New method of measuring the internal current gain of a transistor using avalanche multiplication

A new method is proposed which measures the emitter efficiency of a transistor when the emitter current is pinched in at the middle of the emitter. The measurement is then not confused by the effects of the edge of the emitter-base junction. The technique uses the charge carriers generated by avalanche multiplication in the collector-base junction to create this pinch-in condition. Measurement of external parameters such as emitter current, external base current, and collector voltage are then shown to yield the emitter efficiency provided recombination in the base is negligible.