CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor)
Definition:
The term CMOS stands for “Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor”. This is one
of the most popular technologies in the computer chip design industry and it is broadly
used today to form integrated circuits in numerous and varied applications.
Today’s computer memories, CPUs, and cell phones make use of this technology due to
several key advantages. This technology makes use of both P channel and N channel
semiconductor devices.
One of the most popular MOSFET technologies available today is the Complementary
MOS or CMOS technology. This is the dominant semiconductor technology for
microprocessors, microcontroller chips, memories like RAM, ROM, EEPROM and
application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs).
CMOS Working principle:
The main advantage of CMOS over NMOS and BIPOLAR technology is the much
smaller power dissipation. Unlike NMOS or BIPOLAR circuits, a Complementary MOS
circuit has almost no static power dissipation. Power is only dissipated in case the circuit
actually switches. This allows integrating more CMOS gates on an IC than in NMOS or
bipolar technology resulting in much better performance.
In CMOS technology, both N-type and P-type transistors are used to design logic
functions. The same signal which turns ON a transistor of one type is used to turn OFF a
transistor of the other type. This characteristic allows the design of logic devices using
only simple switches, without the need for a pull-up resistor.
In CMOS logic gates, a collection of n-type MOSFETs is arranged in a pull-down
network between the output and the low voltage power supply rail (Vss or quite often
ground). Instead of the load resistor of NMOS logic gates, CMOS logic gates have a
collection of p-type MOSFETs in a pull-up network between the output and the higher-
voltage rail (often named Vdd).
Below shown is the CMOS using pull up and pull down:
Thus, if both a p-type and n-type transistor have their gates connected to the same
input, the p-type MOSFET will be ON when the n-type MOSFET is OFF, and vice-
versa. The networks are arranged such that one is ON and the other OFF for any input
pattern as shown in the figure below.
CMOS offers relatively high speed, low power dissipation, high noise margins in both
states, and will operate over a wide range of source and input voltages (provided the
source voltage is fixed).
CMOS Fabrication:
The fabrication of CMOS transistors can be done on the wafer of silicon. The diameter of
the wafer ranges from 20mm to 300mm. In this, the Lithography process is the same as
the printing press. On every step, different materials can be deposited, etched otherwise
patterned. This process is very simple to understand by viewing the wafer’s top as well as
cross-section within a simplified assembling method. The fabrication of CMOS can be
accomplished through using three technologies namely N-well pt P-well, Twin well, an
SOI (Silicon on Insulator).
The typical life span of a CMOS battery is approximately 10 Years. But, this can change
based on the utilization and surroundings wherever the PC resides.
CMOS Characteristics:
The most important characteristics of CMOS are low static power utilization, huge noise
immunity. When the single transistor from the pair of MOSFET transistor is switched
OFF then the series combination uses significant power throughout switching among the
two stated like ON & OFF.
As a result, these devices do not generate waste heat as compared with other types of
logic circuits such as TTL or NMOS logic, which usually use some standing current even
they don’t change their state.
These CMOS characteristics will allow for integrating logic functions with high density
on an integrated circuit. Because of this, CMOS has become the most frequently used
technology to be executed within VLSI chips.
The phrase MOS is a reference to the MOSFET’s physical structure which includes an
electrode with a metal gate that is located on the top of an oxide insulator of
semiconductor material.
A material like Aluminum is used only once however the material is now polysilicon.
The designing of other metal gates can be done using a comeback through the arrival of
high-κ dielectric materials within the process of the CMOS process.
Advantages:
The advantages of CMOS include the following.
The main benefits of CMOS over TTL are good noise margin as well as less power
consumption. This is due to no straight conducting lane from VDD to GND, fall times
based on the conditions of input, then the transmission of the digital signal will
become easy & low cost through CMOS chips.
CMOS is used to explain the amount of memory on the motherboard of the computer
that will store in the settings of BIOS. These settings mainly include the date, time,
and settings of hardware.
TTL is a digital logic circuit where bipolar transistors work on DC pulses. Several
transistor logic gates are normally made-up of a single IC.
Disadvantages:
The disadvantages of CMOS include the following.
The cost will be increased once the processing steps increases, however, it can be
resolved.
The packing density of CMOS is low as compared with NMOS.
MOS chips should be secured from getting static charges by placing the leads shorted
otherwise; the static charges obtained within leads will damage the chip. This
problem can be solved by including protective circuits otherwise devices.
Another drawback of the CMOS inverter is that it utilizes two transistors as opposed
to one NMOS to build an inverter, which means that the CMOS uses more space over
the chip as compared with the NMOS. These drawbacks are small due to the progress
within the CMOS technology.
CMOS Applications:
Complementary MOS processes were widely implemented and have fundamentally
replaced NMOS and bipolar processes for nearly all digital logic applications. CMOS
technology has been used for the following digital IC designs.
Computer memories, CPUs
Microprocessor designs
Flash memory chip designing
Used to design application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs)
