Transistors

P-type Material

Semiconductor material that is doped with very small amounts of acceptor impurity materials that decrease the number of active electrons. Holes are the majority charge carriers in P materials.

N-Type Material

Semiconductor material that is doped with very small amounts of donor impurity materials that add active electrons. Electrons are the majority charge carriers in N material.

Base

The inner element of a transistor. The base controls transistor action. In a PNP transistor, the base is made of N material. In an NPN transistor the base is P material. In a schematic symbol of a transistor the base is the straight line that connects to the other two elements

Transistor Power Rating

The maximum power that a transistor can dissipate without damage to it. It is calculated by multiplying collector-to-emitter voltage times the collector current.

Voltage Gain

The ratio of output voltage divided by the input voltage of an electronic device or system.

NPN Transistor

A biopolar transistor in which the outer elements are made of N-type semiconductor material and the inner element is made of P-type material.

PNP Transistor

A bipolar transistor in which the outer elements are made of P-type semiconductor material and the inner element is made of N-Type Material.

Transistor

A solid state device made of semiconductor material such as silicon or germanium. Usually three are three elements NPN or PNP producing two junctions. Three elements are the emitter base and collector.

Common Base

A transistor circuit where the base is common to the input and output signals, this circuit does not produce a phase shift.

Common-Collector

A transistor circuit where the collector is common to the input and output signals. The collector is usually at AC ground by use of a capacitor. This circuit does not produce a phase shift.

Common Emitter

A transistor circuit where the emitter is common to the input and output signals. This circuit produces a 180 degree phase shift.

Collector

One of the outer elements of a transistor. In a PNP transistor the collector is made of p material. In an NPN transistor, it is N material. In a schematic symbol of a transistor the collector is the angled straight line without the arrow.

Emitter

One of the outer elements of a transistor. In a PNP transistor, the collector is made of P material. In an NPN it is N material. In a schematic symbol of a transistor, the emitter is the line with the arrow.