Chapter 3: MOSFET Amplifiers

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 Content
MOSFET

Current Voltage Characteristics

MOSFET Circuits at DC

Small Signal Operation and Models

Basic MOSFET Amplifier Configurations

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 MOSFET
 MOSFET: Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor.

 According to the physics of the device, we can classify transistors into two main classes:

 Field Effect Transistors (FET): Conduction is controlled by electric field which is

produced by voltage applied to the control terminals. So, the control draws no current
and FET is a voltage- controlled device.

 Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT): Diode-based device which is usually blocked unless
the control terminals are forward- biased. So, the control is a current, and BJT is a
current amplifier by nature.

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 MOSFET
 MOSFET is a four-terminal device: gate (G), source (S), drain (D) and body (B).
 Two kinds of MOSFETs: n-channel (NMOS) and p-channel (PMOS) devices.
 The device structure is basically symmetric in terms of drain and source.
 Source and drain terminals are specified by the operation voltage.

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 MOSFET
 Gate voltage exceeds a threshold
voltage 𝒗𝑮𝑺 > 𝑽𝒕 : electrons start
to accumulate on the substrate
surface. 𝐕𝐭 = 𝟎. 𝟑 ÷ 𝟏 (V)

 The positive 𝒗𝑮𝑺 > 𝑽𝒕 is used to

induce the channel and it is called
n-channel enhancement type
MOSFET.
 The induced n region forms a channel
for current flow from drain to source.

 The field controls the amount of charge in the channel and determines the
channel conductivity.

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 MOSFET – Small 𝑣𝐷𝑆
 Small 𝒗𝑫𝑺 is applied: free electrons
travel from source to drain through the
induced n-channel.

 The resulting current 𝑖𝐷 flows from drain

to source (opposite to the direction of
the flow of negative charge).

 The resulting current 𝑖𝐷 flows from drain

to source (opposite to the direction of
the flow of negative charge).

 The channel is controlled by the effective

voltage or overdrive voltage:
𝑽𝑶𝑽 = 𝑽𝑮𝑺 − 𝑽𝒕

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 MOSFET – Increasing 𝑣𝐷𝑆
 As 𝑣𝐷𝑆 is increased, the channel becomes more
tapered and its resistance increases correspondingly.
 At the point 𝒗𝑫𝑺𝒔𝒂𝒕 = 𝒗𝑮𝑺 − 𝑽𝒕 , the channel is
pinched off at the drain side.
 Triode region: 𝒗𝑫𝑺 < 𝒗𝑫𝑺𝒔𝒂𝒕
 Saturation region: 𝒗𝑫𝑺 ≥ 𝒗𝑫𝑺𝒔𝒂𝒕

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 MOSFET – IV Relationship
𝟏
 Triode region: 𝒊𝑫 = 𝒌𝒏 𝒗𝑮𝑺 − 𝑽𝒕 𝒗𝑫𝑺 − 𝟐 𝒗𝟐𝑫𝑺
𝟏 𝟐
 Saturation region: 𝒊𝑫𝒔𝒂𝒕 = 𝟐 𝒌𝒏 𝒗𝑮𝑺 − 𝑽𝒕
𝟏
 Channel resistance: 𝒓𝑫𝑺 =
𝒌𝒏 𝒗𝑮𝑺 −𝑽𝒕
𝑾 ′
𝑾
 Transconductance parameter: 𝒌𝒏 = 𝝁𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒙 = 𝒌𝒏 where:
𝑳 𝑳

𝑪𝒐𝒙 : oxide capacitance per unit area.

𝝁𝒏 : mobility of electron in the inversion layer.

𝑾 and 𝑳: channel width and length.

