MOSFET
The MOSFET is a type of semiconductor device called an Insulated Gate Field
Effect Transistor.
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.
This ultra thin insulated metal gate electrode can be thought of as one plate of a
capacitor. The isolation of the controlling Gate makes the input resistance of the
MOSFET extremely high way up in the Mega-ohms ( MΩ ) region thereby making it
almost infinite.
MOSFET (Types)
• Four types:
• n-channel
enhancement mode
• Most common
since it is
cheapest to
manufacture
• p-channel
enhancement mode
• n-channel depletion
mode
• p-channel depletion
mode
The line in the MOSFET symbol between the drain (D) and source (S) connections represents the
transistors semiconductive channel. If this channel line is a solid unbroken line then it represents
a “Depletion” (normally-ON) type MOSFET as drain current can flow with zero gate biasing
potential.
If the channel line is shown as a dotted or broken line, then it represents an “Enhancement”
(normally-OFF) type MOSFET as zero drain current flows with zero gate potential. The direction of
the arrow pointing to this channel line indicates whether the conductive channel is a P-type or an
N-type semiconductor device.
MOSFET characteristics
• Basically low voltage device. High voltage device are
available up to 600V but with limited current. Can
be paralleled quite easily for higher current
capability.
• Internal (dynamic) resistance between drain and
source during on state, RDS(ON), , limits the power
handling capability of MOSFET. High losses
especially for high voltage device due to RDS(ON) .
• Dominant in high frequency application (>100kHz).
Biggest application is in switched-mode power
supplies.
• The transistor consists of three regions, labeled the
``source'', the ``gate'' and the ``drain''.
• The area labeled as the gate region is actually a
``sandwich'' consisting of the underlying substrate
material, which is a single crystal of semiconductor
material (usually silicon); a thin insulating layer (usually
silicon dioxide); and an upper metal layer.
• Electrical charge, or current, can flow from the source to
the drain depending on the charge applied to the gate
region.
• The semiconductor material in the source and drain region
are ``doped'' with a different type of material than in the
region under the gate, so an NPN or PNP type structure
exists between the source and drain region of a MOSFET.
•Most important device in digital design
•Very good as a switch
•Relatively few parasitics
•Rather low power consumption
•High integration density
•Simple manufacturing
•Economical for large complex circuits
n-Channel MOSFET (enhancement type)
NMOS Structure
• MOS (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) Nowadays gate is made of poly-silicon
• Channel length L and width W
• In most digital design, L is set at the minimum feature size
• W is selectable by the designer
• Bulk is connected to the Gnd in NMOS to prevent forward-biased PN junction
On state Off state
n-MOSFET Characteristics
1. Drain Characteristics
This describes how the output current (ID) changes with output voltage (VDS) while
keeping the gate voltage (VGS) constant. We plot a graph between ID (current) and VDS
(voltage) for different values of VGS.
2. Transfer Characteristics
This shows the relationship between the input voltage (VGS) and the output current (ID).
•When VGS < VT (i.e., below the threshold voltage), no current flows through the device.
•As VGS becomes greater than VT, current starts flowing.
•The higher the VGS above VT, the higher the output current.
This tells us how the gate voltage controls the amount of current in the circuit.
At a constant value of VDS , we can
also see that IDS is a function of the
Gate voltage, VGS
The transistor begins to conduct
when the Gate voltage, VGS ,
reaches the Threshold voltage: VT
The relationship between I D and V GS is defined by Shockley’s equation
PMOS Structure(enhancement type)
• PMOS transistor has a negative threshold voltage (Vtp) -0.3v~-1.2v
• A pMOS turns on when Vgs<Vtp
Depletion-mode MOSFET
The Depletion-mode MOSFET, which is less common than the enhancement mode
types is normally switched “ON” (conducting) without the application of a gate bias
voltage. That is the channel conducts when VGS = 0 making it a “normally-closed”
device.
Depletion-mode MOSFET
For the n-channel depletion MOS transistor, a negative gate-source
voltage, -VGS will deplete (hence its name) the conductive channel of
its free electrons switching the transistor “OFF”. Likewise for a p-
channel depletion MOS transistor a positive gate-source voltage, +VGS
will deplete the channel of its free holes turning it “OFF”.
In other words, for an n-channel depletion mode MOSFET: +VGS
means more electrons and more current. While a -VGS means less
electrons and less current. The opposite is also true for the p-channel
types. Then the depletion mode MOSFET is equivalent to a
“normally-closed” switch.
Working principle
Switch models of MOSFETs
Applications of MOSFET
The applications of a MOSFET are mentioned below:
•MOSFET as a Switch: MOSFETs can be used as switches to control the flow of
current. When the gate voltage is zero, the channel is not formed, and no current
flows between the source and drain. When a positive voltage is applied to the gate
of an N-channel MOSFET or a negative voltage is applied to the gate of a P-channel
MOSFET, the channel is formed, and current flows between the source and drain.
•MOSFET as an Amplifier: MOSFETs can also be used as amplifiers to increase the
strength of a signal. When a small voltage is applied to the gate, it can produce a
large change in current between the source and drain. This property makes
MOSFETs very useful in electronic circuits.
•It is used as an inverter.
•It is used in digital circuits.
•It is used as a high-frequency amplifier.
•It is used in brushless DC motor drives.
•It is used in electronic DC relays.
•It is used in SMPS.
•It is used as a switch and in amplifying electronic signals in an electronic device.
Advantages and Disadvantages of MOSFET
The advantages and disadvantages of a MOSFET are mentioned
as follows:
Advantages
•It is used to work at a greater efficiency but with a lower voltage
value.
•As it has no gate current so due to this it gives a high input
impedance which produces a high switching speed.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages of a MOSFET are mentioned as follows:
•It is susceptible to damage due to its thin oxide layer which can
get damaged because of electrostatic charges.
•It gets unstable when a voltage gets overloaded.
Thank You