Glossary Definition for MOSFET

Definition

Metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor; metal-oxide silicon field-effect transmitter.

In a MOSFET, the conductive channel between the drain and source contacts is controlled by a metal gate separated from the channel by a very thin insulating layer of oxide. The gate voltage establishes a field that allows or blocks current flow.

Compare to a JFET, in which a p-n junction controls the channel; or a MESFET, which uses a metal-semiconductor (Schottky) junction.

See Also

• JFET
• MESFET
• nMOS
• FET
• pMOS
• Gate
• Drain
• Source
• Show application notes for: "MOSFET"
• Show site-wide search results for: "MOSFET"

Find a term alphabetically:

0-9

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

Comment on This Term (Corrections, Suggestions, etc.)

Suggest Another Term We Should Add