What is FET?

FET is an acronym used for “field effect transistor”. It is a three terminal unipolar device in
which conduction is manipulated with the help of applied electric field. The name itself gives a
brief idea about its working principle, “field effect”, these two words clearly indicates it is a
transistor controlled by electric field.

Thus, it is also referred as a voltage controlled device in which only majority charge carriers are
involved in the conduction mechanism. It comprises of three terminals, i.e. source, gate, and
drain.

Junct
ion Field Effect Transistor
The functioning of Junction Field Effect Transistor depends upon the flow of majority carriers
(electrons or holes) only. Basically, JFETs consist of an N type or P type silicon bar containing
PN junctions at the sides. Following are some important points to remember about FET −
 Gate − By using diffusion or alloying technique, both sides of N type bar are heavily
doped to create PN junction. These doped regions are called gate (G).
 Source − It is the entry point for majority carriers through which they enter into the
semiconductor bar.
 Drain − It is the exit point for majority carriers through which they leave the
semiconductor bar.
 Channel − It is the area of N type material through which majority carriers pass from the
source to drain.
There are two types of JFETs commonly used in the field semiconductor devices: N-Channel
JFET and P-Channel JFET.
Comparison

PARAMETER BJT JFET

Carrier Bipolar (majority and Unipolar (majority)

minority)

Symbol

Device type Current controlled device. Voltage controlled device.

Input impedance Low High

Gain High gain Low - medium gain

Power It consumes more power. It consumes less power.

consumption

Noise level High Low

Thermal stability Low High

Size Large Small

PARAMETER BJT JFET

Application It is preferred in low current It is preferred in low voltage

preference application. application.

Output Characteristics of JFET

The output characteristics of JFET are drawn between drain current (I ) and drain source voltage
D

(V ) at constant gate source voltage (V ) as shown in the following figure.

DS GS

Initially, the drain current (I ) rises rapidly with drain source voltage (V ) however suddenly
D DS

becomes constant at a voltage known as pinch-off voltage (V ). Above pinch-off voltage, the
P

channel width becomes so narrow that it allows very small drain current to pass through it.
Therefore, drain current (I ) remains constant above pinch-off voltage.
D
Working of N-channel JFET

• A positive voltage is applied between drain and source terminal.

• We can consider following condition to observe working of N-channel JFET
A) when VGS =0v
• Following fig(b) shows the N-channel JFET when no bias is applied between gate and source

• When VGS=0v and external voltage VDSis applied between drain and source, the electrons flows from
source to drain through the narrow channel.
• This constitute the drain current (ID) and its conventional direction is indicated from drain to source
B) When VGS, increased
• Following fig (c) shows the biasing of N channel JFET when VGS has some finite value
• VGS is applied to make junction between gate to source reverse.
• When this reverse bias voltage VGS is increased the depletion region becomes more wide. This
reduces the effective width of the channel and therefore controls the flow of current through channel.
• When gate to source voltage increased further a stage is reached at which two depletion region touch
each other .
• At this stage the channel is completely blocked or pinch off and drain current reduced to zero
• The gate to source voltage at which the drain current is zero is called as pinch off voltage (VP).
Parameters of JFET
The main parameters of JFET are −

 AC drain resistance (Rd)

 Transconductance
 Amplification factor
AC drain resistance (R ) − It is the ratio of change in the drain source voltage (ΔV ) to the
d DS

change in drain current (ΔI ) at constant gate-source voltage. It can be expressed as,
D

R = (ΔV )/(ΔI ) at Constant V

d DS D GS

Transconductance (g ) − It is the ratio of change in drain current (ΔI ) to the change in gate
fs D

source voltage (ΔV ) at constant drain-source voltage. It can be expressed as,

GS

g = (ΔI )/(ΔV ) at constant V

fs D GS DS

Amplification Factor (u) − It is the ratio of change in drain-source voltage (ΔV ) to the change
DS

in gate source voltage (ΔV ) constant drain current (ΔI ). It can be expressed as,
GS D

u = (ΔV )/(ΔV ) at constant I

DS GS D

What is MOSFET?
The most common type of insulated gate FET which is used in many different types of
electronic circuits is called the Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect
Transistor or MOSFET for short.
The IGFET or MOSFET is a voltage controlled field effect transistor that differs from a JFET
in that it has a “Metal Oxide” Gate electrode which is electrically insulated from the main
semiconductor n-channel or p-channel by a very thin layer of insulating material usually
silicon dioxide, commonly known as glass.
Working Principle of MOSFET
The main principle of the MOSFET device is to be able to control the voltage and current
flow between the source and drain terminals. It works almost like a switch and the
functionality of the device is based on the MOS capacitor. The MOS capacitor is the main
part of MOSFET.

The semiconductor surface at the below oxide layer which is located between the source
and drain terminal can be inverted from p-type to n-type by the application of either a
positive or negative gate voltages respectively. When we apply a repulsive force for the
positive gate voltage, then the holes present beneath the oxide layer are pushed downward
with the substrate.

The depletion region populated by the bound negative charges which are associated with
the acceptor atoms. When electrons are reached, a channel is developed. The positive
voltage also attracts electrons from the n+ source and drain regions into the channel. Now,
if a voltage is applied between the drain and source, the current flows freely between the
source and drain and the gate voltage controls the electrons in the channel. Instead of the
positive voltage, if we apply a negative voltage, a hole channel will be formed under the
oxide layer.

