Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

In addition to introducing the basic theoretical principles of operation of diodes and transistors, the operational characteristics of the devices will be studied, and measured using curve tracers, simulation, and computer data acquisition methods. This term emphasizes diode and transistor biasing circuits, and basic transistor amplifier circuits.
 

1. Apply concepts of semiconductor devices to design and analyze circuits.

2. Apply fundamentals of semiconductor devices in electronics projects and use computer tools in circuit design, evaluation and analysis.

Assessment methods are to be determined by the instructor. Typically, in class exams and quizzes, and homework assignments will be used. Lab work is typically assessed by a lab notebook, formal lab reports, performance of experiments, and possibly a lab exam

1.      Semiconductor materials, PN, NPN, and PNP junctions. Simplified description of the operation of       diodes and transistors. Diode and transistor characteristic curves. The diode equation. Testing       diodes and transistors.

2.   Diode applications as rectifiers, zeners, limiters, clampers, switching, and logic. Light emitting       diodes, variable capacitance diodes.

3.   Bipolar junction transistors. Common base, common emitter, and common collector       characteristics and biasing circuits. Bias design for BJT's. Bias stabilization using collector and       emitter feedback, and voltage dividers. Transistor specifications. The transistor as a switch.

4.   Bipolar junction transistor amplifiers. AC and DC amplifier gain, input and output impedance, and       effect of source and load resistance. Brief treatment of h parameters.

5.   Load line analysis of transistor amplifiers.

6.   Field effect transistors (FET's). Junction FET characteristics and biasing. Fixed bias, self bias,       and voltage divider bias. Graphical and algebraic bias solutions. Junction FET specifications.

7.   Metal oxide semi-conductor FET's (MOS-FET's). Enhancement and depletion type MOS-FET       characteristics and biasing. Fixed bias, self bias, voltage divider bias and feedback bias.       Graphical and algebraic bias solutions. MOS- FET specifications.