Glossary comparison
CMOS vs MOSFET: what is the difference?
The difference
A MOSFET is a single transistor. CMOS is the technique of combining n-channel and p-channel MOSFETs in complementary pairs.
CMOS is a circuit style, and the process that supports it, combining n-channel and p-channel MOSFETs so that little current flows except while switching. The MOSFET is the single device.
The two terms
CMOS
A logic family that pairs n-channel and p-channel transistors so that one of them is always off in a static state, giving near-zero standby current. It is the dominant process technology for digital, mixed-signal and image sensor chips.
MOSFET
The switching device that underpins nearly all digital logic, in which a voltage on an insulated gate creates or removes a conducting channel between source and drain.
Side by side
| Field | CMOS | MOSFET |
|---|---|---|
| Stands for | Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor | Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor |
| Type | Acronym | Acronym |
| Domain | Process Technology | Process Technology |
| Group | Device physics | Device physics |