BeginnerTopic 15 of 104Electronics & Embedded
CMOS inverter
Complementary NMOS and PMOS pair gives logic with near-zero static power.
In depth
PMOS pulls the output up and NMOS pulls it down, so only one conducts at a time, with essentially zero static current. Power is dynamic: P=αCV²f. Noise margins are large and the design scales well, making CMOS the base of processors and memories.
Key points
- Rail-to-rail output
- Propagation delay
- Latch-up risk
ExampleA modern CPU has billions of CMOS gates.
What is CMOS inverter?
Complementary NMOS and PMOS pair gives logic with near-zero static power.
Why is it important to understand CMOS inverter?
CMOS logic is the technology of almost all digital chips because it draws very little static power, which allows billions of transistors on one die.
Why does CMOS use both NMOS and PMOS?
One device pulls the output high while the other pulls it low, so one is always off in steady state, which removes static current.
Why does CMOS power rise with frequency?
Each switching event charges and discharges the load capacitance, so dynamic power grows with switching frequency and voltage squared.
How is CMOS inverter used in practice?
Typical applications include building a NAND gate in a microcontroller, explaining why a static CMOS chip draws little power when idle and choosing a low-power logic family for a battery device.
What should I learn before CMOS inverter?
Study "MOSFET regions of operation" first (topic 14 of 104 in Electronics & Embedded). It covers the groundwork this topic builds on.
What are the key points of CMOS inverter?
Rail-to-rail output. Propagation delay. Latch-up risk.
Can you give an example of CMOS inverter?
A modern CPU has billions of CMOS gates.
What comes after CMOS inverter?
The next topic is "Small-signal models", which builds directly on this one.
How difficult is CMOS inverter?
It is classed as Beginner in Electronics & Embedded (topic 15 of 104). It is an entry-level topic. It relies only on basic school mathematics and the ideas introduced earlier in this discipline.