CHAPTER5MOSFIELDEFFECTTRANSISTORS(MOSFETs)

ChapterOutline
5.1DeviceStructureandPhysicalOperation
5.2CurrentVoltageCharacteristics
5.3MOSFETCircuitsatDC
5.4ApplyingtheMOSFETinAmplifierDesign
5.5SmallSignalOperationandModels
5.6BasicMOSFETAmplifierConfigurations
5.7BiasinginMOSAmplifierCircuits
5.8DiscreteCircuitMOSAmplifiers
5.9TheBodyEffectandOtherTopics

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5.1DeviceStructureandPhysicalOperation
DevicestructureofMOSFET

MOS metaloxidesemiconductorstructure
MOSFETisafourterminaldevice:gate(G),source(S),drain(D)andbody(B)
Thedevicesize(channelregion)isspecifiedbychannelwidth(W)andchannellength(L)
TwokindsofMOSFETs:nchannel(NMOS)andpchannel(PMOS)devices
Thedevicestructureisbasicallysymmetricintermsofdrainandsource
Sourceanddrainterminalsarespecifiedbytheoperationvoltage

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Operationwithzerogatevoltage
TheMOSstructureformaparallelplateplatecapacitorwithgateoxidelayerinthemiddle
Twopn junctions(SBandDB)areconnectedasbacktobackdiodes
Thesourceanddrainterminalsareisolatedbytwodepletionregionswithoutconductingcurrent
TheoperatingprincipleswillbeintroducedbyusingthenchannelMOSFETasanexample

Creatingachannelforcurrentflow
Positivechargesaccumulateingateasapositivevoltageappliestogateelectrode
Electricfieldformsadepletionregionbypushingholesinptypesubstrateawayfromthesurface
Electronsaccumulateonthesubstratesurfaceasgatevoltageexceedsathresholdvoltage Vt
Theinducedn regionthusformsachannel forcurrentflowfromdraintosource
Thechanneliscreatedbyinvertingthesubstratesurfacefromptypetontype inversionlayer
Thefieldcontrolstheamountofchargeinthechannelanddeterminesthechannelconductivity

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Applyingasmalldrainvoltage
ApositivevGS >Vt isusedtoinducethechannel nchannelenhancementtype MOSFET
FreeelectronstravelfromsourcetodrainthroughtheinducednchannelduetoasmallvDS
ThecurrentiD flowsfromdraintosource(oppositetothedirectionoftheflowofnegativecharge)
Thecurrentisproportionaltothenumberofcarriersintheinducedchannel
Thechanneliscontrolledbytheeffectivevoltage oroverdrivevoltage:vOV vGSVt
Theelectronchargeinthechannelduetotheoverdrivevoltage:|Q|=CoxWLvOV
GateoxidecapacitanceCox isdefinedascapacitanceperunitarea
MOSFETcanbeapproximatedasalinearresistorinthisregionwitharesistancevalueinversely
proportionaltotheexcessgatevoltage
iD (mA)
vGS =Vt +4V

0.4

vGS =Vt +3V

0.3

vGS =Vt +2V

0.2

vGS =Vt +1V

0.1

100

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vGS Vt
vDS (mV)

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Operationasincreasingdrainvoltage
AsvDS increases,thevoltagealongthechannelincreasesfrom0tovDS
ThevoltagebetweenthegateandthepointsalongthechanneldecreasesfromvGS atthesource
endto(vGSvDS)atthedrainend
SincetheinversionlayerdependsonthevoltagedifferenceacrosstheMOSstructure,increasing
vDS willresultinataperedchannel
TheresistanceincreasesduetotaperedchannelandtheiDvDS curveisnolongerastraightline
AtthepointvDSsat =vGSVt ,thechannelispinchedoffatthedrainside
IncreasingvDS beyondthisvaluehaslittleeffectonthechannelshapeandiD saturatesatthisvalue
Trioderegion:vDS <vDSsat
Saturationregion:vDS vDSsat
Gate
vGS Vt

vGS

vDS

0
Source

Channel

Drain

vDS

vDS =0
vDS =vGS Vt

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DerivationoftheIVrelationship
InducedchargeinthechannelduetoMOScapacitor:
QI ( x) Cox [vGS Vt v( x)]

