LAB VIII.

LOW FREQUENCY CHARACTERISTICS OF

JUNCTION FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS
1. OBJECTIVE
In this lab, you will study the I-V characteristics and small-signal model of Junction Field Effect
Transistors (JFET).

2. OVERVIEW
In this lab, we will study the I-V characteristics of JFET and we will investigate some techniques
for developing equivalent circuit parameters in order to make a small-signal model of our JFET.
You will compare the experimental results with the theoretical results of the equations found in the
lab manual.
Information essential to your understanding of this lab:
1. Theoretical background of the JFET (Streetman 6.2)
Materials necessary for this Experiment:
1. Standard testing station
2. One JFET (Part: 2N5485)
3. 1k resistor

3. BACKROUND INFORMATION
3.1 CHART OF SYMBOLS
Here is a chart of symbols used in this lab manual. This list is not all inclusive; however, it does
contain the most common symbols and their units.

Table 1. Chart of the symbols used in this lab.

Symbol

Symbol Name

Units

iDS

total drain to source current

mA

ids
IDSS
VP
vDS
VDS
v ds
v GS
VGS
v gs
gm

DC drain to source current

AC drain to source current
saturation current w/ VG = 0
pinch off Voltage
total drain to source voltage
DC drain to source Voltage
AC drain to source Voltage
total gate to source Voltage
DC gate to source Voltage
AC gate to source Voltage
transconductance

mA
mA
mA
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
A/V

DS

3.2 CHART OF EQUATIONS

All of the equations from the background portion of the manual are shown in the table below.

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Table 2. Chart of the equations used in this lab.

Equation Name
1
Saturation Drain to Source
current in a N-type JFET

Formula

Transconductance at the
operating point

i
g m DS
vGS

Equation for
Transconductance at the
operating point using
known variables
Total Drain to Source
current

2 I DSS vGS
1
gm
V
V
p
P

I D Sat.

v
I DSS 1 GS

Vp

for negative VGS

DS
vDS const. VGS

vDS const.

I v
iDSAT (t ) I DS (0) DSS gs
2 V p

v v
I v
2 I DSS 1 gs gs cos(wt ) DSS gs cos(2wt )
V V
2 V p
p p

Shift in DC operating point

due to AC gate Voltage

I DS

I v
DSS gs
2 V p

3.3 THE I-V CHARACTERISTICS OF A JFET

In the JFET the transistor action is determined by the flow of majority carriers between the
source and the drain. In the low drain-source bias region the current flow is controlled by a
voltage applied to the gate terminal that consists of a reversed biased pn junction. The gate
voltage modulates the width of the reverse biased pn junction depletion layer. The change
in the cross-sectional area of the current path under the gate modulates the current flow.
For a fixed source-drain voltage and with increasing gate bias the width of the depletion
layer at the drain end of the channel decreases.
The most important operating region of the JFET occurs at larger drain-source bias levels.
There the combination of the applied gate voltage and the drain to source voltages are
sufficiently large so the depletion width extends fully across the channel, pinching it off at
the drain end of the channel. The current flow is now limited by the current flow in the
non-pinched off region of the channel, and when the carriers reach the pinched off end they
are rapidly collected by the reverse bias of the pinched off region. Analysis of the device
geometry shows that in the pinched off region the current flow is determined by the value
of the gate voltage, and is relatively independent of the drain-source voltage. This is the
practical region for operating the JFET as an amplifier.
The DC behavior of a JFET is specified most completely by the output characteristics,
i D versus v DS , with v GS as a parameter, as shown in Figure 1, and the input-output
characteristic, i D( Sat.) versus vGS , as shown in Figure 2. However, such detailed information
is not always supplied by the device manufacturer, as is the case for the 2N5485 N-channel
JFET used in this lab. In such circumstances the circuit designer must measure the device

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characteristics or use the limited information supplied by the manufacturer, consisting

usually of the approximate values of I DSS and V P .

Figure 1. 2N5485 JFET IDS VDS characteristics.

Figure 2. Input-output characteristic (iD( Sat.) vs. vGS ) of a JFET.

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When used as a small signal amplifier the JFET will be operating in the pinched-off mode,
v DS v GS V P 0 , and its DC behavior can be approximately described by the following
equation
I D Sat.

v
I DSS 1 GS

Vp

for negative V GS

(1)

Hence once you can extract information such as I DSS and V P , you can use the JFET in a
circuit. Often the values of I DSS and V P for a given type of transistor vary over wide ranges
and the values supplied by the device manufacturer represent only the average and extreme
values of these parameters. Moreover the device may not closely obey the relationship
given by Eq. (1). In this experiment the DC characteristics of the transistor are measured in
order to obtain sufficient information to use the device in an amplifier circuit and also to
determine how closely Eq. (1) represents the actual device behavior.
3.4 SMALL SIGNAL MODELS
The small signal equivalent circuit of a JFET operating in the pinched-off mode is shown
in Figure 3. The transconductance is g m and is equal to the slope of the transfer curve in
Figure 2 which is given by:

g m (

i D
)v
v GS

DS const.

i D
) v const.
v GS DS

(2)

The Equation (2) can be rearranged as:

