Chapter 17-2.

MOSFET small-signal equivalent circuit

Last class, we discussed the dc characteristics of MOSFETs. The dc
characteristics for NMOS are reviewed below.
Z n  2 
VDS
ID  Cox VG  VT  VDS   0  VDS  VDS,sat ; VG  VT
L  2 
ZCox
I D,sat  VG  VT  2 VDS  VDS,sat ; VG  VT
2L
Linear region Saturation region

1
 MOSFET ac response

MOSFET ac response is routinely expressed in terms of small-

signal equivalent circuits. This circuit can be derived from the
two-port network shown below:

G D
input MOSFET output
S S

The input looks like an open circuit, except for the presence
of the gate capacitor.
At output, we have a current ID which is controlled by VG and VDS.

ID = f (VG, VDS )
2
 MOSFET small-signal equivalent circuit
Any ac signal in VG or VDS will result in corresponding ac
variation in ID

I D I D
I D  VG  VDS
VG V VDS V
DS G

I D I D
id  g m v g  g d vd g
where m  and gd 
VG V VDS V
DS G

gm = trans-conductance
gd = drain or channel conductance

Note: id, vg and vd are small-signal ac currents and voltages.

They are different from ID, VG and VDS which are dc currents
and voltages. 3
 Small-signal equivalent circuit

So, the equivalent circuit at low-frequency looks like

(neglecting the gate capacitance low frequency):

For high-frequency, we have to include the capacitive effects:

4
 MOSFET small-signal parameters

When VDS < VDS,sat (i.e., below pinch-off or linear region)

Z n Cox
gd  (VG  VT  VDS )
L
Z n Cox
gm  VDS
L

When VDS > VDS,sat (i.e., above pinch-off or saturation region)

gd = 0

Z n Cox
gm  (VG  VT )
L

Note: the parameters depend on the dc bias, VG and VDS 5

 Frequency response of MOSFET

The cut-off frequency fT is defined as the frequency when the

current gain is 1.

Input current = J  CG vG vG here is ac signal

CGS is approximately equal to the
Output current = g m vG gate capacitance,  Z L Cox

g m vG
So, at fT,  1
2 f T  CGSvG

gm
So, fT 
2 CGS

6
 CG-VG characteristics: MOS-C versus MOSFET

CG vs. VG characteristics of a
MOSFET at high frequency
looks similar to the low-
frequency response (unlike the
MOS-C). This is because,
even at high frequency, the
source and drain can supply
the minority carriers required
for the structure to follow the
ac fluctuations in the gate
potential when the device is CG vs. VG characteristics of a
inversion biased. MOSFET with VDS = 0

7
 Enhancement mode MOSFETs

The devices we discussed so far are called “enhancement-mode

MOSFETs.

For NMOS, VT is positive and one has to apply a positive gate

voltage to turn on the device. At zero gate voltage, the device
will be off.

For PMOS, VT is negative and one has to apply a negative gate

voltage to turn on the device. At zero gate voltage, the device
will be off.
Exercise: Draw the ID-VDS characteristics for NMOS and PMOS
enhancement-mode devices.

Next class, we will discuss depletion-mode devices. 8