Field-Effect Transistors (FETs)

FET types: JFET, MOSFET, Structure and operation, MOSFETs in Detail - MOSFET
structure, Enhancement and depletion modes, Threshold voltage, MOSFET Applications -
MOSFET as a switch
.

Case 1: Operation of JFET for different VGS values

Case 2: Operation of JFET for different VDS values:
p-channel JFET:
Working of p-channel FET
• The p-channel JFET is constructed in exactly the same
manner as the n-channel JFET but with reversal of
the p-and n-type materials as shown in the Fig. 3.3.3.
• All current directions and voltage polarities are
reversed
• For VGS = 0, channel width is maximum. By increasing
positive gate to source (VGS) voltage, the channel
width is reduced.
Figure 8. Circuit symbol and conventions
for a p-channel JFET.------------
 The p-channel JFET has opposite
current directions and voltage polarities
when compared to the n-channel JFET.
 Id and Vds are negative and Is and Vgs
are positive. Therefore, increasing
positive voltages from gate to
source will narrow the channel.
 Figure 9 shows typical curves for a
p-channel JFET. -----
 Figure 9 shows positive values for
Vgs and negative values for Vds –
the source is at a higher potential
than the drain.
 Again, the curves abruptly rise to
extreme levels at high negative
values of Vds, suggesting avalanche breakdown.
 MOSFET
MOSFET stands for Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor.
It is a type of Field Effect Transistor and it is voltage controlled device.
It is also called as Insulated Gate Field Effect Transistor (IGFET).
It is used for switching or amplifying electronic signals in the electronic devices.
It is the most commonly used transistor and it can be used in both analog and digital circuits.
Construction of MOSFET:
The basic construction of MOSFET can be explained as below:-
 Substrate: MOSFET is constructed on a silicon wafer which acts as a base of the

device. The substrate is connected to the source internally.

 Source and drain terminals: These are created on the both side of the gate. These are

basically heavily doped regions.

 Dielectric (SiO2) layer or gate oxide: A thin layer of insulating material is formed

with SiO2 for the exchange of electrons and holes.

 Gate Terminal: A gate terminal is formed on the insulating layer. It is made of metal. It
controls the flow of current between the drain and source with the help of gate voltage.
 Channel: Region between the gate, drain and source is known as channel which
controls the flow of charge among them.

Types of MOSFET:
Symbol of MOSFET:
 In the Enhancement MOSFET, the source and
the drain are not connected physically so in the
symbol lines are broken.
 In the Depletion MOSFET, line is continuous.
 In the N type the arrow points inside and in the P
type arrow points outside.

Construction: enhancement MOSFET

 In N channel Enhancement MOSFET the  In P channel Enhancement MOSFET the
source and drain are of N type source and drain are of P type
semiconductor which is heavily doped and semiconductor which is heavily doped and
the Substrate is of P type semiconductor. the Substrate is of N type semiconductor.
 Majority charge carriers are electrons.  Majority charge carriers are holes.
 The source and drain terminals are  The source and drain terminals are
physically separated in Enhancement physically separated in Enhancement
mode. mode.

Construction: depletion MOSFET

 In the N Channel depletion MOSFET a  In the P Channel depletion MOSFET a

small strip of semiconductor of N type small strip of semiconductor of P type
connects the source and drain. connects the source and drain.
 The source and drain are of N type  The source and drain are of P type
semiconductor and the Substrate is of P semiconductor and the Substrate is of N
type semiconductor. type semiconductor.
 Majority charge carriers are electrons.  Majority charge carriers are holes.
 The source and drain are heavily doped.  The source and drain are heavily doped.

