Transistor base biasing using semiconductor junctions

Claim 2

In combination: first, second and third terminals for receiving a reference potential, a multiple -VBE potential and an operating potential, respectively; a first transistor having base and emitter electrodes with a base-emitter junction therebetween and having a collector electrode, said first transistor emitter electrode being directly connected to said first terminal; at least one further semiconductor junction which together with the base-emitter junction of said first transistor comprise an even-numbered plurality of semiconductor junctions, said evennumbered plurality of semiconductor junctions being connected in serial connection between said first and said second terminals without substantial intervening impedances, and poled for being forward biased by said multiple -VBE potential, said first transistor base-emitter junction being so connected at its base electrode to the preceding semiconductor junction in said serial connection so that it will conduct substantially the entirety of any quiescent current flowing through said preceding semiconductor junction; a source of input signal connected to the midpoint of said serial connection of an even-numbered plurality of semiconductor junctions; and further means for connecting said first transistor in a commonemitter amplifier configuration for providing a first output signal at said first transistor collector electrode, responsive to said input signal, said further means including a direct current conductive connection of said first transistor collector electrode to said third terminal.

Claim 3

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said second transistor collector electrode is biased to permit normal transistor operation of said second transistor by being connected to said second terminal.

Claim 4

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said second transistor collector electrode is biased to permit normal transistor operation of said second transistor by being connected to said third terminal.

Claim 5

A transistor amplifier circuit comprising, in combination: a composite first transistor having ''''base,'''' ''''emitter'''' and ''''collector'''' terminals, said composite transistor comprising (n+1) component transistors of the same conductivity type having respective base-emitter junctions in said serial connection between the ''''base'''' and ''''emitter'''' terminals of said composite transistor, whEre n is a positive integer, each of said component transistors having a collector electrode reverse-biased with respect to its base electrode, the collector electrode of at least one of said component transistors being connected to the ''''collector'''' terminal of said composite transistor and said emitter electrode terminal being connected to a point of reference potential by a substantially zero impedance path; a second transistor being of said same conductivity type, having base and emitter and collector electrodes, and having substantially the same structure and characteristics as one of said component transistors of said first transistor; a number, n, of semiconductor junctions serially connected between said second transistor emitter electrode and said first transistor ''''base'''' terminal for forward conduction of the quiescent emitter current of said second transistor and quiescent ''''base'''' terminal current of said first transistor, which quiescent currents are substantially identical to each other in value; means for applying a direct bias potential to said second transistor base electrode to cause said quiescent currents; an operating voltage terminal for connection of an operating voltage source; means coupling the ''''collector'''' terminal of said first transistor to said operating voltage terminal; separate means coupling the collector electrode of said second transistor to said operating voltage terminal; a signal terminal connected to the ''''base'''' terminal of said first transistor; and a signal output terminal at the ''''collector'''' terminal of said first transistor.

Claim 6

A transistor amplifier circuit comprising, in combination: a composite first transistor having ''''base,'''' ''''emitter'''' and ''''collector'''' terminals, said composite transistor comprising (n+1) component transistors of the same conductivity type having respective base-emitter junctions in said serial connection between the ''''base'''' and ''''emitter'''' terminals of said composite transistor, whEre n is a positive integer, each of said component transistors having a collector electrode reverse-biased with respect to its base electrode, the collector electrode of at least one of said component transistors being connected to the ''''collector'''' terminal of said composite transistor and said emitter electrode terminal being connected to a point of reference potential by a substantially zero impedance path; a second transistor being of said same conductivity type, having base and emitter and collector electrodes, and having substantially the same structure and characteristics as one of said component transistors of said first transistor; a number, n, of semiconductor junctions serially connected between said second transistor emitter electrode and said first transistor ''''base'''' terminal for forward conduction of the quiescent emitter current of said second transistor and quiescent ''''base'''' terminal current of said first transistor, which quiescent currents are substantially identical to each other in value; means for applying a direct bias potential to said second transistor base electrode to cause said quiescent currents; an operating voltage terminal for connection of an operating voltage source; means coupling the ''''collector'''' terminal of said first transistor to said operating voltage terminal; separate means coupling the collector electrode of said second transistor to said operating voltage terminal; a signal terminal connected to the ''''base'''' terminal of said first transistor; and a signal output terminal at the ''''collector'''' terminal of said first transistor.

