Prepared by:

Engr. IRA C. VALENZUELA

INTRODUCTION
Field Effect Transistors are preferred for weak
signal work.
They are also preferred in circuits and system
requiring high impedance
FETs are fabricated onto a silicon integrated
circuit (IC) chips

Variations of FET technology are based on

different ways of generating the electric field.

HISTORY
October 22, 1925
The first patent for the field effect transistor principle
was filed in Canada by Austrian-Hungarian physicist
Julius Edgar Lilienfeld
1934
German physicist Dr. Oskar Heil patented another field
effect transistor
Legal papers from the Bell Labs patent show that
William Shockley and a co-worker at Bell Labs, Gerald
Pearson, had built operational versions from Lilienfelds
patents

DEFINITION
The field-effect transistor (FET) is a threeterminal device

The FET is a unipolar device depending solely

on either electron (n-channel) or hole (pchannel) conduction.
FET transistor is a voltage-controlled device.

FET vs BJT
1. The FET has extremely high input resistance
with about 100 M typically (BJT input
resistance typically 2 k).

2. The FET has no offset value when used as a

switch.
3. The FET is relatively immune to radiation but
the BJT is very sensitive.

FET vs BJT

4. The FET is less noisy than BJT.

5. The FET can be operated to provide greater

thermal stability than BJT.

6. FET is smaller than BJT.

FET vs BJT

7. FET has smaller gain bandwidth than BJT.

8. FET has greater susceptibility to damage in

handling.

FET vs BJT

Types of FET

JFET Construction
Drain

Gate

Drain

Channel

Gate

Source

P - CHANNEL

Source

N - CHANNEL

JFET Schematic Symbol

Drain

Gate

Drain

Gate

Source

N - CHANNEL

Source

P - CHANNEL

Depletion and Pinch-off

Depletion and Pinch-off

Biasing FET

JFET biased for conduction

Greater VGG

Less VGG

Drain-Source Characteristic Curve

It is a plot of drain current versus the drainsource voltage.

Drain-Source Characteristic Curve

It is a plot of drain current versus the drainsource voltage.

JFET Transfer Characteristic Curve

It is a plot of drain current as a function of gatesource voltage.

Transconductance
It is also called dynamic mutual conductance
If the gate-source voltage changes by a small
amount dVGS then the drain current will also
change by a certain increment dID.

The transconductance is the ratio dID/ dVGS.

Transconductance

Transconductance

I D
gm
VGS

v DS 0

VGS
g m g m o 1
VP

gmo = the maximum AC gain parameter of the JFET

JFET Parameters
VGS
I D I DSS 1
VP

2 I DSS
gm
VP

VGS
1
VP

ID = drain current
IDSS = drain-source
saturation current
VGS = gate-source
voltage
VP = pinch-off voltage
gm = transconductance

Sample Problems
1. Determine the drain current of an n-channel JFET
having a pinch-off voltage VP = - 4 V and the drainsource saturation current IDSS = 12 mA at VGS = 0
and VGS = - 3 V.

12 mA, 0.75 mA

Sample Problems

2. Calculate the transconductance, gm, of a JFET

with IDSS = 12 mA and VP = - 4 V at bias point
VGS = -1.5 V.

3.75 mS

Sample Problems

3. What is the value of IDSS with gmo = 4.5 mS

and VP = - 3 V?

6.75 mA

Sample Problems

4. What is the value of VP of a p-channel JFET

having IDSS = 12 mA and gmo = 6500 S?

3.69 V

Sample Problems

5. Determine the value of gmo for a p-channel

JFET having VP = 3.8 V and IDSS = 6.8 mA.

3.58 mS

Sample Problems

6. A p-channel JFET with IDSS = 13.5 mA, VP = 5

V is operated at ID = 9.5 mA. What is the value of
gm at this operating point?

4.525 mS

Sample Problems

7. What is the maximum value of

transconductance of a JFET (VP = - 4 V) if the
transconductance is 4500 S when operated at
VGS = - 1 V?

