Differences Between NPN and PNP Transistors
The differences between NPN and PNP transistors are shown below:
| NPN Transistor | PNP Transistor |
| P-doped material is sandwiched between two N-doped materials | N-doped material is sandwiched between two P-doped materials |
| Majority carriers are electrons | Majority carriers are holes |
| Direction of current flowing from collector to emitter | Direction of current flowing from emitter to collector |
| Base is made up of a thin layer of p-type semiconductor material | Base is made up of a thin layer of n-type semiconductor material |
| Used in low-power and high-frequency applications | Used in high-power and low-frequency application |
| Commonly used in amplifiers, oscillators, and switching circuits | Commonly used in power supplies, voltage regulators, and audio amplifiers |
| Higher electron mobility than hole mobility | Higher hole mobility than electron mobility |
| Require a positive voltage at the base relative to the emitter to operate | Require a negative voltage at the base relative to the emitter to operate |
| Emitter is heavily doped with impurities to increase conductivity | Collector is heavily doped with impurities to increase conductivity |
| Commonly used in digital circuits as a switch | Commonly used in linear circuits as an amplifier |
| Electrons flow from the emitter to the collector | Holes flow from the emitter to the collector |
| Switching is done by applying a positive voltage to the base | Switching is done by applying a negative voltage to the base |
| Used in circuits that require negative voltage | Used in circuits that require positive voltage |
Difference Between NPN And PNP Transistor With Interesting Facts
Transistors are one of the most important electronic components used in a wide range of applications. NPN and PNP transistors are two common types of bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) used in electronic circuits. These transistors are used as switches and amplifiers, and understanding the difference between them is important for anyone interested in electronics.