Pronounced
MAWS-feht. Acronym for
metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor, a common type of
transistor in which charge carriers, such as electrons, flow along channels. The width of the channel, which determines how well the device conducts, is controlled by an electrode called the gate, separated from channel by a thin layer of oxide insulation. The insulation keeps current from flowing between the gate and channel.
MOSFETs are useful for high-speed switching applications and also on integrated circuits in computers.