Working of MOSFET:
 The working principle of a MOSFET depends upon the MOS capacitor i.e. dielectric
(SiO2) layer. It is the main part of MOS-FET.
 The semiconductor surface below oxide layer is located between the source and drain
terminals.
 It can be inverted from p-type to n-type by applying positive or negative gate voltages.
 The MOSFET can be operated in two modes:
 1. Depletion Mode (VGS < 0V) – Channel Narrows or Turns OFF
2. Enhancement Mode (VGS > 0V) – Channel Becomes More Conductive

Working of n-channel Enhancement MOSFET:

An N-Channel Enhancement MOSFET does not have a conducting channel in its default
state. A channel is formed only when a sufficient positive voltage is applied to the gate (G)
relative to the source (S). This process is known as inversion.
 In the enhancement mode the applied Gate voltage is always positive. The source is
connected to the negative
terminal. The drain is connected
to positive terminal.
 Before Biasing (VGS = 0V):
 The MOSFET has a p-type

substrate with two n-type

regions (Source & Drain).
 A thin insulating layer of SiO₂

separates the metal gate from the

substrate.
 There is no channel in the default
state, meaning the MOSFET is
OFF.
 Applying a Positive Gate Voltage
(VGS > 0V):
 When a small positive voltage is

applied to the gate (G) relative to

the source (S), positive charges
accumulate on the gate.
 These positive charges repel the holes in the p-type substrate, pushing them deeper into

the substrate.
 Threshold Voltage (VTH) & Channel Formation:
 As VGS increases, free electrons from the substrate (minority carriers in p-type) are

attracted toward the Si-SiO₂ interface.

 When VGS reaches the threshold voltage (VTH), enough electrons accumulate near the
surface, creating a thin n-type inversion layer (channel) between the source (S) and
drain (D).
 Now, the MOSFET switches ON, and current can flow from Drain (D) to Source (S)
when a voltage is applied across them.
 Increasing Gate Voltage (VGS > VTH):
 Further increasing VGS enhances the channel conductivity by attracting more electrons,

reducing resistance and allowing higher drain current (ID).

Working of n-channel Depletion MOSFET:

An N-Channel Depletion MOSFET is different from an Enhancement MOSFET because
it has a pre-existing conductive
channel even when no gate voltage
(VGS) is applied.
 The depletion MOSFET is ON by
default.
 The source and drain terminals are
physically connected.
 The gate terminal is connected to
the negative potential and source
to the positive potential.
 At VGS = 0V (No Depletion,
Channel Has Only Electrons)
 The n-channel is naturally
present, filled with free electrons
(majority carriers in n-type
material).
 Since the MOSFET is normally

ON, current flows from Drain (D)

to Source (S) when VDS is applied.
 Applying a Negative Gate Voltage (0V > VGS > VTH)
 The negative VGS creates an electric field that repels free electrons away from the

channel.
 This causes the depletion region to expand, reducing the number of available electrons
in the channel.
 As electrons are pushed away, holes (from the p-type substrate) appear in the channel
because the area is becoming more p-type-like.
 However, some electrons are still available, so the MOSFET partially conducts but with
reduced current.
 At Pinch-Off Condition (VGS = VTH)
 The depletion regions fully expand, and the channel becomes completely depleted of

free electrons.
 The area now consists mostly of immobile holes (from the p-substrate), replacing the
electrons that were pushed away.
 The channel is effectively removed, and current stops flowing.

 For VGS < VTH (Fully OFF State)

 The depletion region further expands into the n-channel area, ensuring that only holes are
left in the region.
 The MOSFET is now in cutoff mode, meaning it acts as an open switch and does not
conduct current.

