1

METAL-OXIDE-SEMICONDUCTOR FET (MOSFET)

or
INSULATED GATE FET (IGFET)
1. DEPLETION TYPE MOSFET
An n-channel depletion type MOSFET is shown below.
Source Gate
n+

Drain

Drain

Metal
Silicon Oxide
Semiconductor

n+

Substrate

Gate

n channel

p substrate

Circuit Symbols

Drain

Gate

Substrate

Source

Source

N Channel

P Channel

NOTE: Depletion Type MOSFETs can

also be operated in the enhancement mode.

NOTE: Substrate is usually connected

internally to the source.

The metallic gate is insulated from the semiconductor channel by the silicon dioxide
(SiO2) layer and thus has a extremely high resistance. The gate impedance is mainly
capacitive. The source and drain regions are very heavily doped, and the n-channel
allows electrons (and hence current) to flow from the source to the drain (when the
drain is made positive wrt the source), even when the gate-source voltage is zero.
1.1 Variation of Channel Width with Gate Voltage (VGS)
The width of the channel, and hence the conductivity, can be controlled by applying a
voltage to the gate.
(a) Depletion Mode of Operation
In this mode a negative voltage is applied to the gate relative to the substrate (ie.
Source) and the channel width is reduced.
Source

ID

Gate

Drain

VDS = Constant

VDS

G
S

VGS

gm=ID/VGS

n+

ID
IDSS

n+

Narrower channel

p substrate

VGS

0
- VP
Transfer Characteristic

The negative gate voltage drives electrons away from the channel, that gets narrower
and narrower as the negative gate voltage is increased. Hence the drain current
reduces with increasing negative potential on the gate as indicated in the transfer
characteristic.
(b) Enhancement Mode of Operation
In this mode a positive voltage is applied to the gate relative to the source. The +ve
gate charge attracts electrons from the p-type substrate and the n+ regions, into the
channel area and thus the width of the channel is increased (enhanced). Hence the
drain current reduces with increasing negative potential on the gate as indicated in the
transfer characteristic shown below.

Source

ID

Gate

Drain

ID

VDS

n+

VDS = Constant

n+
Wider channel

VGS

p substrate

VGS
Transfer Characteristic

1.2 Characteristics of Depletion type MODFETS

The transfer and output characteristics of a depletion type MOSFET are shown below.
VDS = Constant

ID

ID

Constant Current Region

rds=1/Slope = VDS/ID
+3V

Enhancement Mode
Depletion Mode

+2V

gm=ID/VGS

- VP

+1V
VGS = 0V
-1V
-2V
-3V

IDSS
0

VGS

Enhancement
Mode

Depletion
Mode

VGS <= - VP

Transfer Characteristic

VDS

Output Characteristic for Various Gate Voltages

2. ENHANCEMENT TYPE MOSFET

An n-channel enhancement type MOSFET is shown below.
Source Gate
n+

Drain

Drain

Metal
Silicon Oxide
Semiconductor

n+

Substrate

Gate

no channel

p substrate

Circuit Symbols

Drain

Gate

Substrate

Source

Source

N Channel

P Channel

NOTE: Enhancement Type MOSFETs

cannot be operated in the depletion mode
mode.

NOTE: Substrate is usually connected

internally to the source.

2.1 Mode of Operation

In this case there is no channel to conduct current when the gate voltage is zero or
negative. The device can only operate in the enhancement mode. A positive voltage
needs to be applied to the gate in order to attract electrons into the area between the
source and drain, and hence induce an n channel as indicated below.
Source

ID

Gate

Drain

ID
VDS = Constant

VDS

G
S

VGS

n+

gm=ID/VGS

n+

Induced n channel

p substrate

VT
Transfer Characteristic

The gate to source voltage at which the channel starts to conduct is called the
transition voltage VT.
2.2 Enhancement Type MOSFET Amplifier

VGS

3
VDD

ID
RD

R1

ID+id

ID

VDS+vds

R2

Bias Point

Vin

gm=ID/VGS

Vout

VGS

VGS+vgs

0
0V

VT

VGS

VGS

Transfer Characteristic

Circuit
G

Vin= vgs

ID

R1

id

id D

R2 gmvgs
S

rds
0V

RD

vds = Vo

Small Signal Equivalent Circuit

Bias Conditions
Vgs = VDD R2/(R1+R2)
ID is obtained from graph of ID against Vgs
gm is obtained from the slope of the transfer characteristic at the bias point.