The field-effect transistor (FET) is a three-terminal device used for a variety of applications that match, to a large extent, those

of the BJT transistor. Although there are important differences between the two types of devices, there are also many similarities that will be pointed out in the sections to follow. The primary difference between the two types of transistors is the fact that the BJT transistor is a current-controlled device as depicted in Fig. 5.1a, while the JFET transistor is a voltage-controlled device. The field-effect transistor (FET) is a transistor that relies on an electric field to control the shape and hence the conductivity of a channel of one type of charge carrier in

a semiconductor material. FETs are sometimes called unipolar transistors to contrast their single-carrier-type operation with the dual-carrier-type operation of bipolar (junction) transistors (BJT). The concept of the FET predates the BJT, though it was not physically implemented until after BJTs due to the limitations of semiconductor materials and the relative ease of manufacturing BJTs compared to FETs at the time. FETs are majority-charge-carrier devices. The device consists of an active channel through which majority charge carriers, electrons or holes, flow from the source to the drain. Source and drain terminal conductors are connected to semiconductor through ohmic contacts. The conductivity of the channel is a function of potential applied to the gate.

The FET's three terminals are:

Source (S), through which the majority carriers enter the channel. Conventional current entering the channel at S is designated by IS.

Drain (D), through which the majority carriers leave the channel. Conventional current entering the channel at D is designated by ID. Drain to Source voltage is VDS.

Gate (G), the terminal that modulates the channel conductivity. By applying voltage to G, one can control ID.

Two types of FETs: Junction field-effect transistor (JFET) Metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET).

The MOSFET category is further broken down into depletion and enhancement types, which are both described. The MOSFET transistor has become one of the most important devices used in the design and construction of integrated circuits for digital computers. Its thermal stability and other general characteristics make it extremely popular in computer circuit design. However, as a discrete element in a typical top-hat container, it must be handled with care. Once the FET construction and characteristics have been introduced, the biasing arrangements. The analysis performed using BJT transistors will prove helpful in the derivation of the important equations and understanding the results obtained for FET circuits.

Junction gate field-effect transistor (JFET or JUGFET) The junction gate field-effect transistor (JFET or JUGFET) is the simplest type of field-effect transistor. It can be used as an electronically-controlled switch or as a voltage-controlled resistance. Electric charge flows through a semiconducting channel between "source" and "drain" terminals. By applying a bias voltage to a "gate" terminal, the channel is "pinched", so that the electric current is impeded or switched off completely.

Construction Diagram

N-channel JFET

P-channel JFET

Schematic Diagram

N-channel JFET

P-channel JFET

Characteristic Curve

JFET Transfer Characteristic Curve

Operation

VDD provides a drain-source voltage, VDS, that causes a drain current. iD, from drain to source. The drain current, iD, which is identical to the source current, exists in the channel surrounded by p-type gate. The gate to source voltage, VGS, which is equal to -VGG, creates a depletion region in the channel, which reduces the channel width and hence increases the resistance between drain and source. Since the gate-source junction is reverse-biased, a zero gate current results. So basically, the more voltage is applied at the gate, the less current will flow from drain to source. Think of this as a garden hose, the more you squeeze it, the less water will flow through it. When we increase VDS, the drain current, iD, also increases. As VDS further increases, a point is reached where the drain current is in its saturation point. If we increase VDS beyond this point, iD remains constant.

Metaloxidesemiconductor field-effect transistor (

The metaloxidesemiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET, MOS-FET, or MOS FET) is a transistor used for amplifying or switching electronic signals. Like other field-effect transistors, a MOSFET is usually a three-terminal device with source (S), gate (G), and drain (D) terminals; the substrate of the MOSFET is sometimes connected to the source terminal, and is sometimes a separate fourth terminal.

In MOSFETs, a voltage on the oxide-insulated gate electrode can induce a conducting channelbetween the two other contacts called source and drain. The channel can be of n-type or ptype(see article on semiconductor devices), and is accordingly called an nMOSFET or a pMOSFET (also commonly nMOS, pMOS). It is by far the most common transistor in both digital and analog circuits, though the bipolar junction transistor was at one time much more common. The 'metal' in the name is now often a misnomer because the previously metal gate material is now often a layer of polysilicon (polycrystalline silicon). Aluminium had been the gate material until the mid 1970s, when polysilicon became dominant, due to its capability to form self-aligned gates. Metallic gates are regaining popularity, since it is difficult to increase the speed of operation of transistors without metal gates.

Types of MOSFET:

Depletion Enhancement MOSFET Enhancement type MOSFET

DEMOSFET-Depletion Enhancement MOSFET We know that when the gate is biased negative with respect to the source in an N-channel JFET, the depletion region widths are increased. The increase in the depletion regions reduces the channel thickness, which increases its resistance. The net result is that drain current ID is reduced. If the polarity of VGG were reversed so as to apply a positive bias to the gate with respect to source, the P-N junctions between the gate and the channel would then be forward biased. Since a forward bias reduces the width of a depletion region, the thickness of channel would increase with a corresponding decrease in channel resistance. As a result, drain current ID would increase beyond the JFETs IDSSvalue. The normal operation of a JFET is in its depletion mode of operation. However, as discussed above, it is also possible to enhance the conductivity of the JFET channel. However, the forward bias of the silicon PN junction is usually restricted to a maximum of 0.5 V (more conservative limit is 0.2 V) so as to limit the gate current. As we have seen that, the greater the ID is compared to IDSS the greater the transconductance gm will be. We have seen before that the voltage gain is directly proportional to gm. So, in general, the higher the gm, the better it is. This is one of the advantages of being able to enhance the channel.

As its name suggests, the depletion-enhancement MOSFET (DE-MOSFET)-was developed to be used in either or both the depletion and enhancement modes.

