Communities

Writing
Writing
Codidact Meta
Codidact Meta
The Great Outdoors
The Great Outdoors
Photography & Video
Photography & Video
Scientific Speculation
Scientific Speculation
Cooking
Cooking
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Judaism
Judaism
Languages & Linguistics
Languages & Linguistics
Software Development
Software Development
Mathematics
Mathematics
Christianity
Christianity
Code Golf
Code Golf
Music
Music
Physics
Physics
Linux Systems
Linux Systems
Power Users
Power Users
Tabletop RPGs
Tabletop RPGs
Community Proposals
Community Proposals
tag:snake search within a tag
answers:0 unanswered questions
user:xxxx search by author id
score:0.5 posts with 0.5+ score
"snake oil" exact phrase
votes:4 posts with 4+ votes
created:<1w created < 1 week ago
post_type:xxxx type of post
Search help
Notifications
Mark all as read See all your notifications »
Q&A

Post History

75%
+4 −0
Q&A What is the difference between emitter and collector of a transistor?

In all descriptions of how (non-FET) transistors work I've seen, there is an inherent symmetry: There's either an n-doped layer between two p-doped, or a p-doped between two n-doped, and the descri...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by celtschk‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Question transistor
#2: Post edited by user avatar celtschk‭ · 2021-08-23T11:26:57Z (about 3 years ago)
Fixed doted → doped
  • In all descriptions of how (non-FET) transistors work I've seen, there is an inherent symmetry: There's either an n-doted layer between two p-doted, or a p-doted between two n-doted, and the description does not make any distinction between the two outer layers.
  • On the other hand, one of the connections to the outer layers is called emitter and the other collector. Also, in the transistor symbol in circuits, the difference is clearly marked by an arrow. Therefore I assume there actually is a difference.
  • Therefore I wonder: What is the difference between emitter and collector? What would happen if you would insert a transistor reversed?
  • Note: I'm physicist (so I can understand advanced descriptions on the physics level), but I don't have any experience with electronics.
  • In all descriptions of how (non-FET) transistors work I've seen, there is an inherent symmetry: There's either an n-doped layer between two p-doped, or a p-doped between two n-doped, and the description does not make any distinction between the two outer layers.
  • On the other hand, one of the connections to the outer layers is called emitter and the other collector. Also, in the transistor symbol in circuits, the difference is clearly marked by an arrow. Therefore I assume there actually is a difference.
  • Therefore I wonder: What is the difference between emitter and collector? What would happen if you would insert a transistor reversed?
  • Note: I'm physicist (so I can understand advanced descriptions on the physics level), but I don't have any experience with electronics.
#1: Initial revision by user avatar celtschk‭ · 2021-08-23T08:32:32Z (about 3 years ago)
What is the difference between emitter and collector of a transistor?
In all descriptions of how (non-FET) transistors work I've seen, there is an inherent symmetry: There's either an n-doted layer between two p-doted, or a p-doted between two n-doted, and the description does not make any distinction between the two outer layers.

On the other hand, one of the connections to the outer layers is called emitter and the other collector. Also, in the transistor symbol in circuits, the difference is clearly marked by an arrow. Therefore I assume there actually is a difference.

Therefore I wonder: What is the difference between emitter and collector? What would happen if you would insert a transistor reversed?

Note: I'm physicist (so I can understand advanced descriptions on the physics level), but I don't have any experience with electronics.