Topic 2.6.

3 enhancement mode n-channel MOSFETs

Learning Ob ecti!es"
At the end of this topic you will be able to; describe the switching action of n-channel MOSFETs; recognise that MOSFETs have a very high input resistance;
perfor

calculations using I = g V ;
D M GS

understand that rDS decreases fro

a very high value to a very low ini u value of r

DS ON

value as V is increased and is at a

GS

at

saturation; perfor calculations on MOSFET switching circuits;

co pare the perfor ance of MOSFET and transistor switches!

Mod#le ET2 Electronic $irc#its and $omponents. MOSFETs. "n our previous topic we loo#ed the use of the $%$ transistor as an electronic switch! This device was essentially c#rrent controlled& re'uiring a s all base current to enable a uch larger collector current to flow! Our wor# revealed a potentially disastrous proble with the loading effect of the transistor circuit! (nless great care was ta#en in the design of the sensing circuit it was possible that the transistor switch would not wor# as it was intended! "n this topic we are going to investigate the operation of a different type of transistor which will overco e this loading proble ! The transistor is called a MOSFET& which stands for Metal O)ide Se iconductor Field Effect Transistor& which is a bit of a outhful& so we will si ply refer to it as a MOSFET! There are any different types of MOSFET& available but we will be concentrating only on one type in this course& which is the n-channel enhance ent MOSFET! *ou will not be as#ed about any other version in the e)a ination! The Field Effect Transistor +etailed #nowledge of how a MOSFET is constructed are not re'uired& the i portant thing is that the Field Effect Transistor& or si ply FET% uses the !oltage that is applied to the input ter inal to control the output current& since their operation relies on the electric field ,hence the na e field effect- generated by the input voltage! This then a#es the Field Effect Transistor a &OLT'(E operated device! The Field Effect Transistor has very si ilar properties to those of the $%$ Transistor i!e!& high efficiency& instant operation& robust and cheap! .owever they can be ade uch s aller than an e'uivalent $%$ transistor and along with their low power consu ption and dissipation a#e the ideal for use in integrated circuits such as the /MOS range of chips!

Topic 2.6.3 enhancement mode n-channel MOSFETs

The Field Effect Transistor has one a0or advantage over its standard $%$ transistor cousins& in that their input i pedance is very high& ,Thousands of Oh s- a#ing the very sensitive to input signals& but this high sensitivity also eans that they can be easily da aged by static electricity! Enhance ent- ode MOSFET The sy bol& and picture for an n-channel enhance ent shown below! ode MOS FET is

D, Drain

G, Gate

S, Source

The leads for this type of transistor are labelled as 1ate ,1-& +rain ,+- and Source ,S-! The Enhance ent- ode MOSFET has the property of being nor ally 2OFF2 when the gate bias voltage is e'ual to 3ero! A drain current will only flow when a gate voltage ,4 1S- is applied to the gate ter inal! This positive voltage reduces the overall resistance of the device allowing current to flow between the +rain ,+- and Source ,S-! "ncreasing this positive gate voltage will cause an increase in the drain current& " + through the channel! The MOSFET& can also saturate when 41S is increased sufficiently& when this occurs the resistance of the MOS FET reaches its lowest value and will be written in data sheets as r !
DS ON

Mod#le ET2 Electronic $irc#its and $omponents. The transfer characteristic of the MOSFET is si ilar to that of the $%$ transistor& with one a0or difference& the linear region is very s all& a#ing it very unli#ely that the MOSFET will operate in this region& as shown below!
VOUT (V) 6 4 2 0 Cut-off Linear Region Saturation

VGS (V)

The e)act voltages at which cut-off ends and saturation ends are functions of the device itself and therefore the above characteristic is given only for illustrative and co parative purposes to the transistor characteristic! There only two for ulae we need in order to design MOSFET circuits! First is the transconductance for ula& which relates the +rain current to the input voltage 41S! The transconductance of a MOSFET is given the sy bol gM& and defined as
gM = ID VGS

Secondly& the for ula for the power dissipated in a MOSFET when it is saturated is defined as
2 P = ID rDS
ON

