International Islamic University Islamabad

Faculty of Engineering & Technology

Department of Electrical Engineering

POWER ELECTRONICS LAB (EE421L)

Experiment No. 4: Switching Characteristics of Power MOSFET

Name of Student: ……………………………………

Registration No.: ……………………………………..

Date of Experiment: …………………………………

Submitted To: ………………………………………,..

Experiment No. 4: Switching Characteristics of Power MOSFET Page 1

Objectives:
 To study the basic properties of the power MOSFET.
 To demonstrate the cutoff, saturation and active region of the power MOSFET.
 To plot the output characteristics of the power MOSFET.
Equipment Required:
 DMM
 DC Power Supply: +24V(variable); +12V (fixed);
 N-channel Power MOSFET: IRF740 [Qty=1];
 Potentiometer: 5-kΩ [Qty=1];
 Power Resistor: 100-Ω /10W [Qty=1];
 Connecting wires
Theory:
A power MOSFET is a voltage-controlled device and requires only a small input

current. The switching speed is very high and the switching times are of the order of

nanoseconds. Power MOSFET is one of the most important power semiconductor devices,

which works at relatively higher frequency as compared to a power BJT, but it has relatively

lower current and voltage rating as compared to power BJT. Power MOSFET has three

terminals (Drain, Source and Gate). The drain-source current (ID) is dependent on the gate-

source voltage (VGS). MOSFETs require low gate energy, and have a very fast switching

speed and low switching losses but it suffers from the disadvantage of forward ON-state

resistance (losses) which is always mentioned on the data sheet of respective device. This

factor limits its uses in high power handling applications but it is excellent as a gate-

amplifying device. There are two main types of MOSFETs.

a. Enhancement type MOSFET [N-channel or P-channel]

b. Depletion type MOSFET [N-channel or P-channel]

Figure 4.1 shows the symbolic diagrams of Enhancement and Depletion type MOSFETs (P &

N type).

Experiment No. 4: Switching Characteristics of Power MOSFET Page 2

 Figure 4.1

Operation of a MOSFET:

There are three regions of operation of a MOSFET.

i. Cutoff Region (when VGS ≤ VT): When the gate-source voltage (VGS) is less than the

threshold voltage (VT), the drain-source voltage (VDS) is equal to supply voltage and it

is called as cut off region. The forward voltage between drain to source which a

MOSFET can withstand during cutoff mode is known as forward breaker over voltage

(VBO). There is only leakage current that flow through the device in this region.

ii. Saturation or Pinch-off region (when VDS ≥ VGS-VT): In saturation region, drain

current (ID) remains almost constant for any increase in the value of VDS and power

MOSFETs are used for voltage amplification in this region.

iii. Active region (when VDS ≤ VGS-VT): In active region, ID varies in proportion to the

drain-source voltage (VDS). Due to high drain current and low drain-source voltage, the

powers MOSFETs are operated in active region for switching actions.

Figure 4.2 shows the expected output characteristics of an enhancement type power

MOSFET to demonstrate its different regions of operation.

Experiment No. 4: Switching Characteristics of Power MOSFET Page 3

 Figure 4.2: Expected Output Characteristics of an Enhancement Type MOSFET

The ratio of drain current (ID) to the input gate current (IG) is typically in the range of
109. The transconductance (gm) is the ratio of drain current (ID) to gate-source voltage (VGS).
It defines the transfer characteristics of the MOSFET.

△𝐈𝐃
gm = at constant VDS ………. (4.1)
△𝐕𝐆𝐒
The output resistance or on-state resistance (ro= RDS), is defined as:
△𝐕𝐃𝐒
RDS = ………. (4.2)
△𝐈𝐃
This is typically very high in the order of mega-ohms in the saturation region and is
very small in the order of milli-ohms in linear region. RDS is very significant in the case,
when MOSFET is ON and conducting high current. Moreover, RDS is has the advantage of
equal current sharing, when MOSFETs are used in parallel for current sharing purposes.
Key Points:
i. Always remember that VT is the threshold voltage at which MOSFET starts
conduction.
ii. The pinch-off occurs at VDS = VGS-VT.
iii. MOSFET is always operated in active and cut off region for switching actions.
iv. Saturation region has different meanings for MOSFETs and BJTs.
v. Power MOSFET has controlled turn-ON and turn-OFF characteristics.