Working of p-channel enhancement MOSFET:

1. Off State (No Voltage Applied to Gate):
o In its default or off state, the MOSFET has no
conducting channel between the source and drain.
o The absence of voltage on the gate means there is
no electric field to induce a channel.
2. Applying a Negative Voltage to the Gate:
o When a negative voltage is applied to the gate
relative to the source (Vgs), an electric field is
created.
o This electric field attracts positive holes from the
P-type source region towards the insulating oxide
layer.
3. Formation of Conducting Channel:
o With a sufficiently negative Vgs, the electric field
causes the positive holes to accumulate just
beneath the oxide layer, forming a conductive
channel between the source and drain.
o This conducting channel allows current to flow
from the source to the drain terminals.
4. On State (Conduction):
o The MOSFET is now in its on state, conducting current between the source and drain.
o The conductivity of the channel is directly proportional to the magnitude of the applied gate-source voltage.
5. Off State (No Voltage or Low Voltage on the Gate):
o If the gate voltage is reduced or returned to zero, the conducting channel gradually disappears, and the MOSFET
returns to its off state.
o The MOSFET remains in the off state until a negative voltage is reapplied to the gate.

Working of p-channel depletion MOSFET:

1. Default State (No Voltage Applied to Gate):
o In its default state, the MOSFET has a conducting channel between the source and drain.
o This is because the depletion-mode MOSFET is normally “on” without the application of an external voltage.
2. Applying a Positive Voltage to the Gate (Reverse Bias):
o Unlike the enhancement-mode MOSFET, the depletion-mode MOSFET operates with a positive voltage applied to
the gate relative to the source (Vgs).
o The positive gate voltage creates an electric field that attracts free electrons from the N-type channel, depleting the
channel of charge carriers.
3. Reduction of Conducting Channel:
o As the positive gate voltage increases, more electrons are drawn away from the channel, reducing its conductivity.
o This reduction continues until the channel is nearly depleted of free charge carriers.
4. Off State (High Positive Voltage on the Gate):
o With a sufficiently positive
Vgs, the conducting channel
becomes depleted, and the
MOSFET transitions to its off
state.
o In this off state, the MOSFET
exhibits high resistance,
preventing significant current
flow between the source and
drain terminals.
5. On State (Zero or Low Positive
Voltage on the Gate):
o If the positive gate voltage is
reduced or returned to zero,
the free electrons return to the
channel, allowing it to conduct
current.
o The MOSFET is now in its on
state, and the conductivity of
the channel is restored.

V-I Characteristics of MOSFET:

 Cut off region:
No current flows
through it and the
MOSFET is off.
 Ohmic region:
Drain current
increases when the
drain source voltage
increases.
Used as amplifier in
this region.
 Saturation region:
Drain current is
constant for drain
source voltage.
Used as switch in this region. This occurs when the drain source voltage reaches pinch off
voltage.
 Depletion mode:
The MOSFET is ON by default.
When negative voltage is applied to the gate terminal it operates in the depletion mode.
 Enhancement mode:
When positive voltage is applied to the gate terminal, it starts conducting and the current
starts to flow.
N-CHANNEL DEPLETION MOSFET
The drain characteristics of an N Channel Depletion MOSFET depict the relationship between the drain-source
voltage (VDS) and the resulting drain current (ID), with the gate-source voltage (VGS) as a
parameter.
1. Saturation Region: In the saturation region, where VDS is relatively small, ID remains
relatively constant. The MOSFET operates with a saturated, fully open channel.
2. Triode (or Ohmic) Region: As VDS increases, the MOSFET enters the triode region,
where ID is linearly dependent on VDS. The channel is partially pinched off, and the
MOSFET acts as a variable resistor.
3. Cutoff Region: At higher VDS, the MOSFET enters the cutoff region, and ID becomes
almost independent of VDS. The channel is fully pinched off, and the MOSFET behaves
like an open switch.

The transfer characteristics of an N Channel Depletion MOSFET illustrate the relationship

between the gate-source voltage (VGS) and the resulting drain current (ID).
1. Forward Bias (Negative VGS): In the forward bias region, where VGS is negative, the
MOSFET operates with a naturally conductive channel. As VGS becomes more negative,
the depletion region widens, reducing the conductive channel’s width and, consequently,
the drain current (ID).
2. Threshold Voltage (Vth): The threshold voltage is the point at which the MOSFET
transitions from the naturally conductive state to the pinched-off state. It signifies the
minimum VGS required to control the channel.
3. Pinched-Off Region: As VGS continues to become more negative, the MOSFET enters
the pinched-off region. In this region, the channel is depleted, and ID is significantly
reduced.