EquivalentresistancedR alongthechannel:
dR

dx
dx

qn( x) n h( x)W nWQI ( x)

IVderivations:
dv iD dR
v DS

C
n

iD dx
iD dx

nWQI ( x) nCoxW [vGS Vt v( x)]

L

W [vGS Vt v( x)]dv iD dx

ox

iD nCox

W
1 2
[(vGS Vt )vDS vDS
]
L
2

Processtransconductance parameter(A/V2):kn=nCox
Aspectratio:W/L
Transconductance parameter(A/V2):kn=nCox(W/L)
DraincurrentofMOSFETs:
1 2
]
Trioderegion: iD k n [(vGS Vt )vDS vDS
Saturationregion: iDsat

2
1
k n (vGS Vt ) 2
2

Onresistance(channelresistanceforsmallvDS):
rDS 1 / k n (vGS Vt )

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ThepchannelenhancementtypeMOSFET
pchannelenhancedtypeMOSFETsarefabricatedonntypesubstratewithp+ sourceandp+ drain
Normally,sourceisconnectedtohighvoltageanddrainisconnectedtolowvoltage
Asanegativevoltageappliestothegate,theresultingfieldpusheselectronsinntypesubstrateaway
fromthesurface,leavingbehindacarrierdepletionregion
Asgatevoltageexceedsanegativethresholdvoltage Vt ,holesaccumulateonthesubstratesurface
Aptypechannel(inversionlayer)isinducedforcurrentflowfromsourcetodrain
Negativegatevoltageisrequiredtoinducethechannel enhancementtype MOSFET

ComplementaryMOS(CMOS)
CMOStechnologyemploysbothPMOSandNMOSdevices
Ifsubstrateisptype,PMOStransistorsareformedinn well(ntypebodyneeded)
Ifsubstrateisntype,NMOStransistorsareformedinp well(ptypebodyneeded)
Thesubstrateandwellareconnectedtovoltageswhichreversebiasthejunctionsfordeviceisolation

Exercise5.1(Textbook)
Exercise5.2(Textbook)

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5.2CurrentVoltageCharacteristics
Circuitsymbol
nchannelenhancementmodeMOSFET

Thecurrentvoltagecharacteristics
Cutoffregion:(vGS Vt)
iD 0
Trioderegion:(vGS >Vt andvDS <vGSVt)
iD nCox

W
1 2
]
[(vGS Vt )vDS vDS
L
2

Saturation:(vGS >Vt andvDS vGSVt)

1
2

iD nCox

W
(vGS Vt ) 2
L

largesignalmodel(saturation)

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Channellengthmodulation
ThechannelpinchoffpointmovesslightlyawayfromdrainasvDS >vDSsat
Theeffectivechannellength(Leff)reduceswithvDS
Electronstraveltopinchoffpointwillbeswepttodrainbyelectricfield
ThelengthaccountedforconductanceinthechannelisreplacedbyLeff :
vGS Vt

Leff

k W [vGS Vt v( x)]dv
'
n

dx

L
1 ' W
1
1 W
W
(vGS Vt ) 2 k n'
(vGS Vt ) 2 k n' (vGS Vt ) 2 (1
)
kn
2 L
2 Leff
2 L L
L
L
1 W
assuming that
vDS iD k n'
(vGS Vt ) 2 (1 vDS )
2 L
L

iD

Finiteoutputresistance
ro [

iD 1
1
k' W
V
]vGS constant [ n (vGS Vt ) 2 ]1
A
vDS
2 L
I D I D

VA (Earlyvoltage)=1/ isproportionaltochannellength:VA =VAL

VA isprocesstechnologydependentwithatypicalvaluefrom5~50V/m
DuetothedependenceofiD onvDS,MOSFETshowsfiniteoutputresistance insaturationregion
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Thebodyeffect
TheBSandBDjunctionshouldbereversebiasedforthedevicetofunctionproperly
Normally,thebodyofanchannelMOSFETisconnectedtothemostnegativevoltage
ThedepletionregionwidensinBSandBDjunctionsandunderthechannelasVSB increases
Bodyeffect:Vt increasesduetotheexcesschargeinthedepletionregionunderthechannel
Thebodyeffectcancauseconsiderabledegradationincircuitperformance
Thresholdvoltage:
Vt Vt 0 [ 2 f VSB 2 f ]
where

