STATIC CHARACTERISTICS OF POWER MOSFET

INTRODUCTION

A Metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) is a recent device

developed by combining the field effect concept and MOS technology.

In this experiment we are studying the V-I characteristics of MOSFET.

SPECIFICATIONS

Sl.No. SPECIFICATIONS RATINGS

1 Standard voltage rating of MOSFET used : 500 V

2 IRMS (RMS value of current) :5A
3 Fuse :1A

PROTECTIONS:

1. The device is mounted on proper heat sink.

2. Snubber circuit is provided for the dv/dt protection.
3. Fuse is provided for the over current protection.

FRONT PANEL DETAILS

1. The terminals of the MOSFET are connected to front panel and marked the terminals as
D for drain, G for gate and S for source.
2. A replaceable fuse is provided on front panel in series with the drain terminal.
3. Two variable power supplies are provided
i. 0V – 15V/250mA
ii. 0V – 35V/500mA.
4. Variable resistance (2.5 Kohms/25W) is provided for loading.
5. Three no’s digital meters are provided, one is digital ammeter for measuring ID and
another two for digital voltmeter for measuring gate source voltage VGS and drain source
 voltage VDS. The meters terminals are connected to the front panel and marked for easy
identification.
6. All the terminals are brought out to front panel through BTI-15 terminals for connections
purposes. Students should externally interconnect components and meters to get
characteristics.

HOW TO CONDUCT EXPERIMENT

AIM: To study the static characteristics of a MOSFET.

APPARATUS: MOSFET Characteristics study unit, connecting wires.

THEORY: A power MOSFET has three terminals called drain, source and gate. MOSFET is a
voltage controlled device. As its operation depends upon the flow of majority carriers only,
MOSFET is a unipolar device. The control signal, or gate current is lesser than a BJT. This is
because of fact that gate circuit impedance in MOSFET is extremely high, of the order of 109
ohm. This large impedance permits the MOSFET gate to be driven directly from microelectronic
circuits. Power MOSFET’s are now finding increasing applications in low-power high frequency
converters.

Power MOSFET’s are of two types; n-channel enhancement MOSFET and p-channel
enhancement MOSFET. Out of these two types, n-channel enhancement MOSFET is more
common because of higher mobility of electrons. As such, only this type of MOSFET is studied.

The symbol of MOSFET is shown in fig. 1.1 and a simplified structure of n-channel
planar MOSFET of low power rating is shown in fig. 1.2. On p-substrate (or body), two heavily
doped n+ regions are diffused as shown. An insulating layer of silicon dioxide (Sio2) is grown on
the surface. Now this insulating layer is etched in order to embed metallic source and drain
terminals. Note that n+ regions make contact with source and drain terminals as shown. A layer
of metal is also deposited on Sio2 layer so as to form the gate of MOSFET.
 When gate circuit is open, no current flows from drain to source and load because of one
reverse biased n+-p junction. When gate is made positive with respect to source, an electric field
is established as shown in fig. 1.2 eventually, induced negative charges in the p-substrate below
SiO2 layer are formed. These negative charges, called electrons, form n-channel and current can
flow from drain to source as shown by the arrow. If VGS is made more positive, n-channel
become more deep and therefore more current flows from D to S. This shows that drain current
ID is enhanced by the gradual increase of gate voltage, hence the name enhancement MOSFET.
OUTPUT CHARACTERISTICS

Power MOSFET output characteristics shown in fig. 2.1 indicate the variation of drain
current ID as a function of drain-source voltage VGS as a parameter. For low values of VDS the
graph between ID – VDS is almost linear; this indicates a constant value of on-resistance
RDS=VDS/ID. For given VGS, if VDS is increased, output characteristic is relatively flat indicating
that drain current is nearly constant.

TRANSFER CHARACTERISTICS

This characteristics shows the variation of drain current ID as a function of gate–source

voltage VGS. Fig. 2.2 shows typical transfer characteristics for n-channel power MOSFET. It is
seen that there is threshold voltage VGST below which the device is off.

PROCEDURE

OUTPUT CHARACTERISTICS

1. The connections are made as shown in the circuit diagram.

2. Switch on the equipment. Keep V DS say 10 V, vary VGS note down the range of VGS
for which drain current ID is varying for constant VGS.
3. Keep VGS constant (VGS must be within the range determined by step 2).
4. Vary VDS in steps, note down corresponding ID (refer table).
 5. Step 4 is repeated for one more VGS.
6. Plot a graph of ID against VDS for different VGS.

Sl. VGS1 = 3.40 V VGS2 = 3.50 V

No.
VDS in V ID i n m A VDS in V ID i n m A

TRANSFER CHARACTERISTICS:

1. The connections are made as shown in the circuit diagram.

2. Switch on the regulated power supplies. Keep VDS constant say 10V. Vary VGS in
steps, note down the corresponding ID.
3. Plot a graph of ID against VGS

Sl. VDS = 10 V
No.
VGS in V ID i n m A

NOTE: As the VGS voltage is increased to larger values then drain current ID increases where as
VDS decreases in this condition MOSFET works as a closed switch.

RESULT: Static characteristics of power MOSFET are drawn.