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 MOSFET – Circuit Symbols
 n-channel enhancement-mode MOSFET:

 p-channel enhancement-mode MOSFET:

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NMOS – Current Voltage Characteristics

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 MOSFET - Current Voltage Characteristics

Example 1: Consider an NMOS transistor fabricated in a L = 0.18𝜇𝑚 process with L =

0.18𝜇𝑚 and W = 2𝜇𝑚. The process technology is specified to have 𝐶𝑜𝑥 = 8.6 fF/μ𝑚2 ,
𝜇𝑛 = 450 𝑐𝑚2 /𝑉𝑠 and 𝑉𝑡𝑛 = 0.5𝑉.
a. Find 𝑉𝐺𝑆 and 𝑉𝐷𝑆 that result in the MOSFET operating at the edge of saturation with
𝐼𝐷 = 100𝜇𝐴.
b. If 𝑉𝐺𝑆 is kept constant, find 𝑉𝐷𝑆 that results in 𝐼𝐷 = 50𝜇𝐴.
c. To investigate the use of the MOSFET as a linear amplifier, let it be operating in
saturation with 𝑉𝐷𝑆 = 0.3𝑉. Find the change in 𝑖𝐷 resulting from 𝑉𝐺𝑆 changing from
0.7𝑉 by +0.01𝑉 and by −0.01𝑉.

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 MOSFET – Finite Output Resistance
 In practice, increasing 𝑣𝐷𝑆 beyond 𝑣𝑂𝑉 does
affect the channel somewhat.

 This effect can be accounted for 𝑖𝐷 in the

expression for by including a factor
𝟏 + 𝝀𝒗𝑫𝑺 :
𝟏 𝟐
𝒊𝑫𝒔𝒂𝒕 = 𝒌𝒏 𝒗𝑮𝑺 − 𝑽𝒕 𝟏 + 𝝀𝒗𝑫𝑺
𝟐

 Defining the output resistance 𝑟𝑜 as

𝝏𝒗𝑫𝑺 𝑽𝑨
𝒓𝒐 ≡ ቤ =
𝝏𝒊𝑫 𝒗 𝑰𝑫
𝑮𝑺=𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕

𝟏
𝑽𝑨 =
𝝀
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 MOSFET Circuits at DC
 DC analysis for MOSFET circuits:
• Assume the operation mode and solve the dc bias utilizing the corresponding
current equation.
• Verify the assumption with terminal voltages (cutoff, triode and saturation).
• If the solution is invalid, change the assumption of operation mode and
analyze again.

Example 2: The NMOS transistor in the following

circuit has 𝑉𝑡 = 0.7𝑉, 𝜇𝑛 𝐶𝑜𝑥 = 100μA/𝑉 2 , 𝐿 = 1𝜇𝑚
and 𝑊 = 32𝜇𝑚 . Design the circuit so that the
transistor operates at 𝐼𝐷 = 0.4𝑚𝐴 and 𝑉𝐷 = 0.5𝑉.

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 MOSFET Circuits at DC
Example 3: The NMOS transistor in the following circuit has 𝑉𝑡 = 0.6𝑉, 𝜇𝑛 𝐶𝑜𝑥 =
200μA/𝑉 2 , 𝐿 = 0.8𝜇𝑚 and 𝑊 = 4𝜇𝑚. Design the circuit so that the transistor
operates at 𝐼𝐷 = 80𝐴. Find the DC voltage 𝑉𝐷 .

Example 4: Design the circuit so that the transistor operates at 𝑉𝐷 = 0.1𝑉. Let
𝑉𝑡 = 1𝑉, 𝑘𝑛 = 1mA/𝑉 2. Find the effective resistance between drain and source at
this operating point.

Example 3 Example 4
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 MOSFET Circuits at DC
Example 5: Determine the voltage and the current of all nodes and branches? 𝑉𝑡 =
1𝑉, 𝑘𝑛 = 1𝑚𝐴/𝑉2.

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 MOSFET Circuits at DC
Example 6: Design the following circuit so that the transistor operates in saturation
with 𝐼𝐷 = 0.5𝑚𝐴 and 𝑉𝐷 = 3𝑉. Let the enhancement-type PMOS transistor have
𝑊
𝑉𝑡𝑝 = −1𝑉 and 𝑘𝑝′ 𝐿 = 1𝑚𝐴/𝑉 2. Assume 𝜆 = 0. What is the largest value that 𝑅𝐷
can have while maintaining saturation-region operation?

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 MOSFET Circuits at DC
Example 7: The NMOS and PMOS transistors in the following circuit are matched,
𝑊 𝑊
with 𝑘𝑛′ 𝐿 = 𝑘𝑝′ 𝐿 = 1𝑚𝐴/𝑉 2 and 𝑉𝑡𝑛 = −𝑉𝑡𝑝 = 1𝑉 . Assume 𝜆 = 0 for both
devices, find the drain currents 𝑖𝐷𝑁 and 𝑖𝐷𝑃 as well as the voltage 𝑣𝑜 for 𝑣𝐼 =
0𝑉, 2.5𝑉 𝑎𝑛𝑑 − 2.5𝑉.

