5.

0 FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR

(FET)

5.1 TYPES OF FET

Types of FET’s can be classified as :

i. JFET (Junction FET)

ii. MOSFET (Metal-Oxide Semiconductor FET)

 FET Family
FET

JFET MOSFET

Depletion Depletion Enhancement

p-channel n-channel p-channel n-channel p-channel n-channel

2
5.2 JUNCTION FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR (FET)

- JFET is unipolar devices, since only one type of majority carrier

(either electron or hole) is used.

- JFET can only be operate in depletion-mode.

- JFET is Voltage Control device, since gate voltage (VGS) control the drain current.

- Terminals : Drain (D), Source (S) and Gate (G).

- Types : N-CHANNEL JFET and P-CHANNEL JFET.

- Function : Switching circuit, Amplifier circuit.

 5.2.1 Construction / Physical Structure Of JFET

i). N-Channel JFET ii). P-Channel JFET

- A JFET consists of a type of a P-Type or N-Type silicon bar containing two P-N Junctions.
- If the bar is of n-type, it is called n-channel JFET.
- If the bar is of p-type, it is called p-channel JFET.
- The two p-n junction forming diodes are connected internally and a common terminal called gate is
taken out.
BASIC STRUCTURE OF BASIC STRUCTURE OF
N-CHANNEL JFET P-CHANNEL JFET

N-type P-type
semiconductor semiconductor

Drain Gate Drain Gate

Source Source

P-type N-type
semiconductor semiconductor

- The gate material surrounds the channel in same manner as belt surrounding your waist.
5.2.2 SCHEMATIC SYMBOL OF JFET

i). N-Channel JFET ii). P-Channel JFET

BASIC CONNECTION OF BASIC CONNECTION OF
N-CHANNEL JFET P-CHANNEL JFET
Drain is
made Drain is
positive made
Channel with negative
respect to with respect Channel
the source : to the
Current is source :
available to Current is
conduct. available to
conduct.
N
N P N

Reverse biasing
gate-to-source :
Depletion region Reverse biasing
forms which narrows gate-to-source :
the channel area. Depletion region
forms which narrows
the channel area.
5.2.3 TERMS

- VGS refers to the voltage applied between the Gate and the Source.

- VDS refers to the voltage applied between the Drain and the Source.

- IS refer to source current.

- ID refers to drain current.

5.2.4 JFET BASIC CONFIGURATION
 5.2.5 Theory of operation (For N-Channel J-FET):

• Gates are always reverse-biased. Hence, gate current (IG) is practically zero.

• The source terminal is always connected to the end of drain supply which provides
the necessary charge carriers.

• Electric charge flows through a semiconducting channel between "source" and "drain"
terminals.

• With no external Gate voltage ( VGS1 = 0 ), and a small voltage ( VDS ) applied between
the Drain and the Source, maximum saturation current ( IDSS ) will flow through the
channel from the Drain to the Source.
• If a small negative voltage ( -VGS ) is applied to the Gate,
the size of the depletion region begins to increase.
The width of the channel will decrease. It will reducing
the current flowing through it.

• As the Gate voltage ( -VGS ) is made more negative,

the size of depletion region is increase to the bigger size.
The width of the channel decreases until no more current
flows between the Drain and the Source. The FET is said
to be "pinched-off“ (similar to the cut-off region for a BJT).

• The voltage at which the channel closes is called the

"pinch-off voltage", (VP ).
5.2.3 OUTPUT CHARACTERISTIC I-V CURVES OF A JFET

Four (4) regions of operation for a JFET :

Ohmic Region
When VGS = 0 the depletion layer of the channel is very
small and the JFET acts like a voltage controlled
resistor.

Pinch-off region
VGS is sufficient to cause the JFET to act as an open
circuit as the channel resistance is at maximum.
It is a point where increasing the voltage will not
increase the current.

Saturation / Active Region

JFET becomes a good conductor and is controlled by
the Gate-Source voltage (VGS), while the Drain-Source
voltage (VDS) has a little or no effect. In this region, the
transistor can be an amplifier.

Breakdown Region
The voltage between the Drain and the Source,(VDS ) is
high enough to causes the JFET's resistive channel to
break down and pass uncontrolled maximum current.
Relationship Between ID and VGS :

2
 VGS 
I D = I DSS 1 − 
(Shockley’s equation)

 VP 

where IDSS = saturation drain current

VP = pinch-off voltage (or VGS(off))

13
Example :

Determine the value of drain current for the circuit

shown in Figure 12.10.

