Experiment 2 Title: Junction Field Effect Transistor (JFET) Objectives 1. To investigate the JFET common-source circuit biasing characteristics.

2. To obtain the dc quiescent voltages and currents of the JFET 3. To obtain the frequency response of the JFET amplifier circuit. 4. To determine the lower cutoff frequency and the upper cutoff frequency of the JFET amplifier circuit. 5. To determine the midband gain, Avo of the JFET amplifier circuit. List of Apparatus Components 1. Transistor: 2N5461 (or any equivalent P-channel JFET) 2. Resistors: 8.2 M, 1.2 M, 2.4 K, 2.7 K 3. Capacitors : 0.22 F , 4.70 F, 1 nF , 10 nF Equipments 1. Power Supply 2. Oscilloscope 3. Function Generator 4. Digital Multimeter 5. Protoboard Theory A junction field-effect transistor is a unipolar device because only one type of charge carrier (electrons or holes) is involved in its operation. There are two types of JFET, the N-channel and P-channel. The N-channel and the P-channel of the FET have their own operating activities. The P-channel JFET transistor conducts from drain-to-source when the voltage from gate-to-source is positive. When the voltage from gate-to-source is 0V, the gate-to-drain junction is reversed-biased and no current can flow through the resulting depletion region. The output current ID is controlled by the value of input voltage VGS. JFET characteristics Figure 1 shows the relationship between output current ID and input voltage VGS for the JFET circuit. If VGS = 0 V, ID is a maximum and is known as IDSS, or the drain saturation current. If VGS is increased (made more positive), a point is reached where the current ID is 0 A. The value of VGS where this occurs is called the pinch-off voltage, Vp. Once all the required values obtained, the transconductance gm, which is the ratio of ac output current to input voltage, can be evaluated by performing the following equation:
gm =

id 2 IDSS = Vgs | Vp |

| VGS | 2 IDSS 1 | Vp | = | Vp |
1

ID IDSS

ID IDSS

ID RS = VG VGS Where VG = 0 V

ID = IDSS( 1 VGS/Vp)2

VG

Vp

VGS

Figure 1. The relationship between output current, ID and input voltage VGS for p-channel JFET. JFET Frequency response A typical JFET common-source amplifier circuit is shown in figure 4. The JFET is biased using the combination of a voltage divider across the gate and a self-biasing Rs in the source circuit. The frequency response of the JFET amplifier plotted in the form of voltage gain versus frequency is shown in figure 2. The gain is null at zero frequency, then rises as frequency increases, level off for further increases in frequency, and then begins to drop again at high frequencies. The frequency response of an amplifier can be divided into three frequency regions. Voltage Gain Avo 0.707Avo Midband region

fL =lower cutoff frequency

fH = upper cutoff frequency

frequency

Figure 2. Frequency response of an amplifier. The frequency response begins with the lower frequency region designated between 0 Hz and lower cutoff frequency. At lower cutoff frequency, fL ,the gain is equal to 0.707 Avo. Avo is a constant midband gain obtained from the midband frequency region. The third, the upper frequency region covers frequency between upper cutoff frequency and above. Similarly, at upper cutoff frequency, fH, the gain is equal to 0.707 Avo. After the upper cutoff frequency, the gain decreases with frequency increases and dies off eventually.
2

The Lower Frequency Response. Approximately, the following equations can be used to determine the lower cutoff frequency of the amplifier, where the voltage gain drops 3 dB from its midband value (=0.707 times the midband Avo): (1) f1 = 1/ ( 2rinCc1 ) where, f1 = lower cutoff frequency due to Cc1 Cc1 = input coupling capacitance rin = input resistance of the amplifier f2 = 1/ ( 2ro Cc2 ) where, f2 = lower cutoff frequency due to Cc2 Cc2 = output coupling capacitance ro = output resistance of the amplifier

(2)

