
The turn-on and turn-off speed of the transistor can be improved with the
addition of a capacitor across the base resistor, as shown in Figure 11.6C. The
capacitor is a low impedance when the logic output is changing states, rapidly
charging or discharging the base circuit. A typical value for this capacitor is
220 pf, although larger values may be needed for large transistors.
The collector risetime can be reduced by reducing the value of the pull-up
resistor. However, smaller resistor values increase supply current drain and
transistor dissipation. Also, a smaller pull-up resistor means more base current
is needed to ensure that the transistor will ...