What is the drain current equation for a MOSFET in saturation?
Technical Blog / Author: icDirectory / Date: Apr 06, 2024 15:04
Let%27s explore the drain current equation for a MOSFET in saturation in detail.

1. Saturation Region:
- When a MOSFET operates in the saturation region, it acts as a closed switch.
- The channel is fully open, allowing maximum current flow from the source to the drain.
- In this region, the drain current (ID) remains relatively constant even as the drain-source voltage (VDS) increases.

2. Drain Current Equation (Saturation Region):
- The drain current in the saturation region can be expressed as:
- (I_{Dext{sat}} = frac{1}{2} k_n (V_{GS} - V_{T})^2)
- Here:
- (I_{Dext{sat}}) represents the saturation drain current.
- (k_n) is the process transconductance parameter.
- (V_{GS}) is the gate-source voltage.
- (V_{T}) is the threshold voltage.

3. Significance:
- The saturation region is crucial for MOSFET operation in switching applications.
- In this region, the MOSFET behaves like an ideal switch, allowing current flow without significant dependence on the drain-source voltage.

Remember that the saturation region is essential for understanding MOSFET behavior in practical circuits¹²³.


(1) Lecture 8 - MIT. https://web.mit.edu/6.012/www/SP07-L8.pdf.
(2) Saturation voltage in MOSFET - Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange. https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/198209/saturation-voltage-in-mosfet.
(3) Drain Output Resistance - University of Kansas. https://www.ittc.ku.edu/~jstiles/312/handouts/Drain Output Resistance.pdf.
(4) MOSFET current equation | Example of Calculation. https://www.electricity-magnetism.org/mosfet-current-equation/.

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