Chapter 8:

FET Amplifiers
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Introduction
FETs provide:

Excellent voltage gain
High input impedance
Low-power consumption
Good frequency range
2
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
FET Small-Signal Model
Transconductance

The relationship of a change in I
D
to the corresponding change in
V
GS
is called transconductance

Transconductance is denoted g
m
and given by:

GS
D
m
V
I
g

=
3
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Graphical Determination of g
m
4
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Mathematical Definitions of g
m
GS
D
m
V
I
g
A
A
=
(

=
P
GS
P
DSS
m
V
V
1
V
2I
g
P
DSS
m0
V
2I
g =
(

=
P
GS
m0 m
V
V
1 g g
DSS
D
P
GS
I
I
V
V
1 =
DSS
D
m0
P
GS
m0 m
I
I
g
V
V
1 g g =
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
Where V
GS
=0V
Where
5
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
O =
i
Z
os
d o
y
1
r Z = =
constant V
D
DS
d
GS
I
V
r
=
=
A
A
Input impedance:

FET Impedance
Output Impedance:
where:
y
os
= admittance parameter listed on FET specification sheets.
6
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
FET AC Equivalent Circuit
7
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Common-Source (CS) Fixed-Bias Circuit
The input is on the gate and the
output is on the drain
8
There is a 180 phase shift
between input and output
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Calculations
G i
R Z =
d D o
r || R Z =

10R r
D o
D d
R Z
>
~
Input impedance:
Output impedance:
9
) R || (r g
V
V
A
D d m
i
o
v
= =
D d
10R r
D m
i
o
v
R g
V
V
A
>
= =
Voltage gain:
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Common-Source (CS) Self-Bias Circuit
This is a common-source amplifier
configuration, so the input is on the gate
and the output is on the drain
10
There is a 180 phase shift between
input and output
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Calculations
G i
R Z =
D d o
R || r Z =

10R r
D o
D d
R Z
>
~
Input impedance:
Output impedance:
11
) R || (r g A
D d m v
=
D d
10R r
D m v
R g A
>
=
Voltage gain:
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Common-Source (CS) Self-Bias Circuit

Removing C
s
affects
the gain of the circuit.
12
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Calculations
G i
R Z =

10R r
D o
D d
R Z
>
~
Input impedance:
Output impedance:
13
d
S D
S m
D m
i
o
v
r
R R
R g 1
R g
V
V
A
+
+ +
= =
) R (R 0 1 r
S m
D m
i
o
v
S D d
R g 1
R g
V
V
A
+ >
+
= =
Voltage gain:
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Common-Source (CS) Voltage-Divider Bias
This is a common-source
amplifier configuration, so the
input is on the gate and the
output is on the drain.
14
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Impedances
2 1 i
R || R Z =
D d o
R || r Z =

10R r
D o
D d
R Z
>
~
Input impedance:
Output impedance:
15
) R || (r g A
D d m v
=
D d
10R r
D m v
R g A
>
=
Voltage gain:
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Source Follower (Common-Drain) Circuit
In a common-drain amplifier
configuration, the input is on the
gate, but the output is from the
source.
16
There is no phase shift between
input and output.
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Impedances
m
S d o
g
1
|| R || r Z =
S d
10R r
m
S o

g
1
|| R Z
>
~
G i
R Z =
Input impedance:
Output impedance:
17
) R || (r g 1
) R || (r g
V
V
A
S d m
S d m
i
o
v
+
= =
10 r
S m
S m
i
o
v
d
R g 1
R g
V
V
A
>
+
= =
Voltage gain:
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Common-Gate (CG) Circuit
The input is on the source
and the output is on the
drain.
18
There is no phase shift
between input and output.
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Calculations
Input impedance:
Output impedance:
(

+
+
=
d m
D d
S i
r g 1
R r
|| R Z
D d
10R r
m
S i
g
1
|| R Z
>
~
d D o
r || R Z =
10 r D o
d
R Z
>
~
19
(

+
(

+
= =
d
D
d
D
D m
i
o
v
r
R
1
r
R
R g
V
V
A

10R r D m v
D d
R g A
>
=
Voltage gain:
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
D-Type MOSFET AC Equivalent
20
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
E-Type MOSFET AC Equivalent
g
m
and r
d
can be found in
the specification sheet for
the FET.
21
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Common-Source Drain-Feedback
22
There is a 180 phase shift
between input and output.
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Calculations
Input impedance:
Output impedance:
) R || (r g 1
R || r R
Z
D d m
D d F
i
+
+
=
D d D d F
10R r , R || r R
D m
F
i
R g 1
R
Z
> >>
+
~
D d F o
||R r || R Z =
D d D d F
10R r , R || r R D o
R Z
> >>
~
23
) R || r || (R g A
D d F m v
=

D m v
D
10R
d
,r
D
| | R
d
r
F
R
R g A
> >>
~
Voltage gain:
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Common-Source Voltage-Divider Bias
24
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Calculations
2 1 i
R || R Z =
D d o
R || r Z =
Input impedance:
Output impedance:
10 r D o
d
R Z
>
~
25
) R || (r g A
D d m v
=
D d
10R r D m v
R g A
>
~
Voltage gain:
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Summary Table
more
26
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Summary Table
27
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Troubleshooting



.
Check the DC bias voltages:

If not correct check power supply, resistors, FET. Also check to ensure
that the coupling capacitor between amplifier stages is OK.

Check the AC voltages:

If not correct check FET, capacitors and the loading effect of the next
stage
28
Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
Practical Applications
Three-Channel Audio Mixer
Silent Switching
Phase Shift Networks
Motion Detection System
29