Scribd
Upload
171 views

(English) How A MOSFET Works - With Animation! - Intermediate Electronics (DownSub - Com)

This document provides an overview of how MOSFET transistors operate. It explains that MOSFETs use a metal oxide semiconductor structure and an applied electric field from the gate terminal to control current flow between the source and drain terminals. The document details the makeup and layers of an NMOS transistor, describes how varying the gate voltage changes the conductivity of the channel between source and drain, and defines the different operating regions of a MOSFET.

Uploaded by

Egis Shega
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
171 views

(English) How A MOSFET Works - With Animation! - Intermediate Electronics (DownSub - Com)

This document provides an overview of how MOSFET transistors operate. It explains that MOSFETs use a metal oxide semiconductor structure and an applied electric field from the gate terminal to control current flow between the source and drain terminals. The document details the makeup and layers of an NMOS transistor, describes how varying the gate voltage changes the conductivity of the channel between source and drain, and defines the different operating regions of a MOSFET.

Uploaded by

Egis Shega
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

Let’s talk about FETs or, specifically,

MOSFETs.

We’ve done videos about bipolar junction


transistors, or BJTs, and while MOSFETs may

also be transistors and share many similar


properties superficially, the way they operate

is completely different. 

MOSFET stands for Metal Oxide Semiconductor


Field Effect Transistor.

Right now, that may just seem like random


words mashed together but once you understand

how it works, this name will make perfect


sense.

MOSFETs still act like switches, by varying


the voltage on one terminal, the gate, it

changes the resistance between the other two


terminals, the source and drain. 

Let’s discuss the makeup of a MOSFET, using


an NMOS in enhancement mode as an example.  

With an NMOS, you have a p-type substrate


that you then create two heavily doped n-type

regions. 

These two regions are called the source and


the drain region.

With our knowledge of semiconductors, you


can see that you’re creating a PN junction

between the substrate and these two regions. 

On top of the substrate, an oxide, which acts


as an insulator, is deposited.

Then, on top of that, a layer of metal is


deposited, which finalizes the gate structure.

Now you can see where the Metal Oxide Semiconductor


in MOSFET comes from. 

But it may seem strange to have your gate


being completely electrically isolated from

the rest of the circuit.

This is where the FET term comes in.

Even though there isn’t a direct electrical


connection, the voltage on the gate creates

a field effect.

As we know from our studies about diodes,


at a PN junction, a depletion region is naturally

created even when there are no electric fields. 

This is the natural state when the gate voltage


is 0, and the MOSFET is operating in the “cutoff

region”.

This is an operating region, not a physical


region, which can be confusing. 

If you increase the gate voltage, that positive


voltage will repel holes in the substrate

away from the area between the source and


drain, an area called the channel region,

this time a physical region. 

As the free holes leave the channel, only


negative fixed ions are left, creating a depletion

region across the entire channel.

Besides this depletion region, an inversion


layer of electrons starts to form at the source

and, as the voltage increases, that inversion


layer expands toward the drain. 

However, at this point, when the gate threshold


is not yet equal to the threshold voltage,

free carriers do not yet connect all the way


from the source to the drain.

This area of operation is called the saturation


or pinch-off region.

However, as the gate voltage continues to


increase, increasing the electric field, and

finally passes the threshold voltage, electrons


from the source and drain flow in and form

an inversion layer of electrons that connect


the source and drain regions. 

Now that they’re connected, if a voltage


is applied across the source and drain, a

current will flow.


The MOSFET is now operating in the linear
or triode region.

So this is how, using a metal oxide semiconductor


structure, you can use the field effect of

a gate voltage to create a semiconductor switch. 

And to get a PMOS device, you have an n-type


substrate and heavily p doped wells for your

source and drain, and the current carriers


are holes instead of electrons. 

Also, I mentioned earlier that this is an


example of an enhancement mode device.

It’s called an enhancement mode device because


an increased gate voltage “enhances” the

conductivity of the channel. 

Some MOSFET’s are designed so that they


naturally have a conductive channel and a

negative gate voltage is needed to actively


turn it “off”, and these are called depletion-mode

devices.

Conceptually, that’s basically all you need


to know to understand the mechanics behind

MOSFETs, for the most part, everything stems


from those operating principles. 

But there are a few things that I’d be remiss


to not mention that can affect their operation.

First is the channel length, L - the distance


between the source and drain. 

Second is the channel width, W - which is


how long the source and drain are.

These two features are very important when


it comes to designing a MOSFET.

Third, in this example, we assumed that the


substrate, or base, was connected to ground. 

That’s usually the case but not always.

No matter what, you need to make sure that


the source and drain are at equal or higher

voltage potentials than the substrate or else


you will forward bias that PN junction and
get an unwanted current.

This topic can be surprisingly confusing and


I personally believe that it’s in large

part due to the amount of terms, especially


those that stand for the same thing, such

as linear, triode, and ohmic to describe the


same region. 

Unfortunately, that’s just the reality of


the situation and it will just get easier

with experience and familiarity.

I hope that this at least gives you a good


foundation as you start to use or design MOSFET

transistors, so you have an intuitive understanding


of how these operate.

If you liked this video, or you found it interesting,


please subscribe to our channel, go to circuitbread.com

and we’ll catch you in the next one.

You might also like