4. Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor or MOSFET
The primary difference between the two types of transistors is the fact that the BJT is a
current-controlled device while MOSFET is a voltage-controlled device.
Types of MOSFET Devices:
The MOSFET is classified into two types such as follows.
• Depletion mode MOSFET (Normally On)
• Enhancement mode MOSFET (Normally Off)
5. The MOSFET is a unipolar device depending solely on either electron (n-channel) or hole (p-
channel) conduction.
It is a 4 terminal device namely Drain (D), Source (S), Substrate (Body), and Gate (G).
The Drain and Source terminals are heavily doped regions.
The gate terminal is connected on top of the oxide layer.
The body of the MOSFET is frequently connected to the source terminal so making it a three terminal
device like BJT.
6. If the MOSFET is an n-channel or nMOS FET, then the source and
drain are heavily doped 'n' regions and the body is a 'p' region.
If the MOSFET is a p-channel or pMOS FET, then the source and
drain are heavily doped 'p' regions and the body is a 'n' region
The MOSFET works by electronically varying the width of a channel along which charge carriers flow
(electrons or holes).
The charge carriers enter the channel at source and exit via the drain.
The width of the channel is controlled by the voltage on an electrode is called gate which is located
between source and drain.
It is insulated from the channel by an extremely thin layer of metal oxide.
7. Enhancement mode MOSFET
Enhancement-type MOSFETS are MOSFETs that are normally off.
When you connect an enhancement-type MOSFET, no current flows from drain to source
when no voltage is applied to its gate.
This is why it is called a normally off device. There is no current flow without a gate
voltage.
However, if a voltage is applied to the gate lead of the MOSFET, the drain-source channel
becomes less resistive. As the gate-source voltage increases more and more, the current
flowing from drain to source increases more and more, until maximum current is flowing
from drain to source.
An enhancement-type MOSFET is so named an enhancement device, because as the
voltage to the gate increases, the current increases more and more, until at maximum
level.
An enhancement-type MOSFET behaves very similar in action to a bipolar junction
transistor.
8. Enhancement mode P-channel MOSFET
Enhancement mode N-channel MOSFET
No channel
Substrate SS
N-dopped
region
13. Depletion-type MOSFETS are MOSFETs that are normally ON.
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.
In a depletion-type MOSFET, current flows from drain to source without any
gate voltage applied. This is why it is called a normally on device.
There is current flow even without a gate voltage. With a depletion-type
MOSFET, maximum current flows from drain to source when no difference in
voltage exists between the gate and source terminals (VGS=0).
However, if a voltage is applied to the gate lead of the MOSFET, the drain-
source channel becomes more resistive. As the gate-source voltage increases
more and more, the current flowing from drain to source decreases more and
more, until all current flow from drain to source ceases.
A depletion-type MOSFET is so named a depletion device, because as the
voltage to the gate increases, the current depletes more and more, until it
ceases to flow at all.
Depletion mode MOSFET
14. Depletion mode MOSFET
• When there is no voltage on the gate, the channel shows its maximum
conductance. As the voltage on the gate is either positive or negative, the
channel conductivity decreases.
Depletion Type – the FET requires the Gate-Source voltage,
( VGS ) to switch the device “OFF”. The depletion mode MOSFET
is equivalent to a “Normally Closed” switch (ON).
16. The gate-to-source voltage is set
to zero volts by the direct
connection from one terminal to
the other, and a voltage is
applied across the drain-to-
source terminals.
The result is an attraction for the
positive potential at the drain by
the free electrons of the n-
channel.
Thus current flows from drain to
source during normal condition.
Basic operation of Depletion mode N
channel MOSFET NMOS
𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝑽 𝑮𝑺=𝟎
17. has been set at a negative voltage such
as -1 V.
The negative potential at the gate will tend
to pressure electrons toward the p-type
substrate (like charges repel) and attract
holes from the p-type substrate (opposite
charges attract).
Depending on the magnitude of the
negative bias established by
, a level of recombination between
electrons and holes will occur that will
reduce the number of free electrons in the
n-channel available for conduction.
The more negative the bias, the higher the
rate of recombination. The resulting level
of drain current is therefore reduced with
increasing negative bias for .
Electrons repelled by
negative potential at gate.
Reduction in free carrier in channel
due to a negative potential at the gate
terminal
Holes attracted
to negative
potential at gate
P- material
substrate
Recombination
process
Metal
contact
N-channel
layer