Topic 2.6.3 enhancement mode n-channel MOSFETs

Enhance ent- ode MOSFET5s a#e e)cellent electronics switches due to their low 2O$2 resistance and e)tre ely high 2OFF2 resistance and e)tre ely high gate resistance! Enhance ent- ode MOSFET5s are used in integrated circuits to produce /MOS type 6ogic 1ates and power switching circuits as they can handle large currents and can be driven directly by digital logic levels! So let us loo# at how the MOSFET is used in a circuit! E)a ple 7 The following circuit shows a MOSFET being used to switch on a high powered la p fro a light sensing circuit!
12V

12V 48W

0V

An e)tract fro 4+S84 , a);< ,a-

the datasheet for the MOSFET is shown below7 41S 84 , a)=; "+ 8A , a)> %TOT 89 , a);< gM 8S ,typical=!?

rDS

ON

8:

<!@A

/alculate the ini u value of voltage fro the light sensing subsyste to allow the load to operate at its rated power!

Mod#le ET2 Electronic $irc#its and $omponents. ,b/alculate the power dissipated in the MOSFET when the la p is operating at full power! First calculate the current needed by the load to operate at full power!
ID = P 48 = = 4A V 12

Solution 7 ,a-

The ini u value of 41S can now be calculated using the transconductance for ula as shown below!
gM = ID VGS

VGS = g M I D = 1.3 4 = 5.2V

,b-

The power dissipated in the MOSFET is given by "+ s'uared ultiplied by r+S,O$2 P = ID rDS 2
ON

= 4 0.24 = 3.84W

.opefully you can see that the circuit calculations relating to the MOS FET are uch ore straightforward than those for an $%$ transistor! The last 'uestion here illustrates the need to have r as a low value& because the power dissipated in the MOSFET is reliant on this value! "f this value was high then the power dissipated in the MOSFET would be e)cessive! Even with it having a low value the power dissipated in a MOSFET is significant& and they usually run hot& and need to be ounted on heatsin#s!
DS ON

They are capable however of handling uch larger currents than the $%$ transistor& and are therefore ost suited to switching high powered loads li#e otors and solenoids!

Topic 2.6.3 enhancement mode n-channel MOSFETs /o parision between $%$ Transistors and MOSFETs

Transistors are 2/urrent Operated +evices2 where a uch s aller Base current causes a larger /ollector to E itter current& which the selves are nearly e'ual& to flow! A transistor can also be used as an electronic switch to control devices such as la ps& otors and solenoids etc! The $%$ transistor re'uires the Base to be E itter! ore positive than the

Field Effect Transistors& or FET5s are 24oltage Operated +evices2

FET5s have very high input resistances so very little or no current ,MOSFET types- flows into the input ter inal a#ing the ideal for use as electronic switches!
The high input i pedance a#es the design of the sensing sub-syste easier& since we do not have to worry about loading effects! The input i pedance of the MOSFET eans that static electricity can easily da age MOSFET devices so care needs to be ta#en when handling the ! They can be used as ideal switches due to their very high channel 2OFF2 resistance& low 2O$2 resistance!

There now follows a nu ber of e)a ination style 'uestions which will allow you to practice so e nu erical proble s!

Mod#le ET2 Electronic $irc#its and $omponents. Examination Style Questions.

1. T!e "ir"uit #e$o% &!o%& a 'OS()T #eing u&e* to interfa"e a C'OS $ogi" &+&te, to a $a,- rate* at 24V. 12/. 24V

24V 12A

Output from CMOS o!ic "#"tem 0V /n e0tra"t fro, t!e *ata&!eet for t!e 'OSFET i& &!o%n #e$o%1 VGS 2V (,a0) 15 (a) 34 2/ (,a0) 15 5TOT 26 (,a0) 80 g' 2S (t+-i"a$) 1.2

rDS

ON

27

0.15

Ca$"u$ate t!e ,ini,u, 9a$ue of VGS re:uire* to ena#$e t!e $a,- to o-erate at it& rate* "urrent. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; <2= Ca$"u$ate t!e -o%er *i&&i-ate* in t!e 'OS()T %!en t!e $a,- i& o-erating at it& rate* "urrent. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; <2= T!e ,a0i,u, out-ut "urrent a9ai$a#$e fro, t!e $ogi" &+&te, i& 30,/. )0-$ain %!+ an >5> tran&i&tor %ou$* #e un&uita#$e for t!i& a--$i"ation. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

(#)

(")

Topic 2.6.3 enhancement mode n-channel MOSFETs

<2=

Mod#le ET2 Electronic $irc#its and $omponents.

