ASSIGNMENT 1

ON TOPICS:
1. MOSFET as a switch
2. MOSFET as a resistor
3. MOSFET as a capacitor

Submitted By:
Arnon Pukhrambam
Trainee (KNK Technologies)
MOSFET AS A SWITCH:
An n-channel MOSFET turns on when some gate voltage is applied and the
applied voltage is more than or equal to the threshold voltage. Similarly for a p-
channel MOSFET, it turns on when gate voltage is less than or equal to the
threshold voltage. But normally a MOSFET is in off state. When we turn on the
MOSFET and apply some drain to source or source to drain voltage, an
inversion channel is formed and current starts flowing through the MOSFET
and the circuit is complete. So, using this we can use the MOSFET for
switching applications. In this case, the gate voltage applied acts as the knob of
a switch.

Fig. MOSFET as a SWITCH

Eg. Here in this figure, the MOSFET is used as a switch. When the applied gate
voltage is more than the threshold voltage, current starts flowing from VDD to
Ground and the LED is turned on. In normal case when gate voltage is not
applied, the MOSFET is off and hence the LED is off.
Another example of MOSFETS used for switching application is the CMOS. In
case of CMOS, there is no current (or very little current) flowing from VDD to
ground.
MOSFET AS A RESISTOR:
The MOSFET acts as a resistor in two cases.
1. As a resistor controlled by gate voltage when it is operating in linear
region.
2. As a resistor controlled by transconductance of the MOSFET when it is
operating in saturation region in when diode connected.

Fig. Output characteristics curve of n-channel MOSFET

As we can see from the o/p VI characteristics that the current ID increases in a
linear way with increase in voltage VDS. Which shows that the MOSFET in
this region follows ohms law. So, with change in VDS or ID we can also
manipulate the value of resistance offered by the MOSFET. In this case,
Resistance R offered by MOSFET is given by VDS/ID. And from the MOSFET
1
drain current equation, the resistance is given by µn cox (VGS −VTH ) for n-
W
L
channel MOSFET.
In the second case, the MOSFET acts as a resistor when it is connected in diode
connected fashion. Here, the gate and drain terminals of the MOSFET are
shorted together. The amount of voltage supplied at the drain is also supplied at
the gate hence keeping the MOSFET in saturation.

Fig (a) Diode connected NMOS Fig. (b) Diode connected PMOS
Here, VGS = VDS and VDS = VGS-VTH which means it is operating in
saturation.
When we calculate the small signal equivalent model, we get,

Fig. Small signal equivalent model of diode connected MOSFET

Here, Id = ix, Vx = V1 = VGS and VDS appears across ro1
VDS
Id = gm1 V1 + ro1

VDS
 Id = gm1 VDS + ro1 (since VGS = VDS)
1
 Id = (gm1 + ro1 ) VDS
1
1 ro 1
VDS gm1 1
 Id = gm 1+ 1 = 1 = gm 1 || ro1
ro 1 +ro1
gm1
1
So, the resistance offered by diode connected MOSFET is gm 1 || ro1 which
means that the transconductance of MOSFET controls the output current for a
unit change in drain voltage which is same as gate voltage.

MOSFET AS A CAPACITOR:
The formation of a capacitor includes two parallel metal plates kept at a
distance and a dielectric material kept between them acting as an insulating
medium. This is very much similar to the structure of a MOSFET. A metal plate
is used as a gate. An oxide layer is placed in the middle acting as the dielectric
material and the body is kept at the bottom which is a semiconductor material.
When some voltage is applied at the gate terminal of the MOSFET, the +ve
charges gathers on top of the metal plate. With the accumulation of charge
carriers on the metal plate, it attracts the minority charge carriers inside the
substrate. This is called attraction. After some time, the carriers start
accumulating on top of the body which is called accumulation. Finally, when
the number of majority and minority charge carriers are equal, an inversion
layer is fully formed. Now, this is very similar with the case of a capacitor. The
+ve charges on top of the metal layer, dielectric material at the middle and -ve
charges gathered at the inversion layer for NMOS capacitor.
This can be used as a capacitor to supply voltage these carriers accumulated
gets discharges when a discharge path is introduced.