FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS:
❖ JFET – Operation and Characteristics,
❖ MOSFET: Physical Operation, Current—Voltage Characteristics,
❖ Threshold voltage equations, MOS device equations
❖ MOSFET as an Amplifier and Switch
❖ MOS Capacitor ,Small-Signal Operation and Models
❖ MOSFET Configurations and Biasing- Second order effects
MOSFET
JFET or Junction Field Effect Transistor
❑ FETs are voltage-controlled devices.
❑ Current flow is due to the majority of charge carriers,JFETs are unidirectional.
FET's three terminals are:
Source (S), through which the carriers enter the channel.
Current entering the channel at S is designated by IS.
Drain (D), through which the carriers leave the channel.
Conventionally, current leaving the channel at D is
designated by I. D Drain-to-source voltage is VDS.
Gate (G), the terminal that modulates the channel
conductivity. By applying voltage to G, one can control ID.
Applications:
JFET is used as a switch, chopper, buffer, Oscillatory circuits &cascade amplifiers
A Field-Effect Transistor (FET) is a three-terminal semiconductor device that uses an
electric field to control the flow of current between two terminals (source and drain).
❑ It is a voltage-controlled device, meaning the current flow is modulated by the
voltage applied to the third terminal (gate).
❑ FETs are unipolar devices, relying on one type of charge carrier (majority carriers) for
conduction.
Key Features of FETs:
Three Terminals: Source (S), Drain (D), and Gate (G).
Voltage Control: The current flow between the source and drain is controlled by the
voltage applied to the gate.
Field Effect: The electric field created by the gate voltage modulates the conductivity of
the channel between the source and drain.
Unipolar: Conduction occurs through one type of charge carrier (electrons in n-channel
FETs, holes in p-channel FETs).
High Input Impedance: The gate-to-source input impedance is high, meaning the FET
does not load down the signal source.
Applications:
✔ amplifiers, oscillators, switches, and digital circuits.
✔ They are particularly valuable in integrated circuits (ICs) due to their compact size, low power
consumption, and ability to handle high-speed switching.
✔ Their high input impedance and low noise performance also make them suitable for RF
applications and sensitive analog signal amplifiers.
Field Effect Transistor Family-tree
JFET Construction
❖ When no voltage is applied across the source and gate, the channel is a smooth path for
the electrons to flow through.
❖ When the polarity that makes the P-N junction reverse biased is applied, the channel
narrows by increasing the depletion layer and could put the JFET in the cut-off or pinch-off
region.
Depletion region becoming wider and narrower during the saturation and the
pinch-off mode.
❖ when a voltage is applied between the drain and the source, electrons flow from the sourc
the drain.
❖ If the reverse bias voltage between the gate and source is further increased, the deple
layer blocks the channel and the flow of electrons stops.
Knee point: Till this knee point the variation of drain current to the drain source
voltage is linear. After this point it looks like a curve.
Pinch off point: Above this point the drain current does not increase even though the
drain source voltage is increased.
Channel Ohmic region: The region left to the knee point is called channel Ohmic
region. Because in this region JFET acts like an ordinary resistor.
Pinch off or saturation region: In this region the drain current is totally constant for the
increase in the drain source voltage and it enters the saturation region.
Breakdown region: when the drain and source voltage is increased further the device
enters into the breakdown voltage.
Characteristics of Junction Field Effect Transistor
Drain Characteristics:
1. Connect the circuit as shown in the figure1.
2. Keep VGS = 0V by varying VGG. Characteristics of Junction Field Effect Transistor (JFET
3. Varying VDD gradually in steps of 1V up to 10V note down drain current ID and drain to
source voltage (VDS).
4. Repeat above procedure for VGS = -0.4, -0.8, -1.2 and -1.6 V
Transfer Characteristics:
1. Connect the circuit as shown 2. Set voltage VDS = 4V/8V
3. Varying VDS in steps of 0.5V until the current ID reduces to minimum value.
4. Varying VGG gradually, note down both drain current ID and gate-source voltage
(VGS).
5. Repeat above procedure (step 3) for VDS = 4V/ 8V
FETs have a few disadvantages like high drain resistance, moderate input
impedance and slower operation. To overcome these disadvantages, the MOSFET
which is an advanced FET is invented
MOSFET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor)
MOSFET has a metal oxide insulating layer between its gate and the drain-source
channel.
The insulating layer electrically isolates the gate from the channel as well as increases the
input impedance. It also reduces the leakage current.
Gate: An insulated gate made of polysilicon or metal that controls the flow of current
between the source and drain.
Drain: A heavily doped p+ region or n+region that receives the majority charge carriers
when the transistor is turned ON.
Source: A lightly doped p+ region or n+ region that supplies the majority charge carriers
when the transistor is turned ON.
Body (substrate): A p-type or n-type semiconductor material that serves as the
foundation for the transistor and provides electrical connection to the source.
Channel: The oxide layer, which forms between the source and drain, is the insulator.
The gating of this channel is determined by the electric field, which is produced by the
gate voltage.
Oxide Layer: An insulating layer (normally silicon dioxide) is put between the gate and
the semiconductor, so that the gate cannot make a direct electrical contact with the
semiconductor.
Formation of Channel: The application of voltage to the gate produces an electric field
which, in its turn, attracts or repels carriers of charges in the semiconductor. This alters
the carrier density in a region known as the channel, creating a conduction path for
current flow.
Main Differences Between JFET & MSOFET