2. T!e "ir"uit #e$o% &!o%& a 'OS()T #eing u&e* a& a tran&*u"er *ri9er to interfa"e a $ogi" &+&te, to a $a,- rate* at 1?V. 8/. 18V

18V $A

Output from o!ic "#"tem 0V /n e0tra"t fro, t!e *ata&!eet for t!e 'OSFET i& &!o%n #e$o%1 VGS 2V (,a0) 10 (a) 34 2/ (,a0) 16 g' 2S (t+-i"a$) 1.5

rDS

ON

27

0.2

Ca$"u$ate t!e ,ini,u, 9a$ue of VGS re:uire* to ena#$e t!e $a,- to o-erate at it& rate* "urrent. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; <2= r 6!+ i& it i,-ortant for t!e 'OS()T to !a9e a &,a$$ 9a$ue of DS @
ON

(#)

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; <1=

10

Topic 2.6.3 enhancement mode n-channel MOSFETs

3. T!e fo$$o%ing "ir"uit i& &etu- to "!e"A &o,e -ara,eter& of a 'OS()T. 1%V

&1 VO'T &2 V&(

0V T!e fo$$o%ing re&u$t& %ere o#taine* %it! t!e $a,- #rig!t an* t!e 'OS()T &aturate*. V3> 2V 3 (a) )&ti,ate t!e 9a$ue of 31. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; <1= U&e t!e re&u$t& to "a$"u$ate t!e 9a$ue of rDS .
ON

VOUT 2V 0.6

32 2/ 1.5

(#)

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; <2= 6!at i& t!e ,ain *i&a*9antage of a 'OS()T "o,-are* %it! a >5> tran&i&tor &%it"!. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; <1=

(")

11

Mod#le ET2 Electronic $irc#its and $omponents.

4. T!e "ir"uit #e$o% &!o%& a 'OS()T #eing u&e* to interfa"e a 24V. 5/.$oa* to a $ogi" &+&te,. 24V

)OAD 24V, %A

Output from o!ic "#"tem 0V /n e0tra"t fro, t!e *ata&!eet for t!e 'OSFET i& &!o%n #e$o%1 V4S 2V (,a0) 50 (a) VGS 2V (,a0) 12 34 2/ (,a0) 10 5TOT 26 (,a0) ?0 g' 2S (t+-i"a$) 1.6

rDS

ON

27

0.3

Ca$"u$ate t!e ,ini,u, 9a$ue of VGS re:uire* to ena#$e t!e $a,- to o-erate at it& rate* "urrent. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; <2= r 6!at i& t!e a*9antage of t!e 'OS()T !a9ing a &,a$$ 9a$ue of DS .
ON

(#)

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; <1= )0-$ain %!+ a 'OS()T interfa"e i& t!e ,o&t &uita#$e interfa"e #et%een a C'OS $ogi" &+&te, an* a !ig!--o%er $oa*. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; <2=

(")

12

Topic 2.6.3 enhancement mode n-channel MOSFETs

13

Mod#le ET2 Electronic $irc#its and $omponents. Sel) E!al#ation *e!ie+

My personal review of these ob0ectives7

Learning Ob ecti!es
describe the switching action of nchannel MOSFETs; recognise that MOSFETs have a very high input resistance; perfor calculations using I = g V ; understand that r decreases fro a very high value to a very low value as V is increased and is at a ini u value of r at saturation; perfor calculations on MOSFET switching circuits; co pare the perfor ance of MOSFET and transistor switches!
D M GS DS GS

DS ON

Targets7

=!

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

@!

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

14