2qN A Si
Cox

and f

kT
N
ln( A )
q
ni

Currentequations:
W
1 2
]
[(vGS Vt )vDS vDS
L
2
1
W
nCox (vGS Vt ) 2
2
L

iD nCox
iDsat

Temperatureeffect
Vt decreasesby~2mVforevery1Crise iD increaseswithtemperature
kn decreaseswithtemperature iD decreaseswithincreasingtemperature
Foragivenbiasvoltage,theoverallobservedeffectofatemperatureincreaseisadecreaseiniD

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Breakdownandinputprotection
Weakavalanche
pn junctionbetweenthedrainandsubstratesuffersavalanchebreakdownasVDS increases
Largedraincurrentisobserved
Typicalbreakdownvoltage20~150V
Punchthrough
Occursatlowervoltage(~20V)forshortchanneldevices
Draincurrentincreasesrapidlyasthedraindepletionregionextendsthroughthechannel
Doesnotresultinpermanentdamagetothedevice
Gateoxidebreakdown
Gateoxidebreakdownoccurswhengatetosourcevoltageexceeds30V
Permanentdamagetothedevice
InputProtection
ProtectioncircuitisneededfortheinputterminalsofMOSintegratedcircuits
Usingclampingdiodefortheinputprotection

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ThepchannelenhancementtypeMOSFET

ForaPMOS,thesourceisconnectedtohighvoltageandthedrainisconnectedtolowvoltage
ToinducethepchannelfortheMOSFET,anegativevGS isrequired Vt (thresholdvoltage)<0V
Thebodyisnormallyconnectedtothemostpositivevoltage

Thecurrentvoltagecharacteristics
Cutoffregion:(vGS Vtp)
iD 0
Trioderegion:(vGS <Vtp andvDS >vGSVtp)
W

iD p Cox L [(vGS Vtp )vDS 2 vDS ]

Saturation:(vGS <Vtp andvDS vGSVtp)
1

2
iD 2 p Cox L (vGS Vtp )
Transconductance parameterkp =pCox 0.4kn
ThevaluesofvGS ,vDS ,Vt and forpchannelMOSFEToperationareallnegative
DraincurrentiD isstilldefinedasapositivecurrent

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Exercise5.4(Textbook)
Exercise5.5(Textbook)
Exercise5.6(Textbook)
Exercise5.7(Textbook)

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5.3MOSFETCircuitsatDC
DCanalysisforMOSFETcircuits
Assumetheoperationmodeandsolvethedcbiasutilizingthecorrespondingcurrentequation
Verifytheassumptionwithterminalvoltages(cutoff,triodeandsaturation)
Ifthesolutionisinvalid,changetheassumptionofoperationmodeandanalyzeagain

DCanalysisexample

AssumingMOSFETinsaturation
1 W
VSS VGS I D RS VGS k n' (VGS Vt ) 2 RS
2 L
VGS 3V or 1V (not a valid solution)

AssumingMOSFETinsaturation
VGS 3V and VDS 1.696V

VDS <VGS Vt notinsaturation!