Claim 7

A transistor amplifier circuit as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for supplying forward current comprises: a composite third transistor of said same conductivity type, having ''''base'''' and ''''emitter'''' and ''''collector'''' terminals, said third transistor comprising (n+1) component transistors having respective base-emitter junctions in series connection between the ''''base'''' and ''''emitter'''' terminals of said third transistor, each of the component transistors of said third transistor having a collector electrode reverse-biased with respect to its base electrode, the collector electrode of at least one of the component transistors of said third transistor being connected to the ''''collector'''' terminal of said third transistor, said third transistor ''''emitter'''' terminal being connected to said point of reference potential, a fourth transistor being of said same conductivity type, aving base and emitter and collector electrodes, and having substantially the same structure and characteristics as one of said component transistors of said third transistor, said fourth transistor base electrode being connected to said third transistor ''''collector'''' terminal, said fourth transistor emitter electrode being connected to said second transistor base electrode; a current supply connected between the ''''emitter'''' and ''''collector'''' terminals of said third transistor; and n semiconductor junctions connected between said fourth transistor emitter electrode and said third transistor ''''base'''' terminal, poled for conduction of the emitter current of said fourth transistor, and thereby serially connected with the base-emitter junction of said fourth transistor. means for applying reverse bias between the collector and base electrodes of said second transistor; and further means connecting said first transistor in common emitter amplifier configuration including means for applying reverse bias between its collector and base electrodes, a signal input terminal coupled to the base electrode of said first transistor, and a signal output terminal coupled to the collector electrode of said first transistor.

Claim 8

A transistor amplifier circuit as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for supplying said forward current comprisEs: a composite third transistor of said same conductivity type, having ''''base'''' and ''''emitter'''' and ''''collector'''' terminals, said third transistor comprising (n+1) component transistors having respective base-emitter junctions in series connection between the ''''base'''' and ''''emitter'''' terminals of said third transistor, each of the component transistors of said third transistor having a collector electrode reverse-biased with respect to its base electrode, the collector electrode of at least one of the component transistors of said third transistor being connected to the ''''collector'''' terminal of said third transistor, (n+1) semiconductor junctions connected between the ''''collector'''' and ''''base'''' terminals of said third transistor and poled to be forward biased by the ''''base'''' terminal current of said third transistor; fourth and fifth and sixth transistors of said same conductivity type, each having base and emitter and collector electrodes, the emitter electrodes of said fourth and fifth transistors being connected to said point of reference potential, the collector electrode of said fourth transistor and the base electrodes of said fourth and fifth transistors each being connected to the ''''emitter'''' terminal of said third transistor, the base electrode of said sixth transistor being connected to the ''''collector'''' terminal of said third transistor, the collector electrode of said sixth transistor being reverse-biased with respect to its base electrode, and the emitter electrode of said sixth transistor having the base electrode of said fourth transistor and the collector electrode of said fifth transistor connected thereto; and a current supply connected between said point of reference potential and said third transistor ''''collector'''' terminal.

Claim 9

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the one of said even-numbered plurality of semiconductor junctions connected in said series connection which is most closely connected to said second terminal comprises the base-emitter junction of a second transistor having a base electrode connected to said second terminal, having an emitter electrode between which and its said base electrode said base-emitter junction reposes and having a collector electrode biased to permit normal transistor operation of said second transistor.

Claim 10

The combination comprising: first, second and third terminals for receiving a reference potential, a multiple VBE potential and an operating potential, respectively; a fourth terminal for receiving an input signal current; a fifth terminal; a first transistor which is a composite device comprising a plurality of component transistors with their base-emitter junctions serially connected between said first and said second terminals and poled to tend to be forward-biased by said multiple VBE potential, with a first of said component transistors having its emitter electrode connected to said first terminal and having its collector electrode connected to said fifth terminal and the collector electrodes of the other component transistors being connected so as to reverse-bias their base-collector junctions; a plurality of semiconductor junctions equal in number to said plurality of component transistors, said plurality of semiconductor junctions being serially-connected with each other between said second and said fourth terminals, being poled for conducting the base current of said first transistor and providing the sole path for the base current of said first transistor, said first transistor base current being the sole current flowing through said plurality of semiconductor junctions; and means connected between said third and said fourth terminals for completing the connection of said first transistor as a common-emitter amplifier providing a first output signal at said fifth terminal responsive to said input signal current, said means having a direct current conducTive path therethrough for conducting the quiescent collector current of said first transistor.

Claim 11

The combination comprising: first, second and third terminals for receiving a reference potential, a multiple VBE potential and an operating potential, respectively; a fourth terminal for receiving an input signal current; a fifth terminal; a first transistor which is a composite device comprising a plurality of component transistors with their base-emitter junctions serially connected between said first and said second terminals and poled to tend to be forward-biased by said multiple VBE potential, with a first of said component transistors having its emitter electrode connected to said first terminal and having its collector electrode connected to said fifth terminal and the collector electrodes of the other component transistors being connected so as to reverse-bias their base-collector junctions; a plurality of semiconductor junctions equal in number to said plurality of component transistors, said plurality of semiconductor junctions being serially-connected with each other between said second and said fourth terminals, being poled for conducting the base current of said first transistor and providing the sole path for the base current of said first transistor, said first transistor base current being the sole current flowing through said plurality of semiconductor junctions; and means connected between said third and said fourth terminals for completing the connection of said first transistor as a common-emitter amplifier providing a first output signal at said fifth terminal responsive to said input signal current, said means having a direct current conducTive path therethrough for conducting the quiescent collector current of said first transistor.

