components_Boba_Fett.jpg
by WIkipedia user Richie S - CC BY 2.0

No. Not that Fet.

FET as in Field Effect Transistor.

It's a different way to build a transistor. A way that has some distinct advantages. One major advantage for the usage we've been looking at is efficiency.  FETs don't waste as much power, which means they don't heat up as much as bipolar transistors. Another is that to control them takes a voltage and not a current, unlike a BJT (which, if you recall, is controlled by the base-emitter current).

Because of their lower power/current characteristics, they are ideal to cram into a small space. This makes them perfect for building large digital chips. 

We won't go into any more detail, but it's worth considering using a FET for high current applications or where you want to avoid the wasted power and/or generated heat.

This guide was first published on Sep 12, 2018. It was last updated on Sep 12, 2018.

This page (FETs) was last updated on Aug 23, 2018.

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