> Hello,
> what happens when a negative swing at the base of a NPN transistor reachs=
 the break
> down voltage?
>=20
> Does it turn on the transistor, and then as long as the current is limite=
d to a safe
> value, it won't damage it or do other weird things?
>=20
> I can see breakdown voltage specified in datasheets, but not what will ha=
ppen if it
> gets reached. As I understand it, PN junctions do not suffer damage from =
breakdown
> like e.g. a Schottky or a MOSFET gate would.
>=20
> Thanks!
> Mario

Typically the base-emitter junction does a zener action at the Vbe breakdow=
n voltage specified. In this condition they can make a rather nice white no=
ise source (I remember having a series of articles out of a UK originated m=
agazine for a drum machine that used a reverse biased base-emitter junction=
 as a white noise source). I believe in this state they generate more white=
 noise than a proper zener diode.


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