CONTENT

 Introduction

to Junction Field Effect Transistor (JFET).  Structure and function of a JFET.  Schematic symbols of a JFET.  Formation of JFET & its Response to biasing.  Characteristic curves of JFET.  Applications.

INTRODUCTION TO JFET
The Junction gate field-effect transistor (JFET ) is the simplest type of Field Effect Transistor. The common Junction transistor,has the disadvantage of a low input impedance because the base of the transistor is the signal input and the baseemitter diode is forward biased. Another device achieved transistor action with the input diode junction reversed biased, and this device is called a |JUNCTION FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTOR|.

For an n-channel JFET, the device is constructed from a bar of n-type material, with the shaded areas composed of a p-type material as a Gate. Between the Source and the Drain, the n-type material acts as a resistor. The current flow consists of the majority carriers (electrons for n-type material). Since the Gate junction is reverse biased and there is no minority carrier contribution to the flow through the device, the input impedance is extremely high.

 The control element for the JFET comes from depletion of charge carriers from the n-channel. When the Gate is made more negative,it depletes the majority carriers from a larger depletion zone around the gate. This reduces the current flow for a given value of Source-to-Drain voltage. Modulating the Gate voltage modulates the current flow through the device.

STRUCTURE OF A JFET
Circuit diagram for an n-Channel,p-gate JFET is shown. The JFET is a long channel of semiconductor material, doped to contain an abundance of positive charge carriers (p-type), or of negative carriers (n-type). Contacts at each end form the source(S) and drain(D). The gate(G) (control) terminal has doping opposite to that of the channel, which it surrounds, so that there is a P-N junction at the interface. Terminals to connect with the outside are usually made ohmic.

A TYPICAL DIAGRAM OF JFET

A pair of metallic contacts are placed at each end of the channel. When we apply a voltage between these, a current can flow along the channel from one contact to the other. The contact which launches charges along the channel is called the source, the one that 'eats' them at the other end is called the drain.

 In an n-channel device, the channel is made of n-type semiconductor, so the charges free to move along the channel are negatively (hence n) charged - they are electrons. In a p-channel device the free charges which move from end-to-end are positively (hence p) charged - they are holes.Remember that a hole is the absence of an electron.  In each case the source puts new charges into the channel while the drain removes them at the other end.

Function of a JFET


JFET functions like that of a garden hose. The flow of hose. water through a hose can be controlled by squeezing it to reduce the cross section similar is the function of JFET. Electric charge flows through a semiconducting channel between "source" and "drain" terminals. By applying a bias voltage to a "gate" terminal, the channel is "pinched", so that the electric current is impeded or switched off completely. The flow of electric charge through a JFET is controlled by constricting the current-carrying channel. The current currentdepends also on the electric field between source and drain (analogous to the difference in pressure on either end of the hose).

SYMBOLS OF A JFET
Figure (a) shows the side crosssectional view of an N-channel. Figure (b) shows schematic symbols of N & P channel devices.

Formation of a JFET

GENERAL DIAGRAM SHOWING THE FORMATION OF A JFET.

RESPONSE TOWARDS BIASING

From the diagram:Fig-1 shows that when biasing is not applied to the JFET, the width of depletion region remains smaller into the Nchannel & thus current flows from Drain towards Sources. Fig-2 shows the spreading of depletion region into the N-channel as a result of REVERSE (or negative) BIASING, which offers a high impedence & thus a negligible current flows from Drain to Sources.

CHARACTERISTICS OF JFET
##IN THE CURVE SHOWN, FOR A GIVEN VALUE OF GATE VOLTAGE, THE CURRENT IS NEARLY CONSTANT OVER A WIDE RANGE OF SOURCETO-DRAIN VOLTAGES.## When the Gate is made more negative, it depletes the majority carriers from a larger depletion zone .This reduces the current flow for a given value of Source-to-Drain voltage. Modulating the Gate voltage modulates the current flow through the device. **The Gate voltage at which the current reaches zero is called the PINCH VOLTAGE.** ##**THE TRANSFER CHARACTERISTIC FOR THE JFET IS USEFUL FOR VISUALIZING THE GAIN FROM THE DEVICE AND IDENTIFYING THE REGION OF LINEARITY.**##

APPLICATIONS OF A JFET


A JFET can be used as an electronically-controlled switch. electronicallyswitch. Can be used as a voltage-controlled resistance. voltageresistance. The JFET has higher transconductance than other transistors and is therefore used in some low-noise, high input-impedance op-amps. low-noise, inputop-amps. JFET,having a high input impedance minimizes the "loading" of the signal source when a measurement is made. The most effective use of it,is its frequently encountered configuration for a JFET amplifier in the common source circuit.