Claim 12

The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein: a second transistor having a base electrode connected to said second terminal and having emitter and collector electrodes has a base-emitter junction between its said base and emitter electrodes corresponding to one of the plurality of said semiconductor junctions serially connected between said second and said fourth terminals; a current mirror amplifier has an input terminal connected to said second transistor collector electrode, has a common terminal connected to said third terminal, and has an output terminal; a third transistor, which is a composite device of similar structure to said first transistor, has a base electrode connected to said current mirror amplifier output and has emitter and collector electrodes with a emitter-to-collector path therebetween; and means are provided for connecting said third transistor emitter-to-collector path between said first terminal and said third terminal.

Claim 13

The combination set forth in claim 9 wherein said means for connecting said third transistor emitter-to-collector path between said first terminal and said third terminal comprises: a connection of said third transistor emitter electrode to said first transistor collector electrode, and a connection of said third transistor collector electrode to said third terminal.

Claim 14

The combination set forth in claim 10 further including: a fourth transistor, which is a composite device of similar structure to said first transistor and has base and emitter and collector electrodes; means for supplying a current at a relatively high impedance to the collector electrode of said fourth transistor; another plurality of semiconductor junctions of number equal to said plurality of semiconductor junctions serially connected between said second and said fourth terminals, said other plurality of semiconductor junctions being serially connected between the collector and the base electrodes of said fourth transistor and being poled for forward conduction of base current to said fourth transistor; a fifth transistor having a base electrode connected to said fourth transistor collector electrode and having an emitter and a collector electrodes respectively connected to said second terminal and said third terminal; and sixth and seventh transistors each having similar transconductance characteristics to said fifth transistor, each having an emitter electrode connected to said first terminal, each having a collector electrode, and each having a base electrode connected to said sixth transistor collector electrode, the collector electrodes of said sixth and said seventh transistors being respectively connected to the respective emitter electrodes of said fourth and said fifth transistors.

Claim 15

An amplifier circuit comprising, in combination: first and second transistors of the same conductivity type, each having base and emitter and collector electrodes, said first transistor being directly connected at its emitter electrode to a point of reference potential; means directly connecting the base electrode of said first transistor to the emitter electrode of said second transistor for causing said first transistor base electrode to receive, when present, substantially the entire quiescent emitter current flow of said second transistor; means for applying a direct potential to the base electrode of said second transistor of a polarity to cause a quiescent current flow between the emitter electrode of said second transistor and the base electrode of said first transistor; means for applying reverse bias between the collector and base electrodes of said second transistor; and further means connecting said first transistor in common emitter amplifier configuration including means for applying reverse bias between its collector and base electrodes, a signal inpuT terminal coupled to the base electrode of said first transistor, and a signal output terminal coupled to the collector electrode of said first transistor.

Claim 16

An amplifier circuit comprising, in combination: first and second transistors of the same conductivity type, each having base and emitter and collector electrodes, said first transistor being directly connected at its emitter electrode to a point of reference potential; means directly connecting the base electrode of said first transistor to the emitter electrode of said second transistor for causing said first transistor base electrode to receive, when present, substantially the entire quiescent emitter current flow of said second transistor; means for applying a direct potential to the base electrode of said second transistor of a polarity to cause a quiescent current flow between the emitter electrode of said second transistor and the base electrode of said first transistor; means for applying reverse bias between the collector and base electrodes of said second transistor; and further means connecting said first transistor in common emitter amplifier configuration including means for applying reverse bias between its collector and base electrodes, a signal inpuT terminal coupled to the base electrode of said first transistor, and a signal output terminal coupled to the collector electrode of said first transistor.

Claim 17

An amplifier circuit as set forth in claim 12 wherein said means for applying a quiescent potential between said emitter electrode of said first transistor and said base electrode of said second transistor comprises: third and fourth transistors of said same conductivity type, each having base and emitter and a collector electrodes, said third transistor being directly connected at its emitter electrode to said reference potential and connected at its base electrode to the emitter electrode of said fourth transistor to receive its entire quiescent current flow; the base electrode of said fourth transistor being connected to the base electrode of said second transistor; means for applying reverse bias between the collector and base electrodes of said fourth transistor; a supply of current of determined value connected between the emitter and collector electrodes of said third transistor; and a direct coupled negative feedback connection from the collector electrode of said third transistor to the base electrode of said fourth transistor, to regulate the collector current of said third transistor to a value substantially equal to said determined value.