(VDS =4V) (VGS Vt =1V) saturation

AssumingMOSFETintriode
W
1 2
I D kn' [(VGS Vt )VDS VDS
]
L
2
VGS I D RS VSS
VDS I D ( RD RS ) VDD VSS
VGS 3.35V , VDS 0.35V and I D 0.33mA

VDS <VGS Vt intriode

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Exercise5.8(Textbook)
Exercise5.9(Textbook)
Exercise5.10(Textbook)
Example5.5(Textbook)
Example5.6(Textbook)
Exercise5.12(Textbook)
Example5.7(Textbook)
Example5.8(Textbook)

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5.4ApplyingtheMOSFETinAmplifierDesign
MOSFETvoltageamplifier
MOSFETwitharesistiveloadRD canbeusedasavoltageamplifier
Thevoltagetransfercharacteristic(VTC)
TheplotofvI (vGS)versusvO (vDS)
DCanalysisasvGS increasesfrom0toVDD
Cutoffmode:(0V vGS <Vt)
iD 0
vO vDS VDD
Saturationmode:(vGS >Vt)
1
2
iD 2 kn (vGS Vt )
1

2
vO vDS VDD 2 kn (vGS Vt ) RD

Triodemode:(vGS furtherincreases)
1 2
]
iD kn [(vGS Vt )vDS vDS
2

1
2

2
vO vDS VDD kn [(vGS Vt )vDS vDS ]RD

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BiasingtheMOSFETtoobtainlinearamplification
TheslopeintheVTCindicatesvoltagegain
MOSFETinsaturationcanbeusedasvoltageamplification
PointQ isknownasbiaspointordcoperatingpoint
1
2

VDS VDD kn (VGS Vt ) 2 RD

ThesignaltobeamplifiedissuperimposedonVBE
vGS(t)=VGS+vgs(t)
ThetimevaryingpartinvGS(t)istheamplifiedsignal
Thecircuitcanbeusedasalinearamplifierif:
Aproperbiaspointischosenforgain
Theinputsignalissmallinamplitude

Thesmallsignalvoltagegain
TheamplifiergainistheslopeatQ:
Av

dvDS
dvGS

vGS VGS

k n (VGS Vt ) RD k nVOV RD

Maximumvoltagegainoftheamplifier
| Av ||

I D RD
V
| DD | Av max |
VOV / 2 VOV / 2

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DeterminingtheVTCbygraphicalanalysis
Providesmoreinsightintothecircuitoperation
Loadline:thestraightlinerepresentsineffecttheload
iD =(VDDvDS)/RD
Theoperatingpointistheintersectionpoint

LocatingthebiaspointQ
Thebiaspoint(intersection)isdeterminedbyproperlychoosingtheloadline
TheoutputvoltageisboundedbyVDD (upperbound)andVOV(lowerbound)
Theloadlinedeterminesthevoltagegain
Thebiaspointdeterminesthemaximumupper/lowervoltageswingoftheamplifier

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5.5SmallSignalOperationandModels
TheDCbiaspoint
MOSFETinsaturation
1
1
Draincurrent: I D kn (VGS Vt ) 2 knVOV2
Drainvoltage: VDS

2
2
VDD I D RD VOV

Thesmallsignalcircuitparametersaredeterminedbythebiaspoint

Thesignalsignaloperation
Thesmallsignaldraincurrent:
vGS VGS vgs
1 'W
1 W
1 W 2
W
(VGS Vt ) 2 k n'
(VGS Vt )vgs k n'
k n (VGS vgs Vt ) 2 k n'
vgs
2 L
2 L
2 L
L
1 W
W
(VGS Vt ) 2 kn'
(VGS Vt )vgs I D id
k n'
2 L
L
W
(VGS Vt )v gs
id k n'
L

iD

Thesmallsignalvoltagegain:
vD VDD iD RD VDD ( I D id ) RD VD id Rd VD vd
vd id RD k n
Av

W
VOV RD vgs
L

vd
W
k n VOV RD
vgs
L

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Thesmallsignalparameters
Transconductance(gm):describeshowid changewithvgs
gm

id
i
D
vgs vGS

vGS VGS

k n'

