Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology

Faculty of Engineering

EC3481: Electronic Designs

Lab 01: MOSFET Basics

Contents
1.

Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3

2.

Procedure ....................................................................................................................................... 3
2.1
VDS)

Obtaining the family of output characteristics curves for the IRF150 MOSFET (ID vs

.3
2.2
VGS)

Obtaining the family of output characteristics curves for the IRF150 MOSFET (ID vs

..4
2.3
3.

Locating the biasing point (DC operating point) ............................................................... 4

Results and observations. ............................................................................................................. 5

3.1
VDS)

Obtaining the family of output characteristics curves for the IRF150 MOSFET (ID vs

..5
3.2
VGS)

Obtaining the family of output characteristics curves for the IRF150 MOSFET (ID vs

..6
3.3 Locating the biasing point (DC operating point) ..................................................................... 6
4.

Discussion....................................................................................................................................... 7

List of figures

Figure 1: Constructed schematic of:IRF150 MOS field effect transistor

...
Figure 2: Constructed schematic for IRF150 MOS field effect transistor

Figure 3: Obtained the graph from the simulation

Figure 4: Obtained the curve of the VGS versus ID..
Figure 5: Obtained the graph from step three simulation..
Figure 6: Obtained the VGS at operational
point.

1. Introduction
This laboratory is to understand the basic about Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect
Transistors (MOSFET). This laboratory is mainly focused on, current- voltage characteristics
of MOS field effect transistors. Here the method and facts which should be considered in
determining the operational point for the MOSFET were discussed during the laboratory
session.

2. Procedure
2.1 Obtaining the family of output characteristics curves for the IRF150 MOSFET (ID
vs VDS)
Following schematic in figure 1 with the IRF150 MOS field effect transistor was constructed
in the ORCAD software.

Figure 1 Constructed schematic of:IRF150 MOS field effect transistor

Then a new simulation profile was created in order to simulate the above schematic. Then the
drain-source voltage (VDS) was set to vary from 0V to 12V with 200mV increments using the
DC sweep feature. Also the gate source voltage (VGS) was set to vary from 0V to 5V with
500mV increments using the parametric sweep feature. Finally the simulation was run and the
Y axis settings of the obtained graphs was set to 0A to 1A in user defied option. Then the
following graph shown in figure 2 was obtained.

2.2 Obtaining the family of output characteristics curves for the IRF150 MOSFET (ID
vs VGS)
The schematic diagram in Figure 1 was used again. A new schematic profile was created and
the following conditions were set in the Analysis dialog.

DC Sweep (Primary sweep) from 0 to 5 volts in 200mv increments to change the gatesource voltage (VGS) of the MOSFET.

By running the simulation the graph in Figure 4 was obtained.

In the next step the schematic was simulated and the curve of VGS versus ID was obtained as
shown in figure 4.
2.3 Locating the biasing point (DC operating point)
Following schematic was constructed in the ORCAD software as shown in figure 5.

Figure 2: Constructed schematic for IRF150 MOS field effect transistor

Then a new simulation profile was created and the voltage of the VGS was set to vary from 2.5V
to 3.5V in 0.001V steps using the DC sweep feature in ORCAD software. Finally the schematic
was simulated and the graph shown in figure 6 was obtained.

3. Results and observations.

3.1 Obtaining the output characteristics curves for the IRF150 MOSFET (ID vs VDS)

Following graph of ID vs VDS can be obtained by doing the simulation in figure 1.

Figure 3: Obtained the graph from the simulation

The VGS per step can be found by observing the difference between two graphs.
VGS/step = 500mV
VDSfl is the saturation voltage of the drain to source terminal of the IRF150 MOSFET or

simply it is the value at which the drain current ID obtains a constant value (or flatten out).
For this experiment the VGS value of the (blue colour) graph was taken.
VGS = 5V
VDSfl = 2.21V for the corresponding ID value 7.17A.

Therefore,
VTN = 5 2.21
= 2.79V

The ID value at the VTN =2.792V can be measured as 43.941mA by adding a curser and
obtaining the current values for particular VGS values.

3.2 Obtaining the output characteristics curves for the IRF150 MOSFET (ID vs VGS)
Following graph of ID vs VGS can be obtained by doing the simulation in figure 3.

Figure 4: Obtained the curve of the VGS versus ID

The threshold voltage (VTN) of the IRF150 MOS field effect transistor can be identified as the
first point where the current begins to rise from 0A. The voltage level at the above mentioned
point can be measured as 2.845V.
3.3 Locating the biasing point (DC operating point)
Following graph (DC operating point) can be obtained by doing the simulation in figure 5.

Figure 5: Obtained the graph from step three simulation

The DC operational point of the MOSFET can be determined as 2.850V through the obtained
curve.

Figure 6: Obtained the VGS at operational point

VGS at the operational point was 2.850V.

4. Discussion
By looking at the graph of IDS vs VDS the drain current (ID) started to flow through the MOS field
effect transistor for values of VGS greater than 3V. The simulated output consists of many graphs for
each value of VGS because the VGS value of the circuit in Figure 1 is incremented by 500mV.
Different curves for the VDS should be obtained for corresponding different ID values by varying the
VDS (drain to source) values, only five curves can be seen through the PSPICE simulation results
when zoomed because of the many different graphs. Once the gate voltage (VGS) is greater than

the threshold voltage (VTN), the drain to source current (ID) starts to rise from approximately
zero voltage.
The operation of a MOSFET mainly consists of three regions, the cut-off region, the triode region and
the saturation region. If the MOSFET is to be designed as an amplifier, it should be operated in the
saturation region.
When considering the graph of ID vs VGS a considerable amount of drain current (ID) begins to rise
when the value of VGS is between 2.5V and 3V. Because the threshold voltage for the MOS field effect
transistor is between 2.5V and 3V. Also the slope of the curve is gradually increased with the increment
of the VGS.
At the beginning, the value of the threshold voltage (VTN) was found as 2.792V and at the second
practical, the value of threshold voltage was determined as 2.845V. Value of threshold voltage was
determined through two different methods in those two practices. But when obtained and compared the
two VTN values, it was seen that both two values were approximately equal. That implies that the actual
value of VTN should be some value near to those two obtained VTN values as well.

The bias point of the device is simply the point at which the device allows steady-state voltage
or current to flow through a circuit. During the DC operating point practical, the bias point Q is
mainly determined by the value of the load resistance. Also there are two important factors that should
7

be considered in the determining the operational point (Q) of the MOSFET. Those two factors are the
required gain and the allowable signal swing at the output. A higher gain value can be obtained by
placing the operational point (Q) closer to the point. (where the boundary or intersection point of the
saturation and triode regions of the voltage transfer characteristics curve). But when the operational
point is much closer to the boundary of the saturation and triode regions, the allowable magnitude of
the negative signal swing becomes small.
Also when the operational point is too closer to maximum value of the VDS, the allowable magnitude
of the positive signal swing becomes small. Therefore it is suitable to determine the operational point
(Q) at the middle between the point where the boundary of the saturation and triode region and
maximum value of the VDS.