MOSFET Block Diagram

Basic MOSFET Structure and Symbol

The construction of the Metal Oxide Semiconductor FET is very different to that of the
Junction FET. Both the Depletion and Enhancement type MOSFETs use an electrical field
produced by a gate voltage to alter the flow of charge carriers, electrons for n-channel or
holes for P-channel, through the semiconductive drain-source channel. The gate electrode
is placed on top of a very thin insulating layer and there are a pair of small n-type regions
just under the drain and source electrodes.
We saw in the previous tutorial, that the gate of a junction field effect transistor, JFET must
be biased in such a way as to reverse-bias the pn-junction. With a insulated gate MOSFET
device no such limitations apply so it is possible to bias the gate of a MOSFET in either
polarity, positive (+ve) or negative (-ve).
This makes the MOSFET device especially valuable as electronic switches or to make logic
gates because with no bias they are normally non-conducting and this high gate input
resistance means that very little or no control current is needed as MOSFETs are voltage
controlled devices. Both the p-channel and the n-channel MOSFETs are available in two
basic forms, the Enhancement type and the Depletion type.
Difference between jfet and mosfet:

The below-shown diagram indicates the working of an E-MOSFET:

When the gate to source voltage is made 0, E-MOS does not conduct. Due to this reason, it is
called normally-off MOSFET. When the positive gate voltage exceeds the threshold value then
drain current starts to flow through the device.

Consider a case when a positive drain to source voltage is applied and the gate terminal is
at 0 potential. In this case, the P-type substrate and the two N regions behave as two PN
junctions connected back to back and P substrate provides the resistance.

In this condition, both junctions cannot be forward bias simultaneously leading to very small
drain current which is a reverse leakage current.

Let us now move further and consider the case when the gate is made somewhat positive with
respect to the source. The minority charge carriers of p-type substrate i.e., electrons get
attracted by the positive potential of the gate.

These negative carriers accumulate or gather at the surface of the substrate just below the gate
terminal. Any further increase in the VGS will cause more electrons to deposit under the gate.

Since dielectric is used so these electrons cannot be able to flow across the insulating layer of
SiO2. Thus they accumulate at the surface of the substrate itself. Thus, an N-channel is
made between source and drain by the accumulation of minority charge carriers.
Thus, drain current ID flows through the channel. The flow of drain current depends on
the channel resistance which in turn depends on the charge carriers attracted towards the
positive gate terminal.

So, by the above discussion, we can conclude that ID is controlled by the gate potential VGS. It is
called enhancement MOSFET as the channel conductivity is enhanced by the positive gate
potential.

Characteristics Curve of E – MOS

The characteristic curve shows various values of VGS for which variation in ID is shown-

As we are already aware of the fact that a gate potential above the threshold value causes drain
current ID to flow. So when VGS is less than VGST then approximately 0 drain current flows and
when VGS is greater than VGST then device turns ON.

Working of a Depletion-type MOSFET

In a depletion type or DE-MOS, a channel for conduction is already constructed physically. Due
to this, current flows in between the source and drain without any gate bias voltage.

This means that the channel conducts even when VGS = 0.

The diagram shown below will help you to understand DE-MOS in a better way:
DE-MOSFET has the ability to work at both positive and negative gate potential. When the
MOSFET is operated with 0 gate voltage it is said that the device is operating in E-mode.

In a DE-MOSFET when the gate potential is made negative with respect to the substrate, it
causes repulsion of negative charge carriers out of the initially formed channel. This increases
the channel resistance which resultantly reduces the drain current.

So, from the above discussion, we can conclude that in a DE-MOS, more negative the gate
voltage, the less the drain current that flows through the channel.

In the case when the gate terminal is made positive with respect to the substrate, more number
of electrons gets attracted towards the channel. Thus, causing more current to flow through the
channel.

A pinch-off condition also arises in DE-MOS when a much negative gate voltage is applied.

Characteristic Curve of Depletion MOSFET

The drain characteristics of a typical N-channel MOSFET is shown in the diagram below-
The bottom curve shows the condition when no gate voltage is applied due to which a negligible
value of drain current flows from source to drain.

The curve at the upper portion shows the condition when gate voltage VGS is made positive and
lower curves indicate the condition for negative gate voltage.

[Link] D-MOSFET E-MOSFET

.

1. It is called as Depletion MOSFET, It works only in Enhancement

because of depletion of channel. mode, hence called as
Enhancement MOSFET.

2. n-type semiconductor exists n-channel doesn't exist between

between source and drain in sources and drain.
construction itself.

3. When Vgs = 0V, Ids flows due to When Vgs = 0V, Ids = 0 though
Vds. Vds is applied.
 [Link] D-MOSFET E-MOSFET
.

4. It can be used as E-MOSFET. It can not be used as a D-

MOSFET.

5. Does not occur At Vgs = Vt, MOSFET becomes

ON.

Advantages of MOSFET :

1. The operational speed of MOSFET is higher than that of JFET.

2. Input impedance is much higher as compared to JFET.
3. It can be easily used in case of high current applications.
4. These devices provide an easy manufacturing process.
Disadvantages of MOSFET :

1. It is a delicate device and is easily destroyable.

2. Excessive application of gate to source voltage VGS may destroy the thin SiO2 layer.
E-MOS is better suited in case of power devices because a positive potential at the gate is
required to start the conduction of the device. The applied gate voltage increases the
conductivity of the device.