W
W
(VGS Vt ) 2k n'
ID
L
L

Outputresistance(ro):describeshowid changewithvds
ro [

1
V
iD 1
]vGS constant
A
vDS
I D I D

DraincurrentvarieswithvDS duetochannellengthmodulation
Finitero tomodelthelineardependenceofiDonvDS
Theeffectcanbeneglectedifro issufficientlylarge
Bodytransconductance(gmb):describeshowid changeswithvbs
1 'W
k n (vGS Vt ) 2
2 L
i
i Vt
W
V
Vt
(vGS Vt ) t g m
g mb D vGS constant D
k n'
vBS vDS constant Vt vBS
L
vBS
vSB

iD

Vt Vt 0 [ 2F vSB 2F ] where 2qN A Si / Cox

Vt

vSB
2 2F VSB
g mb g m

+
+
vgs
gmvgs

gmbvbs

D
B

ro vbs

ThebodyeffectoftheMOSFETismodeledbygmb
Canbeneglectedifbodyandsourceareconnectedtogether
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Thesmallsignalequivalentcircuitmodels
Hybrid model

Neglectro

Tmodel

Neglectro

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5.6BasicMOSFETAmplifierConfiguration
Threebasicconfigurations
CommonSource(CS)

CommonGete(CG)

CommonDrain(CD)

Characterizingamplifiers
TheMOSFETcircuitscanbecharacterizedbyavoltageamplifiermodel(unilateralmodel)
TheelectricalpropertiesoftheamplifierisrepresentedbyRin,Ro andAvo
Theanalysisisbasedonthesmallsignalorlinearequivalentcircuit(dccomponentsnotincluded)
vo
RL

Avo
vi RL Ro
v
Rin
Rin
RL
Overallvoltagegain: Gv o
Av
Avo
vsig Rin Rsig
Rin Rsig RL Rso

Voltagegain: Av

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Thecommonsource(CS)amplifier
CharacteristicparametersoftheCSamplifier
Inputresistance: Rin
Outputresistance: Ro RD || ro RD
Opencircuitvoltagegain: Avo g m ( RD || ro ) g m RD
Voltagegain: Av g m ( RD || RL || ro ) g m ( RD || RL )
Overallvoltagegain: Gv

r
r
g m ( RD || RL || ro ) g m
( RD || RL )
r Rsig
r Rsig

CSamplifiercanprovidehighvoltagegain
Inputandoutputareoutofphaseduetonegativegain
Outputresistanceismoderatetohigh
SmallRD reducesRo atthecostofvoltagegain

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Thecommonsource(CS)withasourceresistance
Characteristicparameters(byneglectingro)
Inputresistance:
Rin

Outputresistance:
Ro RD

Opencircuitvoltagegain:
Avo

g m RD
1 g m Rs

Voltagegain:
Av

g m ( RD || RL )
1 g m Rs

Overallvoltagegain:
Gv

g m ( RD || RL )
1 g m Rs

SourcedegenerationresistanceRs isadopted
Gainisreducedbythefactor(1+gmRs)
Consideredanegativefeedbackoftheamplifier

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Thecommongate(CG)amplifier
CharacteristicparametersoftheCGamplifier(byneglectingro)
Inputresistance: Rin 1 / g m
Outputresistance: Ro RD
Opencircuitvoltagegain: Avo g m RD
Voltagegain: Av g m ( RD || RL )
Overallvoltagegain: Gv

1
g m ( RD || RL )
1 g m Rsig

CGamplifiercanprovidehighvoltagegain
Inputandoutputareinphaseduetopositivegain
Inputresistanceisverylow
AsingleCGstageisnotsuitableforvoltageamplification
Outputresistanceismoderatetohigh
SmallRD reducesRo atthecostofvoltagegain
Theamplifierisnolongerunilateralifro isincluded

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Thecommoncollector(CD)amplifier
CharacteristicparametersoftheCDamplifier(byneglectingro)
Inputresistance: Rin
Outputresistance: Ro 1 / g m
Voltagegain: Av RL /( RL 1 / g m ) g m RL /( g m RL 1) 1
Overallvoltagegain: Gv ( RL ) /( RL 1 / g m ) g m RL /( g m RL 1) 1
CDamplifierisalsocalledsourcefollower.
Inputresistanceisveryhigh
Outputresistanceisverylow
Thevoltagegainislessthanbutcanbecloseto1
CDamplifiercanbeusedasvoltagebuffer