Provided that f1 and f2, are not close in value the actual lower cutoff frequency is approximately equal to the larger of the two. The Upper Frequency Response The upper cutoff frequency fH due to the effect of the shunt capacitances in the transistor. However, capacitors Cp is used to subdue these shunt capacitance effects. So, fH can be evaluated approximately by fH = 1/2roCp PART I PRELIMINARY WORK (1) Get the equivalent circuit for the JFET circuit given in figure 4. (2) What condition must the JFET circuit acquire to determine the pinch-off voltage, Vp and the drain saturation current, IDSS, respectively? (3) By referring to a relevant JFET datasheet, approximately determine the gm for ID = 1 mA. State your assumptions if required. (4) You are required to produce a simulated frequency response, voltage gain versus frequency, for the amplifier circuit given in figure 4 by using MULTISIM or of any equivalent software. Print the response. Observe the simulated response and determine the following values; the midband gain, Avo, the lower cut-off frequency, fL and the upper cut-off frequency, fH. Record all the values in your preliminary report.

PART II. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE (a) Determining the drain saturation current, IDSS Connect the circuit as shown in figure 3a. Make sure apply short circuit between the gate and the source of the JFET. Supply voltage of -12 V (negative supply) to the circuit. Measure the drain voltage, VD. Calculate the IDSS.
-12V VDD -12V VDD

R1 8.2M G

RD 2.4k D 2N5461

R1 8.2M

RD 2.4k D G 2N5461 S

0-30V Vin

+ + R2 1.2M

short circuit R2 1.2M

S RS 2.7k

RS 2.7k

Figure 3a.

Figure 3b.

(b) Determining the pinch-off voltage, Vp Connect the circuit as shown in figure 3b. Supply voltage of 12 V to the VDD of the circuit. Vary the input voltage, Vin, and observe the drain voltage, VD, until the drain voltage just reaches -12V. Measure the gate voltage, VG. This measured voltage is the pinch-off voltage, Vp. (c) Determining the transconductance, gm. Connect the circuit as shown in figure 4. Supply voltage of 12 V to the VDD of the circuit. Measure the drain voltage, VD, the source voltage, VS and the gate voltage, VG. Calculate the ID and VGS. Then calculate the gm. (d) Obtaining frequency response for the JFET Connect the circuit as shown in figure 4 and setup your apparatus accordingly to perform the work in determining the frequency response of the JFET amplifier. Apply supply voltage to the circuit. Measure and record the drain, the gate and the source voltage of the transistor. Next, apply a sinusoidal input signal, Vi, with vo1tage of 1volt peak-to-peak value at frequency of 5 Hz to the test circuit. Observe, measure, record the output voltage, VO and calculate the voltage gain, Av = Vo/Vi. Also measure the phase difference between input and output signals and record in a table. With input signal
4

always constant, increase signal frequency, measure and record the output voltage, VO. Again calculate the voltage gain and obtain the signals phase difference. You are required to create a frequency response table to tabulate your readings with frequency, input voltage, output, voltage gain, phase difference and phase angle as the table entry list. Produce all necessary readings to cover frequency band between 5 Hz and 100 KHz. Make sure the input voltage is always constant at all frequency settings. Plot the frequency response of (i) voltage gain in dB versus frequency, and (ii) phase response verses frequency on a semi-log paper. Explain and discuss your observation on the measured results. -12V
VDD

R1 8.2M Cc1 10nF rs 50 Vi Vs R2 1.2M G

RD 2.4k D 2N5461 S RS 2.7k

0.22uF

- Cs
+

Cp 1nF

Vo

4.7uF

Figure 4. The JFET circuit for determining gm and the frequency response experiment.
QUESTIONS

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Obtain the equivalent circuit for the circuit conducted in the experiment and state the value of the components constituted in this equivalent circuit. What are the measured values of fL, Avo and fH for the common-source amplifier in figure 4? Which capacitor affects on the lower cutoff frequency and the upper cutoff frequency of the amplifier circuit? What you can conclude about the capacitors impact on the cut-off frequencies when they are increased and decreased? Obtain the empirical function to describe the measured frequency response of the amplifier circuit? Give your comment on the measured frequency response.
Prepared by

Ismail Ariffin, Abd Rahim Rahman, Mohd Azhar Razak