2 I DSS vGS
1
gm
V
V
p
P

(3)

Figure 3. The small signal model of a JFET in the pinched off mode of operation.
Equation (3) is evaluated at a fixed value v GS V GS . The input terminals from the gate to
the source appear as a reversed biased diode and are an effective open circuit. The
numerical value of g m can be estimated from either Eq. (3) or from Figure 1. The latter
approach will be used in this experiment. To find gm from the characteristic curves of
Figure 1, find the desired operating point (iD,v DS ) that is determined by the load resistor and
the drain supply voltage v DD. Then, draw a vertical line through the v DS operating point. On
this line find the voltage difference between the two nearby characte ristic curves, v GS .
Extrapolate the two intersection points to the y-axis and find iDS . Then use Eq. (2) to find
gm .
The output resistance r d shunting the g m vGS current generator is included in the model to
account for changes in the drain current due to changes in v DS . The numerical value of r d
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can be obtained from the slope of the I D , VDS curve above saturation in Fig. 1 or from a
small signal AC measurement at the desired DC operating point. The value of r d is
inversely proportional to the change in the DC value of the drain current. Use the
following graphical analysis to obtain rd . Find the characteristic curve closest to the
operating point and draw a straight line superimposed on the saturation part of the curve.
Select two convenient values of v DS and draw two vertical lines through these points to
where they intersect the straight curve. Circle the intersection points. The x-axis separation
gives the value v DS . Next draw horizontal lines through the circles to the y-axis. The yaxis separation gives the value of iD. The value of rd =( vDS/ i D).

4. PRE-LAB REPORT
1. Study Figures 6-4 and 6-5 in Streetman and describe the I-V characteristics of a JFET.
Manually re-plot Figure 6-4 (do not scan it or copy it) and describe in your own words the
variation of depletion regions and channel as voltage changes. Describe what pinch-off is.
Identify the VP in the plot.
Manually re-plot Figure 6-5 (b) and identify IDSS. In this plot, describe how to calculate g m
in your own words.

5. PROCEDURE
Take special note of the absolute maximum ratings (operating range) of the JFET. These can be
found on the first page of the data sheets appended to the end of this manual.
Construct the circuit shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. Circuit diagram for the IDS vs. VDS characteristics measurement for the 2N5485

JFET.
Once the circuit has been built, open and execute the program FETIVcurve.vi using LabView to
obtain a plot of the IDS vs. VDS characteristic similar to the one shown in Figure 1. This program
allows you to set a start voltage for VDS and VGS. It also allows you to set a step size for each of
them. FETIVcurve.vi will start at the initial V DS and VGS voltages and then will step the VDS value
from its initial value to its final value. After the computer reaches the final value of VDS at a fixed
VGS then it will increment V GS. This process will continue until the final values of both VDS and
VGS are reached.

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Set VDS to vary from 0.0 V to 20 V in 0.25 V steps. Let V GS vary from 0.0 V to -2.5 V in -0.25 V
incremental steps. If you accidentally put positive incremental values, you will blow up the
transistor! If your transistor fails, you must get another JFET and re-characterize another
transistor. Save the JFET characteristics in your key memory.
Examine the graph that you now have displayed in the LabView window. Now examine Figure 1.
Take note of the pinch off locus (dotted red line) on the left part of the graph. The locus passes
through the point where the current flattens out at every value of V GS. After you have visualized the
pinch off locus for your graph, estimate the values for VDS(Sat.) and ID(Sat.) at the different gate
voltages and determine IDSS and Vp at VGS = 0.0 V. Next, use Eq. (1) to calculate ID(Sat.) for VGS0.
Fill out the table below.

Table 3. Experimental values of VDS(Sat.), ID(Sat.), gm, and rd and theoretical values of ID(Sat.).
VGS
0.0 V
-0.5 V
-1.0 V
-1.5 V
-2.0 V
-2.5 V

VDS(Sat.)(experimental)

I D(Sat.)(experimental)

ID(Sat.)(equation)
N/A

gm

rd

Now, plot ID( Sat.) vs. VGS curve in Excel using the experimental values in the table above. This plot
should look similar to the Figure 2 and it shows JFET amplifiers input-output (vGS - iD )
characteristic.
Suppose you use 2N5485 in an amplifier and assume that your operating point is at vDS = 8 V. Find
transconductance g m and fill out the table above. Read 3.4 in this manual to find out how to find g m .
You can also find rd in the small signal model using the I-V characteristics data. Find rd based on
the method described in the 3.4 in this manual and fill out the table above.

6. LAB REPORT

Write a summary of the summary of the experiment.

JFET output characteristics (IDS VDS)
o Plot the IDS vs. VDS characteristic. Show the pinch-off locus in the plot. Make sure both
axes are labeled and the graph is appropriately titled.
o Put the table 3 with experimental and theoretical data in it.
JFET input-output characteristics (ID VG S)
o Plot the ID( Sat.) vs. VGS curve. Plot both experimental and theoretical ID( Sat.) in the plot.
Make sure both axes are labeled and the graph is appropriately titled.
o Plot the IDS vs. VDS characteristic again and show how you use this plot to find g m and
rd at a DS equal to 8 V at the specified gate voltages.

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