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5.7BiasinginMOSAmplifierCircuits
DCbiasforMOSFETamplifier
Theamplifiersareoperatingataproperdcbiaspoint
Linearsignalamplificationisprovidedbasedonsmallsignalcircuitoperation
TheDCbiascircuitistoensuretheMOSFETinsaturationwithapropercollectorcurrentID

Biasingbyfixinggatetosourcevoltage

1
2

1
2

FixthedcvoltageVGS tospecifythesaturationcurrentoftheMOSFET: I D kn (VGS Vt ) 2 kn (VG Vt ) 2

BiascurrentdeviatesfromthedesirablevalueduetovariationsinthedeviceparametersVt andn

Biasingbyfixinggatevoltageandconnectingasourceresistance
1
2

1
I D kn (VGS Vt ) 2
Thebiasconditionisspecifiedby:and
VG VGS kn (VGS Vt ) 2 RS
2

Draincurrenthasbettertolerancetovariationsinthedeviceparameters

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Biasingusingadraintogatefeedbackresistor
Asinglepowersupplyisneeded
RG ensurestheMOSFETinsaturation(VGS =VDS)
MOSFEToperatingpoint: VDD VGS 1 k n (VGS Vt ) 2
RD

ThevalueofthefeedbackresistorRG affectsthesmallsignalgain

Biasingusingaconstantcurrentsource
TheMOSFETcanbebiasedwithaconstantcurrentsourceI
TheresistorRD ischosentooperatetheMOSFETinactivemode
Thecurrentsourceistypicallyacurrentmirror
Currentmirrorcircuit:
MOSFETsQ1 andQ2 areinsaturation
ThereferencecurrentIREF =I =ID
VDD VGS 1
k n (VGS Vt ) 2
R
2
1
I REF k n (VGS Vt ) 2
2

Whenapplyingtotheamplifiercircuit,thevoltage
VD2 hastobehighenoughtoensureQ2 insaturation

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Example5.12(Textbook)
Exercise5.33(Textbook)
Exercise5.34(Textbook)
Exercise5.35(Textbook)
Exercise5.36(Textbook)

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5.8DiscreteCircuitMOSAmplifiers
Circuitanalysis:
DCanalysis:
Removeallacsources(shortforvoltagesourceandopenforcurrentsource)
Allcapacitorsareconsideredopencircuit
DCanalysisofMOSFETcircuitsforallnodalvoltagesandbranchcurrents
FindthedccurrentID andmakesuretheMOSFETisinsaturation
ACanalysis:
Removealldcsources(shortforvoltagesourceandopenforcurrentsource)
Alllargecapacitorsareconsideredshortcircuit
ReplacetheMOSFETwithitssmallsignalmodelforacanalysis
ThecircuitparametersinthesmallsignalmodelareobtainedbasedonthevalueofID
Completeamplifiercircuit

DCequivalentcircuit

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Thecommonsource(CS)amplifier

Thecommonsourceamplifierwithasourceresistance

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Thecommongate(CG)amplifier

Thecommondrain(CD)amplifier

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Theamplifierfrequencyresponse
Thegainfallsoffatlowfrequencybandduetotheeffectsofthecouplingandbypasscapacitors
ThegainfallsoffathighfrequencybandduetotheinternalcapacitiveeffectsintheMOSFETs
Midband:
Allcouplingandbypasscapacitors(largecapacitance)areconsideredshortcircuit
Allinternalcapacitiveeffects(smallcapacitance)areconsideredopencircuit
Midband gainisnearlyconstantandisevaluatedbysmallsignalanalysis
ThebandwidthisdefinedasBW =fH fL
AfigureofmeritfortheamplifierisitsgainbandwidthproductdefinedasGB =|AM|BW

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Exercise5.37(Textbook)
Exercise5.38(Textbook)
Exercise5.39(Textbook)
Exercise5.40(Textbook)
Exercise5.41(Textbook)

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