2.

2 MOSFETs as Switches

MOSFETs
Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor
Field-Effect Transistor
These are electronics devices
that are used to direct and
control logic signals in highdensity digital IC design.

CMOS (Complementary MOS)

It uses two types of MOSFETs
to create logic networks:
a.n-channel MOSFET (nFET)
b.p-channel MOSFET (pFET)

MOSFETs are intrinsically

electronic devices. To use them
as logic-controlled switches, we
must first define how to translate
between Boolean values and
electrical parameters. This is
accomplished by using voltages
that exist on the chip when we
apply an external power supply.

Early generations of silicon MOS

logic circuits used both positive
and negative supply voltages.
However, modern designs require
only a single positive voltage
VDD and the ground connection.
The remaining source is set to a
value of Vss = 0V, which results
in the power supply network
portrayed in the figure.

We can now define the relationship

between logic variables and voltages.
At the circuit level we represent the
variable x using a voltage Vx such that

0 Vx VDD
gives the normal range of values with a
power supply providing 0V and VDD
directly to the circuit.

The positive logic convention then defines

the ideal logic 0 and logic 1 voltages as

X = 0 means that Vx = 0
X = 1 means that Vx = VDD
In general,
Low voltages correspond to logic
0 values
High voltages correspond to logic
1 values

Switching characteristics of
MOSFETs
nFET switching characteristics:

 pFET switching characteristics:

FET Threshold Voltages

Every MOSFET has a
characterizing parameter
called the threshold voltage VT
that helps us define the
important gate voltage ranges.
One complicating factor is that
nFETs and pFETs have different

Threshold voltage of an nFET:

Threshold voltage of a pFET

Pass Characteristics
An ideal electrical switch can pass
any voltage applied to it. This was
implicitly assumed in our
development of switch logic
networks where we used the
switches to pass logic 0 and logic
1 levels equally well. MOSFETs are
more limited in their capabilities
and are not able to pass arbitrary

nFET pass characteristics

pFET pass characteristics

 nFETs pass strong logic 0

voltages but weak logic 1
values.
pFETs pass strong logic 1
voltages but weak logic 0
levels.
Therefore,
Use pFETs to pass logic 1
voltages of VDD

2.5 Transmission
Gate Circuits

A CMOS transmission gate is

created by connecting an
nFET and pFET in parallel.
Multiplexors
The ideal-switch
characteristics of TGs make
them useful for creating some
rather unique circuits. An