Lecture 17 MOSFET Physical Operation (Contd) MOSFET Current/Voltage Characteristics

ENGE 311 Electronic Circuits and Devices

Recall: An n-channel is formed when vGS Vt (0.3 V Vt 1.0 V).

Recall: Applying a small vDS ( 50 mV) will cause current (free e) to flow from the source to the drain terminal (hence the names). This causes a current (iD) from the drain to the source.
Recall: At this point, the NMOS transistor is essentially a sophisticated resistor.

The magnitude of this current (or resistance) is dependent on the density of e in the n-channel. For vGS Vt the channel is barely formed and iD is negligible.

iD

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W vGS Vt vDS L

of e at the surface of the channel.

= the mobility

Channel conductance:
g DS
n

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vGS Vt

The excess of vGS over Vt is the effective voltage or the overdrive voltage vOV (this quantity determines the charge in the channel).

If we continue to keep vDS small the device operates as a linear resistance whose ohmic value is controlled by vGS. kn = MOSFET transconductance parameter

This device is an enhancement-mode MOSFET, that is a channel needs to be enhanced (via the gate voltage vGS) for the transistor to conduct a current, iD.
Enhancement mode devices normally impede current until they are triggered into conduction mode. Summary: an FET relies on an electric field E to control the shape (and hence the conductivity, gDS) of the channel.

ENGE 311 Electronic Circuits and Devices

As vDS is further increased, a significant voltage difference develops across the channel (between the source S and the drain D). In going from S to D voltage gradually increases from 0 to vDS (observe channel depth). Source end: n-channel depth (vGS Vt).

Drain end: n-channel depth

(vGS Vt vDS).

As vDS

VOV , vGD

Vt and the channel depth at the drain reduces to 0 V.

The channel is said to be pinched off and the drain current saturates at this value.
A phenomenon called channel length modulation occurs with greater voltages (to be covered later).

Area vOV

1 vOV 2 1 vDS 2

vOV

vDS

Now : iD
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Observe: The magnitude of the charge Q in this tapered channel is channel area.

W L W L

vGS Vt vDS
vGS Vt vOV 1 v DS 2

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vOV

1 vDS 2

vDS 1 2 vDS 2

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W L

vGS Vt vDS

iD

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vGS Vt vDS

1 2 vDS 2

Triode Region of Operation

When vDS

vGS Vt
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Saturation: No further effect on shape or charge, Q; iD constant.

iD

1 2

W L

vGS Vt

Saturation Region of Operation

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