Introduction to Transistors
This online engineering PDH course provides a basic understanding of the physical concepts needed to understand the semiconductor fundamentals of semiconductor devices.
A transistor is a small electronic device that amplifies a signal or can turn electricity on or off. Invented in 1948 at Bell Labs, transistors have become the key ingredient of all digital circuits, including computers. A transistor consists of three layers of silicon or germanium semiconductor material. Impurities are added to each layer to create a specific electrical positive or negative charged behavior. There are essentially two basic types of point-contact transistors: the NPN transistor and the PNP transistor, where the N and P stand for negative and positive, respectively. The only difference between the two is the arrangement of bias voltages. To understand how a transistor works, you have to understand how semiconductors react to an electric potential.
This 4 PDH online course is applicable to students, professional engineers, service technicians, energy auditors, operational & maintenance personnel, facility engineers who are interested in gaining a better understanding in transistors.
This PE continuing education course is intended to provide you with the following specific knowledge and skills:
- Define the term transistor and give a brief description of its construction and operation
- Explain how the transistor can be used to amplify a signal
- Name the four classes of amplifiers and give an explanation for each
- List the three different transistor circuit configurations and explain their operation
- Identify the different types of transistors by their symbology and alphanumerical designations
- List the precautions to be taken when working with transistors and describe ways to test them
- Understand how integrated circuits are constructed and the advantages they offer over conventional transistor circuits
- Name the two types of circuit boards
- State the purpose and function of modular circuitry
In this professional engineering CEU course, you need to review Chapter 2 of Module 7 titled "Transistors" of the Naval Education and Training Materials (NAVEDTRA 14178), Electricity and Electronic Training Series.
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