FREQUENCY RESPONSE OF MOSFET

We have considered the expanded hybrid

equivalent circuit of the bipolar transistor that
models the high-frequency response of the
transistor.

In a similar way, we develop the high-frequency

equivalent circuit of the MOSFET that takes into
account various capacitances in the device.
 HIGH FREQUENCY MOSFET MODEL

Objectives

•To review the small signal MOSFET at

low frequencies

•To study the high frequency MOSFET

models
The MOSFET small signal model

G + + B

gmb Vbs
gm Vgs
Vgs ro Vbs
- -

Small signal parameters
• The small-signal parameters are controlled by the Q-point
(operating point).
S
Optional if source is
connected to body
The small signal model of the MOSFET
is shown in figure
Since the gate is insulated from the
channel by the gate-oxide the input
resistance of the transistor is infinite
•The NMOS small-signal parameters may be summarized in Table:
The MOSFET high frequency model

•The MOSFET small-signal model discussed earlier is valid

at low frequencies. This model will fail at high
frequencies.

•At high frequencies the transistor internal

capacitances should be considered.

•The MOSFET's internal capacitances limit the high-

frequency performance of the MOSFET that means:

Limit the switching speed of the circuits in digital

applications

Limit the frequency at which useful amplification can

be obtained in the amplifiers.
 Internal Capacitances of MOSFET and
High Frequency Model
•MOSFET capacitances depend on operation region and are non-linear
functions of voltages at device terminals.

•The MOSFET’s internal capacitances are associated to either reverse

biased junctions or changes of charges due to voltage difference.

A physical capacitance may also exist formed by a dielectric between

two conductors. Refer to Figure.

Gate
Source Drain

CGSO ″
COX ″
COX CGDO
n+ n+
n-type channel
CSB CDB
p-type channel
NMOS device in saturation Bulk
There are two types of internal capacitances in
the MOSFET :
• Gate capacitance : It is a parallel-plate
capacitance formed by a gate electrode with the
channel, with the oxide layer acts as a capacitor
dielectric. It is denoted as Cox.
• Junction capacitances (Source-body and
drain-body depletion layer capacitances) : These
capacitances are due to the reverse-biased pn
junctions formed by the n+ source region and the
p-type substrate, and the n+ drain region and
the p-type substrate. These are denoted as source
diffusion capacitance and drain diffusion
capacitance, respectively.
Gate Capacitances

• There are three gate capacitances : Cgs , Cgd and Cgb.

Values of gate capacitances:

Triode Mode or Linear Mode

In triode region, the channel as uniform depth and

hence, we have
1
C gs  C gd  W L Cox Triode region
2
 Pinch-off

• In saturation region, the channel has a

tapered shape and is pinched off at or near
the drain. Therefore, we have
2 
Cgs  W LCox 
3 Saturation region

Cgd  0 
 Cut-off Mode

In cut-off region, the channel disappears and thus

C gs  C gd  0 Cutoff region
However, gate-body model capacitance is given by
C gb  W L Cox Cutoff region
 Due to the fact that the
source and drain
diffusions extends
slightly under the
gate oxide we need
add the capacitive
component (Cov) to the
Cgs and Cgd in the above
formulas. The
component Cov is
known as overlap
capacitance and is
where Lov is the overlap given by
length and is typically 0.05 L
to 0.1 L C OV  W LOV C ox
Junction Capacitances

• Source diffusion capacitance is given by Csb0

where Csbo is the value of Csb at zero body-

source bias, VSB is the magnitude of the
reverse-bias voltage, and V0 is the junction
built-in voltage, typically 0.6 V to 0.8 V.
Junction Capacitances

• Drain diffusion capacitance is given by Cdb0

where Cdbo is the value of Cdb at zero body-

source bias, VDB is the magnitude of the
reverse-bias voltage, and V0 is the junction
built-in voltage, typically 0.6 V to 0.8 V.
High-frequency MOSFET Model
Fig. (a) shows the high frequency equivalent circuit
model for MOSFET. In this model, capacitance Cdb
can be neglected to simplify the analysis.

G + D

gm Vgs
Cgd
Vgs ro
- Cgs Cdb

S
High frequency hybrid-pi
model
Fig. (a) High frequency equivalent circuit model
for the MOSFET
G + D

gm Vgs
Cgd
Vgs ro
- Cgs

(b) High frequency equivalent

circuit neglecting Cdb
The MOSFET Unity-Gain Frequency (fT)
•As an application to the MOSFET high frequency
model, let us calculate the MOSFET unity-gain
frequency fT.

•fT is considered a figure of merit for the high-

frequency operation of the MOSFET as an
amplifier.

•fT is defined as the frequency at which the short-

circuit current-gain of the common-source
amplifier becomes unity.

Figure shows the circuit used to calculate fT, in

Please note that since we are now dealing with quantities
(currents and voltages) which are frequency
dependent.

We will use the s-domain analysis. Also, we will use

capital letters with lowercase subscripts to identify
these quantities.

+ Io

gm Vgs
Cgd
Vgs
Ii - Cgs ro

Figure: Determining the short-circuit current gain

• The short circuit current I0 is given by
Small and
neglected

• The second term in the above equation is very small

and can be neglected at the frequencies of interest and
thus
 • The Vgs in terms of Ii can be given by

Ii  Vgs s  Cgs Cgd

• Substituting the values of li and Io from equations, we have
• For physical frequencies s = jω.

From equation,

its magnitude of the current becomes unity at the

frequency, fT.
gm
1
j  C gs  C gd 
gm
 T 
j  C gs  C gd 

From equation, we can say that fT is proportional to gm

and inversely proportional to the internal
capacitances.
Example
For n-channel MOSFET, L = 1.0 μm, Lov = 0.05 μm, W =10
μm, Cox =3.45 x 10-3 F / m2, ID = 200 μA and K’n =150 μA /
V2. Find the fT if MOSFET is operating in the triode region.

Solution :
Determine the unit-gain bandwidth of MOSFET. The
transistor parameters are: Kn =0.25 mA / V2, VTN = 1V , λ=0,
Cgd = 0.04 Pf , Cgs = 0.2 Pf. Assume the transistor is biased
at VGS = 3V.
We know,
g m  2 K n VGS  VTN 
 2 0.25mA / V  3  1
 1 mA/ V
Also,
gm  1 mA / V 
fT  
2  C gs  C gd  2  0.2  1312  0.04  10 12 

 663 MHz