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 MOSFET in Amplifier Design
𝟏 𝟐
𝒊𝑫 = 𝒌𝒏 𝒗𝑮𝑺 − 𝑽𝒕
𝟐

𝟐𝒌𝒏 𝑹𝑫 𝑽𝑫𝑫 + 𝟏 − 𝟏
𝑽𝑮𝑺 |𝑩 = 𝑽𝒕 +
𝒌𝒏 𝑹𝑫

𝒗𝑫𝑺 = 𝑽𝑫𝑫 − 𝒊𝑫 𝑹𝑫

 Input voltage increase  drain 𝟏 𝟐

current increase  output voltage 𝒗𝑫𝑺 = 𝑽𝑫𝑫 − 𝒌𝒏 𝑹𝑫 𝒗𝑮𝑺 − 𝑽𝒕
𝟐
decrease.
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 MOSFET in Amplifier Design
DC operating point

𝟏 𝟐
𝒗𝑫𝑺 = 𝑽𝑫𝑫 − 𝒌𝒏 𝑹𝑫 𝒗𝑮𝑺 − 𝑽𝒕
𝟐

 The signal to be amplified, 𝑣𝑔𝑠 (𝑡), a function of time t, is superimposed on the bias
voltage. Thus the total instantaneous value of becomes:

𝒗𝑮𝑺 𝒕 = 𝑽𝑮𝑺 + 𝒗𝒈𝒔 (𝒕)

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 MOSFET in Amplifier Design

 The signal to be amplified, 𝑣𝑔𝑠 (𝑡), a

function of time t, is superimposed
on the bias voltage. Thus the total
instantaneous value of becomes:

𝒗𝑮𝑺 𝒕 = 𝑽𝑮𝑺 + 𝒗𝒈𝒔 (𝒕) 𝛛𝒗𝑫𝑺

𝑨𝒗 ≡ | = −𝒌𝒏 𝑽𝑮𝑺 − 𝑽𝒕 𝑹𝑫
𝛛𝒗𝑮𝑺 𝒗𝑮𝑺 =𝑽𝑮𝑺

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 MOSFET in Amplifier Design
Example 8: The transistor is specified to have 𝑉𝑡 = 0.4𝑉,𝑘𝑛′ = 0.4𝑚𝐴/𝑉 2 , 𝑊/𝐿 =
10, 𝑉𝐷𝐷 = 1.8𝑉, 𝑅𝐷 = 17.5𝑘Ω, 𝑉𝐺𝑆 = 0.6𝑉.
a. For 𝑣𝑔𝑠 = 0, find 𝑉𝑂𝑉, 𝐼𝐷, 𝑉𝐷𝑆 and 𝐴𝑣.
b. What is the maximum symmetrical signal swing allowed at the drain? Hence find
the maximum allowable amplitude of a sinusoidal 𝑣𝐺𝑆 .

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MOSFET in Amplifier Design

𝒗𝑫𝑺 ≈ 𝟎
𝑰𝑫 = 𝟎
𝒗𝑫𝑺 = 𝑽𝑫𝑫
Transistor as a switch
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 Small Signal Operation and Models
 The DC bias point:
1 2
1 2
𝐼𝐷 = 𝑘𝑛 𝑉𝐺𝑆 − 𝑉𝑡 = 𝑘𝑛 𝑉𝑂𝑉
2 2