6 mS

Important Relationships

JFET Biasing

Fixed Bias Configuration

Self-Bias Configuration
Voltage Divider Biasing

Fixed Bias

Fixed Bias: Biasing equations

VGS VGG

VGS

I D I DSS 1
VP

VDS VDD I DR D

Fixed Bias Configuration

Vgs = -2 V
Id = 5.625 mA
Vds = 4.75 V

Self-Bias

Self-Bias: Biasing equations

VGS I DR S
2

V
GS

I D I DSS 1

V
GS
(
off
)

VDS VDD I D ( R D R S )

Self-Bias Configuration

Vgs = - 2.6 V
Id = 2.6 mA
Vds = 8.82 V

Voltage-Divider Bias

Voltage-Divider Bias: Biasing equations

R2

VG VDD
R1 R 2
VG VGS
ID
RS
VDS VDD I D ( R D R S )

Voltage Divider Biasing

Vgs = - 1.8 V
Id = 2.4 mA
Vd = 10.24 V
Vs = 3.6 V

MOSFET

MOSFET

The acronym MOSFET stands for metal-oxidesemiconductor field-effect transistor.

MOSFETs are further broken down into depletion

type and enhancement type.
The insulating layer between the gate and channel
has resulted in another name for the device:
insulated gate FET or IGFET

45

MOSFETs have characteristics similar to JFETs

and additional characteristics that make then very
useful
There are 2 types of MOSFETs:
Depletion mode MOSFET (D-MOSFET)
Operates in Depletion mode the same way as a
JFET when VGS 0
Operates in Enhancement mode like EMOSFET when VGS > 0
Enhancement Mode MOSFET (E-MOSFET)
Operates in Enhancement mode
IDSS = 0 until VGS > VT (threshold voltage)

Schematic Symbol

MOSFET Terminal Characteristics

The main problem

The trouble with MOSFETs is that they can be

easily damaged by static electric discharges.

If a static discharge occurs through the dielectric of

a MOS device, the component will be destroyed
permanently.

Depletion MOSFET
Drain

n-channel D-MOSFET is
D
usually operated in the
SiO2
n
depletion mode with VGS
Gate
p
G
< 0 and in the
n
enhancement mode with
S
VGS > 0.
Channel
Symbol
Source
p-channel D-MOSFET
uses the opposite
Basic structure of
n-channel D-MOSFET voltage polarity

D-MOSFET Symbols
50

D-MOSFET Depletion Mode Operation

51

The transfer characteristics are similar to the JFET

In Depletion Mode operation:
When VGS = 0V, ID = IDSS
When VGS < 0V, ID < IDSS
2
When VGS > 0V, ID > IDSS
VGS

ID = IDSS 1 The formula used to plot the Transfer Curve, is:

VP

D-MOSFET Enhancement Mode Operation

52

Enhancement Mode operation

In this mode, the transistor operates with VGS > 0V, and ID increases above IDSS
Shockleys equation, the formula used to plot the Transfer Curve, still applies but
VGS is positive:
2
VGS

ID = IDSS 1
VP

Basic Operation

p-Channel DepletionType MOSFET

Symbols

DMOSFET

Vgs = - 0.8 V
Id = 3.1 mA
Vds = 10.1 V

ENHANCEMENT-TYPE
MOSFET
The transfer curve is not defined by Shockleys
equation.
The drain current is now cut off until the gate-tosource voltage reaches a specific magnitude.
Current control in an n-channel device is now
effected by a positive gate-to-source voltage.

ENHANCEMENT-TYPE
MOSFET
The construction of an
enhancement-type
MOSFET is quite
similar to that of the
depletion-type
MOSFET, except for
the absence of a
channel between the
drain and source
terminals.

Basic Operation

SYMBOLS

EMOSFET Parameters

I D k VGS VGS TH

g m 2k VGS VGS TH
k = 0.3 mA/V2
VGS(TH) = threshold voltage

Advantages of MOSFET
draws no gate current at all
draws no leakage current
the input resistance of the device
is essentially infinite.

Disadvantages of
MOSFET
that thin layer of glass cant
withstand much voltage
the static charge can destroy the
device

Sample Problem

A depletion MOSFET with IDSS = 12 mA, VP =-4

V is operated at VGS = - 0.5 V. What is the value
of the transconductance at this operating point?