+VDD

2
 V 
I D = I DSS 1 − GS 
VGS(off) = -6V  VGS (off)
 
IDSS = 3mA
 −2V 
2
VGS
= ( 3mA ) 1 −  = 1.33mA
2V  −6V 

14
5.2.4 THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BJT AND FET
5.2.5 THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN BJT AND FET

Both transistors are used as :

i. Amplifier

ii. Switching device

iii. Impedance matching circuit

5.3 BASIC PRINCIPLE OF JFET AMPLIFIER

5.3.1 Function Of FET in amplifier

- Provide an excellent voltage gain with the added advantage of

high input impedance.
- Because of their high input impedance and other characteristics
JFET are often preferred over BJT for certain types of applications.
- JFET becomes an amplifier in active/saturation region.
5.3.2 Types of JFET amplifier configurations
5.3.3 DC loadline

FORMULA :

i). ID (sat) = VDD/RL iii). VDSQ = VDD/2

ii). VDS (cut-off) = VDD

Formula :

i). ID (sat)
VDD = IDRL + VDS ; VDS = 0
VDD = IDRL
ID = VDD/RL

ID (SAT) = VDD/RL

ii). VDS (cut-off)

VDD = IDRL + VDS ; ID = 0

VDD = VDS

VDD (cut-off) = VDS

iii). VDSQ

VDSQ = VDD / 2
Example :

Figure to figure below, calculate;

i. ID(sat)
ii. VDS(cut-off)
iii. VDSQ
iv. Draw the dc load line of the JFET amplifier below :
Solution :

i). ID (SAT) = VDD/RL

= 20V/5K
= 4mA ID(sat) =

ii). VDD (cut-off) = VDS

= 20V

iii). VDSQ = VDD / 2

= 20V / 2
= 10V VDSQ = = VDD(Cutoff)
5.3 MOSFET (METAL - OXIDE SEMICONDUCTOR FIELD
EFFECT TRANSISTOR)

5.3.1 Definition Of MOSFET

- A type of device which is coated with oxide materials between the
terminal gate and the channel. Oxide layer has resulted in high impedance
input.
5.3.2 Basic MOSFET Structure
5.3.3 Types Of MOSFETs :

i. Depletion-type MOSFET (D-MOSFET)

- Can be operate in both the depletion-mode and enhancement-
mode.
- Sometimes called depletion/enhancement MOSFET.

ii. Enhancement-type MOSFET (E-MOSFET)

- Can be operated only in enhancement-mode.
5.4 Depletion-type MOSFET (D-MOSFET)

5.4.1 Introduction Of D-MOSFET

- The n-channel D-MOSFET is a piece of n-type material with p-type region

(substrate) on the right and insulated gate on the left.

- Terminals : Gate (G), Drain (D), Source (S).

- The free electron (in n-channel) flowing from source to drain must pass through
the narrow channel between gate and p-type region (substrate).
- At the Gate construction of D-MOSFET, A thin layer of metal oxide is
deposited over a small portion of the channel. A metallic gate is deposited over
the oxide layer.

- The arrangement forms a capacitor. One plate of this capacitor is the gate and
the other plate is the channel with metal oxide as dielectric.

- The gate of MOSFET is insulated from the channel. So, negative or positive
voltage can be applied to the gate. Therefore, D-MOSFET can be operated in
both depletion-mode and enhancement-mode by changing the polarity of
VGS.
5.4.2 Construction / Physical Structure Of D-MOSFET
5.4.3 Schematic Symbol of D-MOSFET

n- channel D-MOSFET

p- channel D-MOSFET
5.4.5 Circuit Operation Of D-MOSFET

- Since the gate is insulated from the channel, we can apply either negative or
positive voltage to the gate.

- The negative gate operation is called depletion-mode.

- The positive gate operation is called enhancement-mode.

i). Depletion mode for n-channel D-MOSFET

- Depletion region will be form if the gate terminal is applied with the
negative bias voltage.

- Since gate is negative, it means electrons are on gate.

- These electrons repel the free electrons in the n-channel, leaving a

layer of positive ions in a part of the channel.

- In other words, we have depleted (emptied) the n-channel of some of

its free electrons.

- Therefore, resistance are increase. So,lesser number of free electrons

are made available for current conduction through the n-channel.
- The greater the negative voltage on the gate, the greater is the reduction
in the number of electron in the channel.

- In fact, too much negative voltage we can cut-off the channel.

ii). Enhancement mode for n-channel D-MOSFET

- The gate act as capacitor. Since the gate is positive, it induces negative
charges in the n-channel.

- These negative charges are the free electrons drawn into the channel.

- Because these free electrons are added to those already in the channel,
the total number of free electrons in the channel is increased.

- Thus a positive gate enhances or increase the conductivity of the channel.