Construction Diagram

Schematic Symbols of DEMOSFET

Characteristic Curve

Operation

DE-MOSFET can be operated with either a positive or a negative gate. When gate is positive with respect to the source it operates in the enhancementor E-mode and when the gate is negative with respect to the source, as illustrated in figure, it operates in depletion-mode. When the drain is made positive with respect to source, a drain current will flow, even with zero gate potential and the MOSFET is said to be operating in E-mode. In this mode of operation gate attracts the negative charge carriers from the P-substrate to the N-channel and thus reduces the

channel resistance and increases the drain-current. The more positive the gate is made, the more drain current flows. On the other hand when the gate is made negative with respect to the substrate, the gate repels some of the negative charge carriers out of the N-channel. This creates a depletion region in the channel, as illustrated in figure, and, therefore, increases the channel resistance and reduces the drain current. The more negative the gate, the less the drain current. In this mode of operation the device is referred to as a depletion-mode MOSFET. Here too much negative gate voltage can pinch-off the channel. Thus operation is similar to that of JFET.

Enhancement type MOSFET

Although there are some similarities in construction and mode of operation between depletion-type and enhancement-type MOSFETs, the characteristics of the enhancement- type MOSFET are quite different from anything obtained thus far. The transfer curve is not defined by Shockleys equation, and the drain current is now cut off until the gate-to-source voltage reaches a specific magnitude. In particular, current control in an n-channel device is now effected by a positive gate-to-source voltage rather than the range of negative voltages encountered for n-channel JFETs and n-channel depletion-type MOSFETs.

Construction Diagram

Schematic Symbol

Schematic symbols for an N-channel E-MOSFET are shown in figure. For zero value of VGS, the E-MOSFET is OFF because there is no conducting channel between source and drain. Each of schematic symbols shown in figures, has broken channel line to indicate this normally OFF condition. As we know that for VGS exceeding the threshold voltage VGST, an N-type inversion layer, connecting the source to drain, is created. In each of the schematic symbols, the arrow points to this inversion layer, which acts like an N-channel when the device is conducting. In each case, the fact that the device has an insulated gate is indicated by the gate not making direct contact with the channel. The schematic symbol shown in figure shows the source and substrate internally connected, while the other symbol shown in figure shows the substrate connection brought out separately from the source. The schematic symbols for a P-channel E-MOSFET are also shown. In these cases the arrow points outwards.
Characteristic Curve

Drain characteristics of an N-channel E-MOSFET are shown in figure. The lowest curve is the VGSTcurve. When VGS is lesser than VGST, ID is approximately zero. When VGS is greater than VGST, the device turns- on and the drain current ID is controlled by the gate voltage. The characteristic curves have almost vertical and almost horizontal parts. The almost vertical

components of the curves correspond to the ohmic region, and the horizontal components correspond to the constant current region. Thus E-MOSFET can be operated in either of these regions i.e. it can be used as a variable-voltage resistor (WR) or as a constant current source.

Figure shows a typical transconductance curve. The current IDSS at VGS <=0 is very small, being of the order of a few nano-amperes. When the VGS is made positive, the drain current ID increases slowly at first, and then much more rapidly with an increase in VGS. The manufacturer sometimes indicates the gate-source threshold voltage VGST at which the drain current ID attains some defined small value, say 10 u A. A current ID (0N, corresponding approximately to the maximum value given on the drain characteristics and the values of VGS required to give this current VGs QN are also usually given on the manufacturers data sheet.

Operation

As its name indicates, this MOSFET operates only in the enhancement mode and has no depletion mode. It operates with large positive gate voltage only. It does not conduct when the gate-source voltage VGS = 0. This is the reason that it is called normally-off MOSFET. In these MOSFETs drain current ID flows only when VGS exceeds VGST [gate-tosource threshold voltage]. When drain is applied with positive voltage with respect to source and no potential is applied to the gate two N-regions and one P-substrate from two P-N junctions connected back to back with a resistance of the P-substrate. So a very small drain current that is, reverse leakage current flows. If the P-type substrate is now connected to the source terminal, there is zero voltage across the source substrate junction, and the-drain-substrate junction remains reverse biased. When the gate is made positive with respect to the source and the substrate, negative (i.e. minority) charge carriers within the substrate are attracted to the positive gate and accumulate close to the-surface of the substrate. As the gate voltage is increased, more and more electrons accumulate under the gate. Since these electrons can not flow across the insulated layer of silicon dioxide to the gate, so they accumulate at the surface of the substrate just below the gate. These accumulated minority charge carriers N -type channel stretching from drain to source. When this occurs, a channel is induced by forming what is termed an inversion layer (N-type). Now a drain current start flowing. The strength of the drain current depends upon the channel resistance which, in turn, depends upon the number of charge carriers attracted to the positive gate. Thus drain current is controlled by the gate potential. Since the conductivity of the channel is enhanced by the positive bias on the gate so this device is also called the enhancement MOSFET or E- MOSFET. The minimum value of gate-to-source voltage VGS that is required to form the inversion layer (N-type) is termed the gate-to-source threshold voltage VGST. For VGS below VGST, the drain current ID = 0. But for VGS exceeding VGST an N-type inversion layer connects the source to drain and the drain current ID is large. Depending upon the device being used, VGST may vary from less than 1 V to more than 5 V. JFETs and DE-MOSFETs are classified as the depletion-mode devices because their conductivity depends on the action of depletion layers. E-MOSFET is classified as an enhancement-mode device because its conductivity depends on the action of the inversion layer. Depletion-mode devices are normally ON when the gate-source voltage VGS = 0, whereas the enhancement-mode devices are normally OFF when VGS = 0.
Application