CHAPTER - 16
THE UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTORS
16.1 The unijunction transistor derives its name from the fact that it has only one PN junction thus the prefix 'Uni'. It does not operate in the same manner as regular transistors do, but rather performs function that are unique to itself. It is not used for amplification but because of its characteristics, it is used for oscillator, timing circuits, and trigger circuits. However, it should be noted that the unijunction transistor performs only certain function of the transistor and does not really belong to the regular family of transistors. 16.2 Even though the unijunction transistors has only one PN junction, it has three leads. This is due to two leads being connected to opposite ends of the same N type material. The details are shown in figure A. The two leads connected to the same material are called Base 1 and Base 2 , while the third lead is connected to the P-type material, which forms a small junction close to the base 2 lead. The power supply connected between base 2 and base 1 establishes a voltage gradient through the N-type material. If the potential in the N-type material, opposite to the location of the P type material is larger than the voltage supply in the emitter circuit the junction is reverse biased. If the voltage in the emitter circuit is increased, the junction will eventually become forward biased. Holes will then be injected from the P-type material into the N-type (Just as in a conventional forward biased diode) and will be swept toward base1. This reduces the resistance between the emitter and base 1, and the current continues to increase, with its final value depending on the voltage supply in the emitter circuit. Current will also increase in the base circuits due to the action of the forward biased junction. The symbol for the unijunction transistor is shown in fig. B. It will be noticed in the drawing that if base 1 and 2 were connected directly together tile resultant device would be very similar to the conventional diode.
16.3 Figure shows typical static emitter characteristic curves. These curves shows that the emitter to base 1 voltage decrease as the emitter current is increased. The peculiarity of having the voltage decrease while the current is increasing is called negative resistance. For a given V BB, the curve shows what emitter voltage is required for various values of emitter currents. As the emitter current gets larger than a certain value, the emitter voltage remains the same regardless of the VBB value. This is known as the saturation region. 16.4 The curve shown in the figure relates to the variation of the emitter current with the Base 2 current. Depending on the circuit configuration, it might be important to know the current in the base 2 lead as a function of the emitter current. These curves are static curves. They are plotted as if all the parameters are d-c voltages and currents. In actual operation VBB is usually a d-c power supply, but VF, is usually a pulse or trigger derived by charging and discharging a capacitor. The curves can be used to compare one type of unijunctiion transistor with another.
16.5 Figure shows the most basic and widely used circuit employing the unijunction transistor. The circuit is a relaxation oscillator that can be used as a saw tooth or trigger generator. When power is first applied capacitor C charges through R1. When the voltage across C is large enough, the unijunction 'fires' and the capacitor discharges through the unijunction. When the capacitor discharges sufficiently, there is not enough emitter current and the unijunction shuts off. The capacitor starts to recharge and the cycle begins again. The result is a saw tooth wave form across the capacitor C and a train of triggers at base 1. The trigger appear across R2 at the time the unijunction fires, and a current is developed in the emitter base 1 circuit. The frequency of the saw tooth and triggers depends on the R1-C time constant. The utility of the unijunction transistor is that it does the work of two of three conventional transistors in the generation of a saw tooth or triggering waveshape.
16.6 Quite often the , trigger at the base 1 load is used to actuate a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) as shown in figure. The unijunction acts as a time delay, since the trigger will not appear at Base 1 until the capacitor is sufficiently charged. Thus the RI-C time constant will determine the delay between the application of power to the circuit and the time when the SCR fires. The relay is shown to indicate a typical load the SCR might be controlling. In actual operating circuits, a circuit is usually incorporated that shuts off the unijunction after it has turned the SCR 'on' so that it does, riot keep supplying triggers to tile gate of the SCR 1 once an SCR is turned 'on' the gate signal can be removed and the SCR will stay on.
