What does a MOSFET do?

A MOSFET, or Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor, primarily functions as an amplifier in electronic circuits. In this role, the MOSFET controls the flow of current through a channel using a voltage applied to its gate terminal. It is particularly effective at amplifying small variations in signal voltage, making it widely used in analog applications, such as audio amplifiers and other signal processing tasks.

The amplification property of a MOSFET is attributed to its ability to modulate the conductivity of the channel, allowing it to increase the voltage of an input signal. This feature is crucial for circuits that require signal amplification, such as in radio transmitters and receivers.

In other contexts, the functions of storing charges, rectifying current, and generating high-frequency signals relate to different types of components or designs. While MOSFETs can play roles in more complex systems that might involve these functions indirectly, their primary operation and significance lie in their ability to amplify voltage variations.