N-CHANNEL ENHANCEMENT MOSFET

The drain characteristics of an N Channel Enhancement MOSFET depict the relationship
between the drain-source voltage (VDS) and the resulting drain current (ID), with the gate-
source voltage (VGS) as a parameter.
1. Saturation Region: In the saturation region, where VDS is relatively small, the MOSFET
operates with a fully open channel, and ID remains relatively constant.
2. Triode (or Ohmic) Region: As VDS increases, the MOSFET enters the triode region,
where ID is linearly dependent on VDS. The channel is partially pinched off, and the
MOSFET acts as a variable resistor.
3. Cutoff Region: At higher VDS, the MOSFET enters the cutoff region, and ID becomes
almost independent of VDS. The channel is fully pinched off, and the MOSFET behaves
like an open switch.

The transfer characteristics of an N Channel Enhancement MOSFET depict the relationship

between the gate-source voltage (VGS) and the resulting drain current (ID).
1. Forward Bias (Positive VGS): In the forward bias region, where VGS is positive, the
MOSFET operates with a minimal conductive channel. As VGS becomes more positive,
the conductive channel widens, allowing an increase in the drain current (ID).
2. Threshold Voltage (Vth): The threshold voltage is the minimum VGS required to create
a conductive channel. Below this threshold, the MOSFET remains in a non-conductive
state.
3. Enhancement Region: As VGS continues to become more positive beyond the threshold
voltage, the MOSFET enters the enhancement region. In this region, the conductive
channel is fully established, and ID increases proportionally with VGS.

P-CHANNEL DEPLETION MOSFET

The drain characteristics of a P Channel Depletion MOSFET show the relationship between
the drain-source voltage (VDS) and the resulting drain current (ID), with the gate-source
voltage (VGS) as a parameter.
1. Saturation Region: In the saturation region, where VDS is relatively small, ID remains
relatively constant. The MOSFET operates with a saturated, fully open channel.
2. Triode (or Ohmic) Region: As VDS increases, the MOSFET enters the triode region,
where ID is linearly dependent on VDS. The channel is partially pinched off, and the
MOSFET acts as a variable resistor.
3. Cutoff Region: At higher VDS, the MOSFET enters the cutoff region, and ID becomes
almost independent of VDS. The channel is fully pinched off, and the MOSFET behaves
like an open switch.

The transfer characteristics of a P Channel Depletion MOSFET show the relationship

between the gate-source voltage (VGS) and the resulting drain current (ID).
1. Forward Bias (Positive VGS): In the forward bias region, where VGS is positive, the
MOSFET operates with a naturally conductive channel. As VGS becomes more positive,
the depletion region widens, reducing the conductive channel’s width and, consequently,
the drain current (ID).
2. Threshold Voltage (Vth): Similar to the N Channel case, the threshold voltage is the
point at which the MOSFET transitions from the naturally conductive state to the pinched-
off state.
3. Pinched-Off Region: As VGS continues to become more positive, the MOSFET enters
the pinched-off region, where the channel is depleted, and ID decreases significantly.
P-CHANNEL ENHANCEMENT MOSFET
The drain characteristics of a P Channel Enhancement MOSFET show the relationship
between the drain-source voltage (VDS) and the resulting drain current (ID), with the gate-
source voltage (VGS) as a parameter.
1. Saturation Region: In the saturation region, where VDS is relatively small, the MOSFET
operates with a fully open channel, and ID remains relatively constant.
2. Triode (or Ohmic) Region: As VDS increases, the MOSFET enters the triode region,
where ID is linearly dependent on VDS. The channel is partially pinched off, and the
MOSFET acts as a variable resistor.
3. Cutoff Region: At higher VDS, the MOSFET enters the cutoff region, and ID becomes
almost independent of VDS. The channel is fully pinched off, and the MOSFET behaves
like an open switch.

