BC107, BC108 and BC109 - The beginnings of world production

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Radio and Semiconductor Parts Company (IPRS)

In 1960, the government of Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej decided to build a factory in Baneasa (Bucharest), which in 1962 was called the Radio and Semiconductor Parts Company (IPRS).

The factory grew to 6.000 employees in the early 1980s. The BJT series of transistors followed linear and digital integrated circuits (including the 7400 series), diodes and transistors, microwave devices, thyristors, triacs and capacitors. IPRS also manufactured a microprocessor βP14500, or clone to Motorola MC14500B.

How did CCPCE appear?

In 1969 Electronic Component Design Research Center (ECCC) was created based on IPRS, but independent of it. The research center has developed pilot semiconductor devices for later series by IPRS. Since 1974 the headquarters have moved close to IPRS and changed its name to the Electronic Component Research Institute (ICCE). With the production of new production lines inaugurated in 1979, the manufacture of transistors, diodes, IC circuits, optoelectronics began, with several thousand units produced per month.

A third entity, Microelectronics, was established in 1981, close to IPRS and ICCE for the manufacture of PMOS logic, NMOS logic and CMOS (including the 4000 series).

Microelectronics has manufactured a clone of the Intel 8080 with the name MMN8080 and a clone of the brand MMN80CPU Zilog Z80. MMN80CPU went into production in 1988. Note that the Z80 was launched in 1976 and the U880 clone from East Germany in 1980.

When did transistors BC107, BC108 and BC109 appear?

BC107, BC108 and BC109 are NPN silicon bipolar transistors, of general use, of low power, which are very often found in books / articles of electronic equipment from Europe, Australia, since the '60s.

They were created by Philips and Mullard in 1963 and introduced in April 1966. Initially in metal packages (TO-18), the range has expanded over time to include other types of packages, higher voltages and a better selection of gain (hFE and hfe), as well as types of PNP complementary.

Family BC107, 108, 109 in metal capsule TO-18, produced worldwide since 1965 by Philips, Siemens, AEG-Telefunken, SESCOSEM, Texas Instruments, Motorola, Fairchild, SGS Thomson and IPRS Baneasa.

After 1975, similar and equivalent transistors were manufactured in plastic capsules, at a cost price 20-40% lower. The capsules are different in shape and only because of this there are several types that are actually equivalent.

BC107 and 109 (177 and 179 complementary PNP) are in the metal capsule and for this reason are a little more expensive but they had low noise (BC109C) and were used in preamps and in the input part of audio amplifiers in particular.

Equivalent table for BC107, BC108 and BC109

Tip:	Equivalent transistors [BC]
BC 107	147, 167, 207, 237, 547, 171
BC 108	148, 168, 208, 238, 548, 172
BC 109	149, 169, 209, 239, 549, 173

The power dissipated at 45 ° C is for all types at least 200 mW. It is not recommended that during long-term operation the power exceed 150mW, so that the junction has a temperature below 125 ° C, ensuring reliability.

Technical characteristics of BC107, BC107A, BC107B and BC107C

Technical specifications	BC107	BC107A	BC107B	BC107C
Material of Transistor	Si	Si	Si	Si
Polarity	NPN	NPN	NPN	NPN
Maximum Collector Power Dissipation (Pc)	0.3 W	0.3 W	0.3 W	0.3 W
Maximum Collector-Base Voltage | Vcb |	50 V	50 V	50 V	50 V
Maximum Collector-Emitter Voltage | Vce |	45 V	45 V	45 V	45 V
Maximum Emitter-Base Voltage | Web |	6 V	6 V	6 V	6 V
Maximum Collector Current | Ic max |	A 0.1	A 0.1	A 0.1	A 0.1
Max. Operating Junction Temperature (Tj)	175 ° C	175 ° C	175 ° C	175 ° C
Transition Frequency (ft)	150 MHz	150 MHz	150 MHz	150 MHz
Capacitance Collector (Cc)	5 pF	5 pF	5 pF	5 pF
Forward Current Transfer Ratio (hFE), MIN	110	110	200	450
Package	Retro American Diner Chair TO18	Retro American Diner Chair TO18	Retro American Diner Chair TO18	Retro American Diner Chair TO18

Technical characteristics of BC108, BC108A, BC108B and BC108C

Technical specifications	BC108	BC108A	BC108B	BC108C
Material of Transistor	Si	Si	Si	Si
Polarity	NPN	NPN	NPN	NPN
Maximum Collector Power Dissipation (Pc)	0.3 W	0.3 W	0.3 W	0.3 W
Maximum Collector-Base Voltage | Vcb |	30 V	30 V	30 V	30 V
Maximum Collector-Emitter Voltage | Vce |	20 V	20 V	20 V	20 V
Maximum Emitter-Base Voltage | Web |	5 V	5 V	5 V	5 V
Maximum Collector Current | Ic max |	A 0.1	A 0.1	A 0.1	A 0.1
Max. Operating Junction Temperature (Tj)	175 ° C	175 ° C	175 ° C	175 ° C
Transition Frequency (ft)	150 MHz	150 MHz	150 MHz	150 MHz
Capacitance Collector (Cc)	5 pF	5 pF	5 pF	5 pF
Forward Current Transfer Ratio (hFE), MIN	120	120	200	420
Package	Retro American Diner Chair TO18	Retro American Diner Chair TO18	Retro American Diner Chair TO18	Retro American Diner Chair TO18

Technical characteristics of BC109, BC109A, BC109B and BC109C

Technical specifications	BC109	BC109A	BC109B	BC109C
Material of Transistor	Si	Si	Si	Si
Polarity	NPN	NPN	NPN	NPN
Maximum Collector Power Dissipation (Pc)	0.3 W	0.3 W	0.3 W	0.3 W
Maximum Collector-Base Voltage | Vcb |	30 V	30 V	30 V	30 V
Maximum Collector-Emitter Voltage | Vce |	20 V	20 V	20 V	20 V
Maximum Emitter-Base Voltage | Web |	5 V	5 V	5 V	5 V
Maximum Collector Current | Ic max |	A 0.1	A 0.1	A 0.1	A 0.1
Max. Operating Junction Temperature (Tj)	175 ° C	175 ° C	175 ° C	175 ° C
Transition Frequency (ft)	150 MHz	150 MHz	150 MHz	150 MHz
Capacitance Collector (Cc)	5 pF	5 pF	5 pF	5 pF
Forward Current Transfer Ratio (hFE), MIN	180	120	200	420
Package	Retro American Diner Chair TO18	Retro American Diner Chair TO18	Retro American Diner Chair TO18	Retro American Diner Chair TO18

Bibliography:

Special thanks to colleagues Nicolae Dicu and Marius Balauta for the pictures in this article.

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