Lecture 3:

CMOS
Transistor
Theory

Outline

Introduction
MOS Capacitor
nMOS I-V Characteristics
pMOS I-V Characteristics
Gate and Diffusion Capacitance

3: CMOS Transistor Theory

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

Introduction
So far, we have treated transistors as ideal switches
An ON transistor passes a finite amount of current
Depends on terminal voltages
Derive current-voltage (I-V) relationships
Transistor gate, source, drain all have capacitance
I = C (V/t) -> t = (C/I) V
Capacitance and current determine speed

3: CMOS Transistor Theory

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

MOS Capacitor
Gate and body form MOS
capacitor
V <0
Operating modes
+
Accumulation
Depletion
(a)
Inversion
g

3: CMOS Transistor Theory

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

polysilicon gate
silicon dioxide insulator
p-type body

Terminal Voltages
Vg
Mode of operation depends on Vg, Vd, Vs
+
+
Vgs = Vg Vs
Vgs
Vgd
Vgd = Vg Vd
Vs
Vd
Vds = Vd Vs = Vgs - Vgd
+
Vds
Source and drain are symmetric diffusion terminals
By convention, source is terminal at lower voltage
Hence Vds 0
nMOS body is grounded. First assume source is 0 too.
Three regions of operation
Cutoff
Linear
Saturation
3: CMOS Transistor Theory

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

nMOS Cutoff
No channel
Ids 0
Vgs = 0

+
-

+
-

Vgd

n+

n+
p-type body
b

3: CMOS Transistor Theory

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

nMOS Linear
Channel forms
Current flows from d to s
V
e from s to d
Ids increases with Vds
Similar to linear resistor

gs

> Vt

+
-

+
-

Vgd = Vgs

n+

Vds = 0

n+
p-type body
b

Vgs > Vt

+
-

+
d

n+

n+

Vgs > Vgd > Vt

Ids
0 < Vds < Vgs-Vt

p-type body
b

3: CMOS Transistor Theory

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

nMOS Saturation

Channel pinches off

Ids independent of Vds
We say current saturates
Similar to current source
Vgs > Vt

+
-

+
-

Vgd < Vt

d Ids

n+

n+

Vds > Vgs-Vt

p-type body
b

3: CMOS Transistor Theory

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

I-V Characteristics
In Linear region, Ids depends on
How much charge is in the channel?
How fast is the charge moving?

3: CMOS Transistor Theory

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

Channel Charge
MOS structure looks like parallel plate capacitor
while operating in inversions
Gate oxide channel
Qchannel = CV
Cox = ox / tox
C = Cg = oxWL/tox = CoxWL
V = Vgc Vt = (Vgs Vds/2) Vt
gate
Vg

polysilicon
gate
W
tox
n+

n+

SiO2 gate oxide

(good insulator, ox = 3.9)

+
+
Cg Vgd drain
source Vgs
Vs
Vd
channel
+
n+
n+
Vds
p-type body

p-type body

3: CMOS Transistor Theory

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

10

Carrier velocity
Charge is carried by e Electrons are propelled by the lateral electric field
between source and drain
E = Vds/L
Carrier velocity v proportional to lateral E-field
v = E
called mobility
Time for carrier to cross channel:
t=L/v

3: CMOS Transistor Theory

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

11

nMOS Linear I-V

Now we know
How much charge Qchannel is in the channel
How much time t each carrier takes to cross

Qchannel
I ds =
t
W
= Cox
L

V V Vds
gs
t
2

V
= Vgs Vt ds Vds
2

3: CMOS Transistor Theory

V
ds

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

W
= Cox
L
12

nMOS Saturation I-V

If Vgd < Vt, channel pinches off near drain
When Vds > Vdsat = Vgs Vt
Now drain voltage no longer increases current

V
I ds = Vgs Vt dsat
2

V
(
2

gs

Vt )

3: CMOS Transistor Theory

V
dsat

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

13

nMOS I-V Summary

Shockley 1st order transistor models

Vds
I ds = Vgs Vt
2

Vgs Vt )
(

2
3: CMOS Transistor Theory

Vgs < Vt
V V < V
ds
ds
dsat

Vds > Vdsat

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

cutoff
linear
saturation

14

Example
We will be using a 0.6 m process for your project
From AMI Semiconductor
tox = 100
2.5
V =5
2
= 350 cm /V*s
2
Vt = 0.7 V
1.5
V =4
Plot Ids vs. Vds
1
V =3
Vgs = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
0.5
V =2
Use W/L = 4/2
V =1
Ids (mA)

gs

gs

gs

gs

3.9 8.85 1014 W

W
= Cox = ( 350 )

8
L
100 10
L
3: CMOS Transistor Theory

gs

=
120
A/V 2

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

Vds

15

pMOS I-V
All dopings and voltages are inverted for pMOS
Source is the more positive terminal
Mobility p is determined by holes
Typically 2-3x lower than that of electrons n
120 cm2/Vs in AMI 0.6 m process
Thus pMOS must be wider to
provide same current
In this class, assume
n / p = 2
0

Vgs = -1

Vgs = -2

Ids (mA)

-0.2

Vgs = -3

-0.4

Vgs = -4

-0.6

-0.8
-5

Vgs = -5

-4

-3

-2

-1

Vds

3: CMOS Transistor Theory

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

16

Capacitance
Any two conductors separated by an insulator have
capacitance
Gate to channel capacitor is very important
Creates channel charge necessary for operation
Source and drain have capacitance to body
Across reverse-biased diodes
Called diffusion capacitance because it is
associated with source/drain diffusion

3: CMOS Transistor Theory

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

17

Gate Capacitance
Approximate channel as connected to source
Cgs = oxWL/tox = CoxWL = CpermicronW
Cpermicron is typically about 2 fF/m

polysilicon
gate
W
tox
n+

n+

SiO2 gate oxide

(good insulator, ox = 3.90)

p-type body
3: CMOS Transistor Theory

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

18

Diffusion Capacitance
Csb, Cdb
Undesirable, called parasitic capacitance
Capacitance depends on area and perimeter
Use small diffusion nodes
Comparable to Cg
for contacted diff
Cg for uncontacted
Varies with process

3: CMOS Transistor Theory

CMOS VLSI Design 4th Ed.

19