Overview
The MOSFET is the workhorse of modern electronics. It uses an electric field to control the conductivity of a 'channel' between two terminals (Source and Drain).
Structure
- Gate: The control terminal, separated from the channel by a thin insulating layer of oxide.
- Source/Drain: The terminals between which current flows.
- Body: The substrate in which the channel is formed.
Types
- NMOS: Uses electrons as charge carriers.
- PMOS: Uses holes as charge carriers.
- CMOS: Combines NMOS and PMOS to create highly power-efficient logic gates.
Significance
MOSFETs are highly scalable, allowing for the massive integration seen in modern CPUs and memory chips.