$, when it should have been
\$5 – (230.8\mu A * 10k) = 2.7V\$

Best Answer

You write that the peak base current, with the signal source connected is given by

$$i_B = \frac{5V - 0.62318V}{5.5M\Omega} = 795.78nA $$

But this isn't true (which should be obvious as it's less than the bias current!). What's true is

$$i_{R2} = \frac{5V - 0.62318V}{5.5M\Omega} = 795.78nA \ne i_B$$

The resistor current and base current are not equal. According to KCL at the base node:

$$i_B = i_{R2} + i_S $$

where \$i_S\$ is the current out of the signal voltage source. But you don't know what this current is.

In fact, the base current depends exponentially on the base-emitter voltage. We can estimate the change in base current as follows

$$\frac{i_{B2}}{i_{B1}} = \frac{e^{\frac{v_{BE2}}{V_T}}}{e^{\frac{v_{BE1}}{V_T}}} = e^{\frac{v_{BE2}- v_{BE1}}{V_T}} = e^{\frac{0.62318V - 0.6V}{25mV}} \approx 2.53$$

Thus, the peak base current should be larger than the DC base current by a factor of about 2.53 or

$$i_{B_{peak}} = 2.53 \cdot 800nA = 2.02\mu A$$

This gives a collector current of

$$i_{C_{peak}} = 2.53 \cdot 233\mu A = 589\mu A$$

If this were the actual collector current, the collector voltage would be

$$5V - 589\mu A \cdot 10k\Omega = -0.895V $$

So, yes, the transistor will saturate first.

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