MOS Transistors

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/mosfet

Introduction

### Course Review: MOS Transistors on Coursera #### Overview The "MOS Transistors" course on Coursera stands out as an essential resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). This course has evolved from an earlier version, offering a structured curriculum that covers fundamental concepts and advanced topics related to MOS transistors. However, it’s important to note that this version does not provide a certificate upon completion, and some logistical details referenced in earlier materials may no longer apply. #### Course Content The syllabus is structured into several modules, each designed to build upon the last, allowing learners to develop a comprehensive understanding of MOS transistors from the ground up. Here’s a brief overview of key topics covered: 1. **About This Course and Overview of the MOS Transistor:** - This introductory module sets the stage for the course, familiarizing students with the course layout. 2. **Preliminaries and Background:** - Essential background information is provided to ensure that all learners are on the same page regarding the foundational concepts of MOS technology. 3. **The Two-Terminal and Three-Terminal MOS Structures:** - Students learn about different MOS structures and their significance in circuit design. 4. **The Long-Channel MOS Transistor – Parts 1 & 2:** - These modules delve deep into the operation of long-channel MOS transistors, covering both DC operation and establishing core principles crucial for understanding more complex devices. 5. **Small-Dimension Effects 1 & 2; Modeling for Circuits Simulation:** - The course explores phenomena occurring in smaller transistors, along with modeling techniques used in circuit simulation, which are vital for modern electronics professionals, especially circuit designers. 6. **Large-Signal Dynamic Operation:** - Students grasp how transient responses affect circuit behavior, both at moderate and high speeds, lending to a practical understanding of dynamic operation in real-world applications. 7. **Small-Signal Modeling I & II:** - These modules introduce students to small-signal analysis, a key element in MOS transistor behavior, with applications in both analog and high-frequency digital circuit design. 8. **Final Exam and Course Conclusion:** - The exam serves as a review of the content covered, and although it is open-book and open-notes, strict academic honesty standards must be adhered to. The course ends on a note encouraging further exploration of advanced topics related to MOS technology. #### Pros and Cons **Pros:** - **Comprehensive Coverage:** The course thoroughly covers both theoretical and practical aspects of MOS transistors, which is beneficial for learners of different backgrounds. - **Structured Learning Path:** The modular format aids in progressive learning, allowing students to build on their knowledge systematically. - **Expert Instruction:** The material is developed by experienced instructors, providing high-quality content directly relevant to current industry practices. **Cons:** - **No Certification:** The lack of a certificate may deter some learners who are seeking formal recognition for course completion. - **Potentially Outdated Information:** Since this version derives from an earlier iteration, some references related to logistics and grading might be outdated or irrelevant, which could lead to confusion. #### Recommendation I highly recommend the "MOS Transistors" course for anyone looking to delve deep into semiconductor technology, whether you are a student in electrical engineering or a professional looking to enhance your expertise. The course's comprehensive nature and structured learning approach make it an invaluable resource for understanding the complexities of MOS transistors. Despite the absence of a certificate and potential outdated logistics, the wealth of knowledge provided within the course far outweighs these drawbacks. Enroll for a deep dive into the world of MOS transistors, enhance your knowledge, and position yourself for future advancements in semiconductor technology!

Syllabus

About This Course and Overview of the MOS Transistor

Welcome to the “MOS Transistors” course! We are very excited to be able to offer this course, and are looking forward to working with you.

This is the first module we are dealing with the complete transistor; much of this material, as well as next module's material, will form the core of what we will be covering in the rest of the course. We hope you will spend extra time studying to make sure you understand this material in depth. The total viewing time in each of these two modules is shorter, which should help.

This material concludes the lectures on the long-channel transistor in DC operation. As mentioned earlier, these lectures will form the core on which many of our subsequent discussions will be based.

In this module we are dealing with phenomena that occur when the transistor dimensions are made small; this is important knowledge to have when one is dealing with modern devices.

This module we will finish with small dimension effects, and then talk about models for circuit simulation (the circuit designers among you are probably already using such models). We discuss what it takes to make a good model for circuit simulation (among other things: a lot of caution and care, and about 20,000 lines of code!), and how you can spot possible problems with such models. Although models for circuit simulation include capabilities we have not yet discussed, such as charge modeling, we think you know enough about models at this point to be able to follow this general discussion (which is out of sequence – it’s from Chap. 10 in the book, where you can find much more on the subject).

In this module there is a significant departure from what we have done up to this point: we will allow the terminal voltages of the transistor to vary with time. We will determine the resulting terminal currents, which will now include a “charging” component. We will do this both for moderate and for very high “speeds”. The transient response of circuits involves similar calculations, only done by computer for an ensemble of transistors and other devices.

The material for this module deals with small-signal modeling, and constitutes an important part of the description of MOS transistor behavior. It relates small changes in terminal voltages to the resulting small changes in currents. Small-signal modeling is key to analog circuit design, but not only; it is also used in high-performance digital circuit design (e.g., in designing memory sense amplifiers).

This material concludes our discussion of small-signal modeling; it shows how we can model the transistor at frequencies at which the simple model we derived last week is not valid. Such modeling is important in high-frequency applications, e.g. transceiver design.

The exam is open book, open notes, open videos. It covers the material of the first nine weeks of videos in the course. You are NOT allowed to discuss the exam, directly or indirectly, with anyone. Anybody found in violation of this rule will be removed from the course. You should, of course, feel free to report technical issues with the exam and its submission.

Although your knowledge of this material will not be tested in the final exam, we urge you to go through it, as it deals with important topics, namely noise, ion implantation and substrate nonuniformity, and statistical variability; these topics will help complete your understanding of MOS transistors.