𝑉𝐷𝑆 = 𝑉𝐷𝐷 − 𝑅𝐷 𝐼𝐷

 When the input signal 𝑣𝑔𝑠 applied

2
1
𝑖𝐷 = 𝑘𝑛 𝑉𝐺𝑆 + 𝑣𝑔𝑠 − 𝑉𝑡
2
1 1
= 𝑘𝑛 𝑉𝐺𝑆 − 𝑉𝑡 2 + 𝑘𝑛 𝑉𝐺𝑆 − 𝑉𝑡 𝑣𝑔𝑠 + 𝑘𝑛 𝑣𝑔𝑠
2
2 2
1 2
 In order to reduce the non-linear distortion: 𝑘𝑛 𝑣𝑔𝑠 ≪ 𝑘𝑛 𝑉𝐺𝑆 − 𝑉𝑡 𝑣𝑔𝑠
2
↔ 𝑣𝑔𝑠 ≪ 2 𝑉𝐺𝑆 − 𝑉𝑡
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 Small Signal Operation and Models
 If the small signal condition is satisfied:
1 2
𝑖𝐷 = 𝑘𝑛 𝑉𝐺𝑆 − 𝑉𝑡 + 𝑘𝑛 𝑉𝐺𝑆 − 𝑉𝑡 𝑣𝑔𝑠 = 𝐼𝐷 + 𝑖𝑑
2

 The MOSFET transconductance 𝑔𝑚 :

𝑖𝑑
𝑔𝑚 ≡ = 𝑘𝑛 𝑉𝐺𝑆 − 𝑉𝑡
𝑣𝑔𝑠

 Voltage gain:

𝑣𝐷𝑆 = 𝑉𝐷𝐷 − 𝑖𝐷 𝑅𝐷 = 𝑉𝐷𝐷 − 𝐼𝐷 + 𝑖𝑑 𝑅𝐷

𝑣𝑑𝑠
𝐴𝑣 ≡ = −𝑔𝑚 𝑅𝐷
𝑣𝑔𝑠 = 𝑉𝐷𝑆 − 𝑖𝑑 𝑅𝐷

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Small Signal Operation and Models

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 Small Signal Model

𝑉𝐴
𝑟𝑜 =
𝐼𝐷
𝑟𝑜 ~ 10𝑘Ω − 100𝑘Ω

 The current 𝐼𝐷 is the value of the dc drain current:

1 2
1 2
𝐼𝐷 = 𝑘𝑛 𝑉𝐺𝑆 − 𝑉𝑡 = 𝑘𝑛 𝑉𝑂𝑉
2 2

 The trans-conductance 𝑔𝑚 :
2𝐼𝐷
𝑔𝑚 = 𝑘𝑛 𝑉𝑂𝑉 = 𝑘𝑛′ 𝑊 Τ𝐿 𝑉𝑂𝑉 =
𝑉𝑂𝑉

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Small Signal Model – T model

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 Small Signal Model
Example 9: A discrete common-source MOSFET amplifier utilizing a drain-to-gate
resistance 𝑅𝐺 for biasing purposes. The transistor has 𝑉𝑡 = 1.5 𝑉 ,𝑘𝑛′ 𝑊/𝐿 =
0.25𝑚𝐴/𝑉 2 and 𝑉𝐴 = 50𝑉. Determine its small-signal voltage gain and its input
resistance.

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Summary

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The Three Basic Configurations

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 Common Source Amplifier
 The common source is the most widely used.

 The bulk of the voltage gain is obtained by using one or more

Common Source stages in the cascade.
Characteristic Parameters of the CS Amplifier:
 Open circuit voltage gain:
𝐴𝑣0 = −𝑔𝑚 𝑅𝐷 ∥ 𝑟𝑜 ≈ −𝑔𝑚 𝑅𝐷

 Overall voltage gain:

𝐺𝑣 = −𝑔𝑚 𝑅𝐷 ∥ 𝑟𝑜 ∥ 𝑅𝐿
 Input resistance:
𝑅𝑖𝑛 = ∞
 Output resistance:
𝑅𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝑅𝐷 ∥ 𝑟𝑜 ≈ 𝑅𝐷
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 Common Source Amplifier
 The common source is the most widely used.

 The bulk of the voltage gain is obtained by using one or more

Common Source stages in the cascade.
Characteristic Parameters of the CS Amplifier:
 Open circuit voltage gain:
𝐴𝑣 = −𝑔𝑚 𝑅𝐷 ∥ 𝑟𝑜 ≈ −𝑔𝑚 𝑅𝐷

 Overall voltage gain:

𝐺𝑣 = −𝑔𝑚 𝑅𝐷 ∥ 𝑟𝑜 ∥ 𝑅𝐿
 Input resistance:
𝑅𝑖𝑛 = ∞
 Output resistance:
𝑅𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝑅𝐷 ∥ 𝑟𝑜 ≈ 𝑅𝐷
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 Common Source Amplifier
Characteristic Parameters of the CS Amplifier
(with source resistance):
𝑣𝑖 𝑔𝑚
𝑖= = 𝑣𝑖
1ൗ + 𝑅 1 + 𝑔 𝑅
𝑔𝑚 𝑠 𝑚

𝑣𝑜 = −𝑖𝑅𝐷
CS amplifier with source resistance
 Open circuit voltage gain:
𝑣𝑜 𝑔𝑚 𝑅𝐷
𝐴𝑣 = =−
𝑣𝑖 1 + 𝑔𝑚 𝑅𝑆

 Input resistance:
𝑅𝑖𝑛 = ∞

 Output resistance:
𝑅𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝑅𝐷 ∥ 𝑟𝑜 ≈ 𝑅𝐷
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 Common Gate Amplifier
 Common Gate amplifier is used to obtain wide bandwidth.

Characteristic Parameters of the CS Amplifier:

 Open circuit voltage gain:
𝐴𝑣 = 𝑔𝑚 𝑅𝐷

 Overall voltage gain:

𝑅𝐷 ∥ 𝑅𝐿
𝐺𝑣 =
𝑅𝑠𝑖𝑔 + 1Τ𝑔𝑚
 Input resistance:
1
𝑅𝑖𝑛 = Disadvantage!!!
𝑔𝑚
 Output resistance:
𝑅𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝑅𝐷
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 Common Drain Amplifier (Source
Follower)
The need for voltage buffers: the amplifier has
• High input resistance.
• Low output resistance.

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 Common Drain Amplifier (Source
Follower)
 Common Drain amplifier is usually used as a voltage buffer.

Characteristic Parameters of the CS Amplifier:

 Open circuit voltage gain:
𝑅𝐿
𝐴𝑣 = ≈1
𝑅𝐿 + 1Τ𝑔𝑚
 Overall voltage gain:
𝑅𝐿
𝐺𝑣 = ≈1
𝑅𝐿 + 1Τ𝑔𝑚
 Input resistance:

𝑅𝑖𝑛 = ∞
 Output resistance:
𝑅𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 1ൗ𝑔𝑚
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Discrete Circuit MOS Amplifiers

Example 9: Given 𝑉𝐷𝐷 = 𝑉𝑆𝑆 =

10𝑉 , 𝑘𝑛 = 1𝑚𝐴/𝑉 2 , 𝐼 = 0.5𝑚𝐴 ,
𝑅𝐷 = 15𝑘Ω , 𝑅𝐺 = 4.7𝑀Ω 𝑉𝑡 =
1.5𝑉, 𝑉𝐴 = 75𝑉.
Calculate input, output resistance
and overall voltage gain. 𝑅𝑠𝑖𝑔 =
100𝑘Ω, 𝑅𝐿 = 15𝑘Ω.

37
Discrete Circuit MOS Amplifiers
Example 10: Given 𝑉𝐷𝐷 = 𝑉𝑆𝑆 =
10𝑉 , 𝑘𝑛 = 1𝑚𝐴/𝑉 2 , 𝐼 = 0.5𝑚𝐴 ,
𝑅𝐷 = 15𝑘Ω , 𝑅𝐺 = 4.7𝑀Ω 𝑉𝑡 =
1.5𝑉, 𝑔𝑚 = 1𝑚𝐴/𝑉.
Calculate input, output resistance
and overall voltage gain. 𝑅𝑠𝑖𝑔 =
50Ω, 𝑅𝐿 = 15𝑘Ω.

38
Discrete Circuit MOS Amplifiers

Example 11: Given 𝑉𝐷𝐷 = 𝑉𝑆𝑆 =

10𝑉 , 𝑘𝑛 = 1𝑚𝐴/𝑉 2 , 𝐼 = 0.5𝑚𝐴 ,
𝑅𝐷 = 15𝑘Ω , 𝑅𝐺 = 4.7𝑀Ω 𝑉𝑡 =
1.5𝑉, 𝑔𝑚 = 1𝑚𝐴/𝑉.
Calculate input, output resistance
and overall voltage gain. 𝑅𝑠𝑖𝑔 =
1𝑀Ω, 𝑅𝐿 = 15𝑘Ω.

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Summary

40
Q&A

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