- The greater the positive voltage on gate, greater the conduction from source
to drain.
5.4.6 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN NMOS (n-channel) AND PMOS (p-channel)
5.4.7 I-V Characteristics Of D-MOSFET for n-channel
5.4.8 OPERATION REGION OF MOSFET

Cut-off Region
With VGS < Vthreshold the gate-source voltage is lower than the
threshold voltage so the transistor is switched "fully-OFF" and IDS = 0,
the transistor acts as an open circuit

Linear (Ohmic) Region

With VGS > Vthreshold and VDS > VGS the transistor is in its constant resistance
region and acts like a variable resistor whose value is determined by the gate voltage, VGS

Saturation Region
With VGS > Vthreshold the transistor is in its constant current region and is switched
"fully-ON". The current IDS = maximum as the transistor acts as a closed circuit.
In this region, FET can be an amplifier.
5.5 Enhancement-type MOSFET (E-MOSFET)

5.5.1 Introduction to Enhancement-type MOSFET (E-MOSFET)

- The E-MOSFET has no channel between source and drain unlike D-MOSFET.

- The substrate extend completely to the SiO2 layer. So, that no channel exists.

- The E-MOSFET requires a VGS (Gate-to-Source Voltage) of proper magnitude and

polarity for the device to form a channel (called induced channel) and start
conducting.

- The minimum value of VGS of proper polarity that turns on the E-MOSFET is called
Threshold Voltage (VGS(th)).

- The n-channel device requires positive VGS (≥VGS(th)) and the p-channel device requires
negative VGS (≥VGS(th)).

- E-MOSFET can operate only in enhancement mode.

- In short, the construction of E-MOSFET is quite similar to the D-MOSFET except for
the absence of a channel between the drain and terminal source.
5.5.2 Construction/Physical Symbol Of E-MOSFET

p-channel
p-ChannelE-MOSFET
E-MOSFET
5.5.3 Schematic Symbol Of E-MOSFET

n-channel E-MOSFET p-channel E-MOSFET

5.5.4 Operation Of n-channel E-MOSFET

- When VGS = 0V, there is no channel connecting the source and drain.

- The p-substrate has only a few thermally produced free electrons (minority carriers).
So that, drain current is essentially zero.

- For this reason, E-MOSFET is normally OFF when VGS=0V.

- When gate is made positive (VGS is positive), it attracts free electron into the p-region.

- The free electrons combine with the holes next to the SiO2 layer.

- If VGS is positive enough, all the holes touching the SiO2 layer are filled and free electrons
begin to flow from the source to the drain.

- The effect is the same as creating a thin layer of n-type material (inducing a thin n-channel)
adjacent to the SiO2 layer.

- Thus the E-MOSFET is turned ON and drain current (ID) starts flowing from the source
to drain.

- The minimum value of VGS that turns E-MOSFET ON is called threshold voltage (VGS(th)).
- When VGS is less than (VGS(th)), there is no induced channel and the drain current
(ID) Is zero.

- When VGS is equal to (VGS(th)), the E-MOSFET is turned ON and the induced channel
conducts drain current from source to drain.

- Beyond (VGS(th)), if the value of VGS is increased, the newly formed channel becomes
wider, causing ID to increase.
5.6 Application Of Mosfet As A Switch

- Enhancement MOSFET is always used in switching circuits.

- Physical structure of enhancement-mode mosfet :

- Schematic symbol of enhancement-mode mosfet :

- Dotted or broken line within the symbol indicates a normally "OFF"

enhancement type showing that "NO" current can flow through the channel
when zero gate-source voltage VGS is applied
Operation :

- When VGS is HIGH or equal to VDD, MOSFET Q-point moves to point A

along the loadline.
- The channel resistance is low.
- The drain current (ID) increases to its maximum value.
- Transistor behaves like a close switch (Switch ON).

- When VGS is LOW or reduced to zero, the MOSFET Q-point moves to point B
along loadline.
- The channel resistance is very high.
- The drain cannot flow through the channel.
- Transistor behaves like an open switch (Switch OFF).
 N-channel enhancement MOSFET switch

- When the input and Gate are grounded (0V)

- The Gate-source voltage less than threshold voltage (VGS<VTH)
- ID current =0.
- MOSFET is fully “OFF”.
- Vout = VDD
- MOSFET operates as an “open switch”.
- It is in its “cut-off” region.
- When the input gate are connected to VDD
- VGS >VTH
- Gate potential must be POSITIVE for N-channel.
- Channel resistance is small, ID can flow through the channel.
- Maximum ID = VDD/RL
- MOSFET is “fully-ON” (saturation region).
Switching table :
Advantages of FETs

1. high input impedance,

2. high frequency response,
3. low noise, negative temperature coefficient, hence better thermal
stability,
4. small size,
5. long life,
6. high immunity to radiations,

The only disadvantages are:

1. small gain-bandwidth product,

2. greater susceptibility to damage in handling them.