Experiment No. 4: Switching Characteristics of Power MOSFET Page 4

Procedure:
a. Identify the source, drain and gate terminal of the N-channel power MOSFET (IRF740).
b. Construct the circuit of Figure 4.3 on the breadboard. Measure and record the value of
drain resistance using DMM.
RD (measured) =__________________

Figure 4.3

c. Apply VDD = 12V to the circuit of Figure 4.3, and start varying the potentiometer (Pot-1)
to increase the gate-source voltage (VGS) until the MOSFET starts conduction, with the
indication that drain-source voltage (VDS) decreases a little bit from 12V. Record the
value of VGS at this instant. This is the minimum value of VGS to turn ON the MOSFET,
and it is known as threshold gate voltage (VT).
VT =__________________

d. Now, vary the supply voltage (VDD) in steps as mentioned in Table 4.1 and record the
𝐕𝐑𝐃
values of drain-source voltage (VDS) and the drain current (ID = ) at each step to fill
𝐑𝐃

the Table 4.1.

Note that the scale of voltmeter should be set to minimum level, when you will
measure the voltage across the drain resistor (RD). Because, MOSFET will be in
cutoff region, when VGS ≤ VT, and very minimum current will flow through the
drain resistor (RD).

Experiment No. 4: Switching Characteristics of Power MOSFET Page 5

 Table 4.1 (For VGS = VT = ________ )

VDD
0V 2V 4V 6V 8V 10V 12V 14V 16V 18V 20V
(measured)
VDS
(measured)
VRD
(measured)
𝐕𝐑𝐃
ID =
𝐑𝐃
(measured)

e. Set the gate-source voltage (VGS) to 5V by varying the potentiometer (Pot-1).

f. Now, vary the supply voltage (VDD) in steps as mentioned in Table 4.2 and record the
𝐕𝐑𝐃
values of drain-source voltage (VDS) and the drain current (ID = ) at each step and fill
𝐑𝐃
the Table 4.2.
Table 4.2 (For VGS = 5V)

VDD
0V 2V 4V 6V 8V 10V 12V 14V 16V 18V 20V
(measured)
VDS
(measured)
VRD
(measured)
𝐕𝐑𝐃
ID =
𝐑𝐃
(measured)

g. Set the gate-source voltage (VGS) to 5.5V by varying the potentiometer (Pot-1).
h. Now, vary the supply voltage (VDD) in steps as mentioned in Table 4.3 and record the
𝐕𝐑𝐃
values of drain-source voltage (VDS) and the drain current (ID = ) at each step and fill
𝐑𝐃
the Table 4.3.
Table 4.3 (For VGS = 5.5V)

VDD
0V 2V 4V 6V 8V 10V 12V 14V 16V 18V 20V
(measured)
VDS
(measured)
VRD
(measured)
𝐕𝐑𝐃
ID =
𝐑𝐃
(measured)

Experiment No. 4: Switching Characteristics of Power MOSFET Page 6

i. Set the gate-source voltage (VGS) to 6V by varying the potentiometer (Pot-1).
j. Now, vary the supply voltage (VDD) in steps as mentioned in Table 4.4 and record the
𝐕𝐑𝐃
values of drain-source voltage (VDS) and the drain current (ID = ) at each step and fill
𝐑𝐃
the Table 4.4.
Table 4.4 (For VGS = 6V)

VDD
0V 2V 4V 6V 8V 10V 12V 14V 16V 18V 20V
(measured)
VDS
(measured)
VRD
(measured)
𝐕𝐑𝐃
ID =
𝐑𝐃
(measured)

Sketching of Switching Characteristics:

 Using the data of Table 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4, draw the switching characteristics curves of
an N-channel power MOSFET on Figure 4.4.

Figure 4.4: Switching Characteristics of an N-channel Enhancement type Power MOSFET

Experiment No. 4: Switching Characteristics of Power MOSFET Page 7