Laboratory 8:

MOSFET Basics

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Electronics 315-01

Spring 2017

Dr. Fan Jiang

Lauren Kerstetter

Mark Yurkovich

Performed: 3/27/17

Due: 4/05/17
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Objective:

The purpose of this lab was to become familiarized with the different operational

modes of an n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFET),

and to compare the electrical responses of MOSFET and BJT in amplifier circuits.

Introduction:

Of the two major types of three-terminal semiconductor devices, MOSFET has become

more widely used in electronic devices due to the many advantages it offers over the bipolar-

junction transistor (BJT). Compared to the BJT, a MOSFET can be made smaller, is simpler to

manufacture, requires less power to operate, and allows for circuits with very few resistors.

Figure 1: n-channel MOSFET

There are two types of MOSFET: n-channel (NMOS), and p-channel (PMOS). A

schematic diagram of an NMOS, like the one used in this lab, is depicted in Figure 1. The NMOS

consists of a p-type substrate, two heavily-doped n-type regions for the source and drain, a thin

layer of silicon dioxide, and four metal contacts (S, G, D, B) as shown. The region between the

source and drain is called the channel region. The channel region has a typical length between

0.03 um and 1 um, and a typical width between 0.1 um and 100 um. This width to length ratio is

known as the aspect ratio of the transistor, and is significant in the equation...
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When zero voltage is applied to the gate, the interfaces between the p-type substrate and

the heavily-doped n-type regions act like two back-to-back pn-junctions. The result is zero

current from the drain to the source. With the body, source, and drain grounded, a small positive

voltage applied at the gate will repel all the holes in the substrate, while attracting the electrons in

the source and drain to fill the channel region. When enough electrons have accumulated in the

channel region, current can flow. The gate-source voltage at which this occurs is known as the

threshold voltage, and is typically between 0.3 V to 0.5 V. The amount by which the gate voltage

exceeds the threshold voltage is known as the effective voltage, or the overdrive voltage, and

expressed as

VOV = VGS-VTH (1)

where,

VOV = overdrive voltage

VGS = gate-source voltage

VTH = threshold voltage

The silicon dioxide layer serves as a dielectric between two capacitor plates, i.e. the

gate and p-type substrate, as positive and negative charges accumulate on either side. The

capacitance of this configuration is called oxide capacitance, and is given by

COX = /t (2)

where,

COX = oxide capacitance

= dielectric permeability

t = oxide layer thickness

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When current is able to flow through the MOSFET, it may be prudent to apply a voltage

between the drain and source. While the applied voltage is small, one may assume that the n-

channel is of uniform width, and that the current through the drain is

ID=[(nCOX)(W/L)VOV]VDS (3)

where,

ID = drain current

n = negative charge carrier concentration

COX = oxide capacitance

W/L = aspect ratio

VOV=overdrive voltage

VDS = drain-source voltage

Since all quantities in Equation 3 are constant except VOV, it suggests a linear relationship

between the drain current and the drain-source voltage. Therefore, when the applied drain-source

voltage is small, the MOSFET is simply a resistor, with an on-resistance given by

Ron = 1/[(nCOX)(W/L)VOV] (4)

From Equation 4, it is evident that this resistance is controlled by VGS, which is why the

MOSFET can be used as a voltage-controlled resistor. Also from Equations 1 and 4, when

VGS=VTH, VOV=0, and hence, Ron=infinity. Therefore, the MOSFET can also be used as a switch.

Materials and Methods:

Part I: Common-Source NMOS Amplifier

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The circuit shown in Figure 2 was constructed on a breadboard using a 10k resistor, a

100k resistor, a DC power supply, and a 2N7000 NMOS. With the gate and drain connected to

different output channels of the DC power supply, and the drain voltage set to a constant 5V, the

gate voltage was varied from 0 to 5V in 0.5V increments. This data was recorded in Microsoft

Excel, and was then used to generate plots of both the drain voltage and the drain current against

the gate voltage. The drain current was calculated from the voltage drop across the 10k resistor

by employing KVL, where ID=VDD-VDS/RD.

Figure 2: Common-source NMOS amplifier circuit.

Part II: Followers

The follower circuits shown in Figures 3 and 4 were constructed so that the output signals

of each could be compared. Each used a 100 resistor (R1), a10k resistor (R2), a 5.1k resistor

(R3), and a DC power supply. The source follower in Figure 3 used the 2N7000 NMOS, while

the emitter follower in Figure 4 used a 2N2222 BJT. A constant 5V was applied to both the drain

of the NMOS and the collector of the BJT, while a 5V triangular signal, with zero DC offset, at

1.1 kHz, was applied to points A as shown. The waveforms at points A, B, and C for each circuit
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were observed by using three different oscilloscope channels, and then used to compare the BJT

signal to the MOSFET signal.

The voltage difference between points B and C indicates the ability for the output to

follow the input. The voltage difference between points A and B indicates how much current is

drawn from the input signal. These values were recorded for both circuits using a digital multi-

meter.

Figure 3: Source follower circuit.

Results and Discussion:

Part I
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Drain Voltage vs. Gate Voltage

6

5
Drain Volltage (VD)

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5
Gate Voltage (VG)

Plot 1: Drain Voltage vs Gain Voltage

Drain Current vs. Gate Voltage

0.0006

0.0005
Drain Current (ID)

0.0004

0.0003

0.0002

0.0001

0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Gate Volltage (VG)

Plot 2: Drain Current vs Gain Voltage

Part II
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Figure 4: MOSFET triangular output waveforms on oscilloscope

[Terminal Colors (Yellow: A, Blue: B, Green C)]

Figure 5: BJT triangular output waveforms on oscilloscope

[Terminal Colors (Yellow: A, Blue: B, Green C)]

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MOSFET BJT

VAB = 4.340 V VAB = 0.585 V

VBC = 13.0 mV VBC = 10.4 mV

Table 1: BJT vs MOSFET measured data values

Conclusion:

This laboratory presented a series of questions that must be answered in order to

get a better understanding about NMOS MOSFET in a circuit. The first question that the

laboratory presents is:

Is there a difference in the input voltage and the voltage at the gate?

The question is referring to the first portion of the laboratory for the circuit

displayed in Figure 2. In fact, the answer is, yes; there is a difference between the input

voltage and the gate voltage that can be observed. The difference is small, and VGS

increases as Vin increases. The results for this are seen in the data of Plot 1 making the

waterfall shaped graph.

When comparing the BJT data from previous laboratories and the NMOSFET

from this laboratory, there is a noticeable difference in the turn-on voltages between the

two transistors. The voltage at which the transistor starts to turn on is called the threshold

voltage. The next question that must be asked in this laboratory is:

What is the threshold voltage of the given transistor?

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After looking at the data collected, there is an obvious change in data where the

transistor definitely turns on. Looking at Plot 2 the data starts out with a consistently

horizontal line. At about 2 Volts the transistor reaches its threshold voltage.

Part II of the laboratory required to compare Figure 3 with a BJT and MOSFET

interchanged. The output voltages and waveforms were recorded and observed. Figure 4

and Figure 5 show the output waveforms at each terminal (A, B, C). The Green

waveform is where the 2 graphs differ completely; this is due to the MOSFET having a

smaller terminal C (Green values). The special thing about the MOSFET when Compared

to the BJT is that it is more efficient than the BJT. Starting at 5V and moving in small

increments toward 0V the MOSFET turned on at 4.340 V, whereas; the BJT turned on at

0.585 V as shown in Table 1.

References:

Razavi, Behzad, Fundamentals of Microelectronics, 2nd ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Hoboken, NJ, 2014