Claim 18

An amplifier circuit as set forth in claim 12 wherein said means for applying a quiescent potential between said emitter electrode of said first transistor and said base electrode of said second transistor comprises: third and fourth and fifth and sixth and seventh transistors of said same conductivity type, each having base and emitter and collector electrodes, said third transistor being connected at its base electrode to the emitter electrode of said fourth transistor and connected at its emitter electrode to the collector electrode to the collector electrode of said fifth transistor and to the base electrodes of said fifth and said sixth transistors, said fifth and said sixth transistors being directly connected at their emitter electrodes to said reference potential said seventh transistor beinng connected at its base electrode to the collector electrode of said third transistor and at its emitter electrode to the base electrode of said second transistor and the collector electrode of said sixth transistor; means for applying reverse bias to between the collector and base electrodes of said fourth transistor; means for applying reverse bias between the collector and base electrodes of said seventh transistor; a supply of current of determined value connected between the collector electrode of said third transistor and the emitter electrodes of said fifth and said sixth transistors; and a direct coupled negative feedback connection from the collector electrode of said third transistor to the base electrode of said fourth transistor, to regulate the collector current of said third transistor to a value substantially equal to said determined value.

Claim 19

An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 12 further including: a current mirror amplifier having an input circuit included in said means for applying reverse bias between the collector and base electrodes of said second transistor, its input circuit being arranged to sense the collector current of said second transistor, and having an output circuit; a third transistor having a base electrode connected to said output circuit of said current mirror amplifier, having an emitter electrode coupled to said signal output terminal and having a collector electrode; and means for applying reverse bias between the collector and base electrodes of said third transistor.

Claim 20

An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 12 further including: a current mirror amplifier having an output circuit included in said means for applying reverse bias between the collector and base electrodes of said second transistor, its input circuit being arranged to sense the collector current of said second transistor, and having an output circuit; a third transistor having a base electrode connected to said output circuit of said current mirror amplifier, having an emitter electrode coupled to said reference potential and having a collector electrode; means for applying reverse bias between the collector and base electrodes of said third transistor; and another signal output terminal connected to the collector electrode of said third transistor.

Claim 21

The combination set forth in claim 7 further including: a third transistor having base and emitter electrodes with a base-emitter junction therebetween and having a collector electrode; a current mirror amplifier having an input terminal connected to said second transistor collector electrode, a common terminal connected to said third terminal and an output terminal connected to said third transistor base electrode; and means for connecting said third transistor as a common-emitter amplifier thereby to provide a second output signal at its collector electrode in response to said input signal.

Claim 22

The combination set forth in claim 17 wherein: a first resistor is included in said direct current conductive connection of said first transistor collector electrode to said third terminal; said current mirror amplifier has a current gain substantially equal to minus unity; and said means for connecting said third transistor as a common emitter amplifier includes a direct connection of its emitter electrode to said first terminal and includes a second resistor connecting said third transistor collector electrode to said third terminal, said first and said second resistors having substantially equal resistance values.

Claim 23

The combination set forth in claim 7 further including: a third transistor having base and emitter electrodes with a base-emitter junction therebetween and having a collector electrode, said third transistor emitter electrode being connected to said first transistor collector electrode and said third transistor collector electrode being connected to said third terminal thereby to provide said direct current conductive connection of said first transistor collector electrode to said third terminal; and a current mirror amplifier having a common terminal connected to said third terminal, having an input terminal connected to said second transistor collector electrode and having an output terminal connected to said third transistor base electrode.

Claim 24

The combination set forth in claim 19 further including: fourth and fifth and sixth and seventh and eighth transistors, each having base and collector electrodes with a base-collector junction therebetween and having an emitter electrode; means for supplying a current at a relatively high impedance connected to the collector electrode of said fourth transistor; means for reverse-biasing the base-collector junctions of said fifth and said sixth transistors connected to each of their said collector electrodes; means for connecting the base electrodes of each of said fifth and said sixth transistors to the collector electrode of said fourth transistor; means for connecting the emitter electrodes of said fifth and said sixth transistors to said fourth transistor base electrode and to said second terminal, respectively; means for connecting the collector electrodes of said seventh and eighth transistors to the emitter electrodes of said fourth and said fifth transistors, respectively; means for connecting the base electrodes of said seventh and said eighth transistors to said seventh transistor collector electrode; and means for connecting the emitter electrodes of said seventh and said eighth transistors to said first terminal.