5. 25 mS

Sample Problem

What is the value of threshold voltage for an nchannel enhancement MOSFET that operates at
ID = 4.8 mA when biased at 7 V?

3V

Sample Problem

An enhancement MOSFET having threshold of

3.5 V is operated at VGS = 5 V. What current
results?

675 A

Sample Problem

Determine the value of circuit transconductance

for an n-channel enhancement MOSFET having
VGS(TH) = 2.8 V when operated at 6 V.

1.92 mS

Sample Problem

An enhancement MOSFET operated at VGS = 7.5

V has transconductance of 2.5 mS. What is the
value of a device threshold voltage?

3.33 V

Sample Problem

Measurements taken with E-MOSFET indicate

that when VGS = 4 V, ID = 8 mA and when VGS =
6 V, ID = 32 mA. Determine the value of k.

2 mA/V2

The Following Features of EMOSFETs that

are Common with DMOSFETs:
Charge-carrier flow from the source to drain.
The type of semiconductor material used for the
channel is opposite the type of material used for
the substrate.

The arrow part of the schematic symbol indicates

the type of material that is used for the substrate.

EMOSFET

Vgs = 6.4 V
Id = 2.75 mA

VMOS
Vertical Metal-Oxide-Silicon FET
Compared with commercially available planar
MOSFETs, VMOS FETs have reduced channel
resistance levels and higher current and power
ratings.

VMOS FETs have a positive temperature

coefficient that will combat the possibility of
thermal runaway.

VMOS

CMOS
Complementary MOSFET
It has extensive applications in computer logic
design.
The relatively high input impedance, fast
switching speeds, and lower operating power
levels of the CMOS configuration have resulted
in a whole new discipline referred to as CMOS
logic design.

Single-stage MOS amplifier

78

Characteristic parameters

Av Ai Zi Zo

Three configurations

Common-source configuration

Common-drain configuration

Common-gate configuration

Basic structure of the circuit

79

Basic structure of the

circuit used to realize
single-stage discretecircuit MOS amplifier
configurations.

The common-source amplifier

80

The simplest common-source

amplifier biased with constantcurrent source.
CC1 And CC2 are coupling
capacitors.
CS is the bypass capacitor.

SJTU

J. Chen

Characteristics of CS amplifier
81

Input resistance

Rin RG

Voltage gain

Av g m (ro // RD // RL )

Overall voltage gain

RG
Gv
g m ( RD // RL // ro )
RG Rsig

Rout ro // RD
Output resistance
Summary of CS amplifier

Very high input resistance

Moderately high voltage gain
Relatively high output resistance

The Common-Gate amplifier

83

Biasing with constant

current source I
Input signal vsig is
applied to the source
Output is taken at the
drain
Gate is signal grounded
CC1 and CC2 are coupling
capacitors

The CG amplifier
84

A small-signal equivalent
circuit
T model is used in
preference to the model
Ro is neglected

The CG amplifier fed with a current-signal input

85

Voltage gain

Av g m ( RD // RL )

Overall voltage gain

g m ( RD // RL )
Gv
1 g m Rsig

SJTU

J. Chen

Summary of CG amplifier
86

Noninverting amplifier
Low input resistance
Relatively high output resistance
Current follower
Superior high-frequency performance

The CD or source-follower amplifier

88

Small-signal equivalentcircuit model

T model makes analysis
simpler

Drain is signal grounded

Overall voltage gain

RG
ro // RL
Gv
1
RG Rsig r // R 1
o
L
gm

Summary of CD or source-follow amplifier

89

Very high input resistance

Voltage gain is less than but close to unity
Relatively low output resistance
Voltage buffer amplifier
Power amplifier

Other FET Applications

A voltage controlled attenuator

for

small drain-to-source
voltages FETs resemble
voltage-controlled resistors

the

gate voltage VG is used

to control this resistance and
hence the gain of the potential
divider

used,

for example, in automatic

gain control in radio receivers

Other FET Applications

A FET as an analogue switch

Other FET Applications

A FET as a logical switch