The transfer characteristics of a P Channel Enhancement MOSFET show the relationship

between the gate-source voltage (VGS) and the resulting drain current (ID).
1. Forward Bias (Negative VGS): In the forward bias region, where VGS is negative, the
MOSFET operates with a minimal conductive channel. As VGS becomes more negative,
the conductive channel widens, allowing an increase in the drain current (ID).
2. Threshold Voltage (Vth): Similar to the N Channel case, the threshold voltage is the
minimum VGS required to create a conductive channel. Below this threshold, the
MOSFET remains in a non-conductive state.
3. Enhancement Region: As VGS continues to become more negative beyond the threshold
voltage, the MOSFET enters the enhancement region. In this region, the conductive
channel is fully established, and ID increases proportionally with VGS.
N-channel MOSFET as a Switch:
 MOSFET’s make very good electronic switches for controlling loads and in CMOS
digital circuits as they operate between their cut-off and saturation regions.
 The N-channel, Enhancement-mode MOSFET (N-e-MOSFET) operates using a positive
input voltage and has an extremely high input resistance (almost infinite) making it
possible to use the MOSFET as a switch when interfaced with nearly any logic gate or
driver capable of producing a positive output.
 To use the Enhancement-mode MOSFET as a Switch, these transistors require a positive
gate voltage to turn “ON” and a zero voltage to turn “OFF” making them easily
understood as switches and also easy to interface with logic gates.
1. Cut-off Region
The operating conditions of the transistor are
• The input and Gate are grounded (0V)
• Gate-source voltage less than threshold
voltage VGS < VTH
• MOSFET is “OFF” ( Cut-off region )
• No Drain current flows ( ID = 0 Amps )
• VOUT = VDS = VDD = “1”
• MOSFET operates as an “open switch”

2. Saturation Region
The operating conditions of the transistor are
• The input and Gate are connected to VDD
• Gate-source voltage is much greater than threshold voltage VGS > VTH
• MOSFET is “ON” (saturation region)
• Max Drain current flows (ID = VDD /
RL)
• VDS = 0V (ideal saturation)
• Min channel resistance RDS(on) < 0.1Ω
• VOUT = VDS ≅ 0.2V due to RDS(on)
• MOSFET operates as a low resistance
“closed switch”

 By applying a suitable drive voltage to the gate of an FET, the resistance of the drain-
source channel, RDS(on) can be varied from an “OFF-resistance” of many hundreds of
 kΩ, effectively an open circuit, to an “ON-resistance” of less than 1Ω, effectively acting
as a short circuit.
 When using the MOSFET as a switch we can drive the MOSFET to turn “ON” faster or
slower, or pass high or low currents. This ability to turn the power MOSFET “ON” and
“OFF” allows the device to be used as a very efficient switch with switching speeds much
faster than standard bipolar junction transistors.

P-channel MOSFET as a Switch

 In some applications we require P-channel
enhancement-mode MOSFET.
 Here the load is connected directly to ground. In
this instance the MOSFET switch is connected
between the load and the positive supply rail (high-
side switching) as we do with PNP transistors.
 In a P-channel device the conventional flow of
 drain current is in the negative direction so a negative gate-source voltage is applied to
switch the transistor “ON”.
 This is achieved because the P-channel MOSFET is “upside down” with its source
terminal tied to the positive supply +VDD. Then when the switch goes LOW, the
MOSFET turns “ON” and when the switch goes HIGH the MOSFET turns “OFF”.
 This upside down connection of a P-channel enhancement mode MOSFET switch allows
us to connect it in series with a N-channel enhancement mode MOSFET to produce a
complementary or CMOS switching device as shown across a dual supply.

We can summarise the switching characteristics of both the N-channel and P-channel type
MOSFET within the following table.