EE341
Microelectronic Design
Lecture 3
25th Jan. 2021
1
Example
Calculate the small-signal voltage gain of the CS stage
shown below if ID = 1mA, µnCox =100 µA/V2, VTH = 0.5 V, and
ƛ= 0. Verify that M1 operates in saturation.
2
Example
Calculate the small-signal voltage gain of the CS stage
shown below if ID = 1mA, µnCox =100 µA/V2, VTH = 0.5 V, and
ƛ= 0. Verify that M1 operates in saturation.
3
Current Sources
When in saturation region, a MOSFET behaves as a current
source.
NMOS draws current from a point to ground (sinks current),
whereas PMOS draws current from VDD to a point (sources
current).
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Summary
5
CS Stage with Current-Source Load
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CS Stage with Current-Source Load
To alleviate the headroom problem, an active current-
source load is used.
This is advantageous because a current-source has a high
output resistance and can tolerate a small voltage drop
across it.
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PMOS CS Stage with NMOS as Load
Similarly, with PMOS as input stage and NMOS as the load,
the voltage gain is the same as before.
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CS Stage with Diode-Connected Load
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CS Stage with Diode-Connected Load
Lower gain, but less dependent on process parameters.
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CS Stage with Diode-Connected PMOS Device
Note that PMOS circuit symbol is usually drawn with the
source on top of the drain.
11
CS Stage with Degeneration
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CS Stage with Degeneration
When a CS stage is degenerated, its gain, I/O impedances,
and linearity change.
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Example of CS Stage with Degeneration
A diode-connected device degenerates a CS stage.
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CS Stage with Gate Resistance
Since at low frequencies, the gate conducts no current,
gate resistance does not affect the gain or I/O impedances.
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Output Impedance of CS Stage with Degeneration
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Output Impedance of CS Stage with Degeneration
Degeneration boosts output impedance.
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Output Impedance Example (I)
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Output Impedance Example (I)
When 1/gm is parallel with rO2, we often just consider 1/gm.
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Output Impedance Example (II)
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Output Impedance Example (II)
In this example, the impedance that degenerates the CS
stage is rO, instead of 1/gm in the previous example.
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CS Core with Biasing
VDD
RD
R1
Vout
C1
Vin Vx
M1
R2
CS Core with Biasing
VDD
RD
R1
Vout
Vin RG C1
Vx
M1
R2 Rs
23
CS Core with Biasing
VDD
RD
R1
Vout
Vin RG C1
Vx
M1
R2 Rs
Rin C2
24
CS Core with Biasing
Degeneration is used to stabilize bias point, and a bypass
capacitor can be used to obtain a larger small-signal
voltage gain at the frequency of interest.
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Common-Gate Stage
Common-gate stage: a rise in input causes a rise in output.
So the gain is positive. Noninverting
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Common-Gate
27
Signal Levels in CG Stage
Voltage Headroom
In order to maintain M1 in saturation, the signal swing at Vout
cannot fall below Vb-VTH.
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Example
29
Example
30
I/O Impedances of CG Stage
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I/O Impedances of CG Stage
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I/O Impedances of CG Stage
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CG Stage with Source Resistance
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CG Stage with Source Resistance
When a source resistance is present, the voltage gain is
equal to that of a CS stage with degeneration, only positive.
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Generalized CG Behavior
When a gate resistance is present it does not affect the gain
and I/O impedances since there is no potential drop across
it ( at low frequencies).
The output impedance of a CG stage with source resistance
is identical to that of CS stage with degeneration.
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Example of CG Stage
37
Example of CG Stage
Diode-connected M2 acts as a resistor to provide the bias
38
current.
CG Stage with Biasing
R1 and R2 provide gate bias voltage, and R3 provides a path
for DC bias current of M1 to flow to ground.
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Source Follower Stage
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Source Follower Core
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Source Follower Core
Similar to the emitter follower, the source follower can be
analyzed as a resistor divider.
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Source Follower Example
In this example, M2 acts as a current source.
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Output Resistance of Source Follower
The output impedance of a source follower is relatively low,
whereas the input impedance is infinite ( at low
frequencies); thus, a good candidate as a buffer.
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Example of a CS Stage (I)
M1 acts as the input device and M2, M3 as the load.
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Example of a CS Stage (II)
M1 acts as the input device, M3 as the source resistance,
and M2 as the load.
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Examples of CS and CG Stages
With the input connected to different locations, the two
circuits, although identical in other aspects, behave
differently.
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Example of a Composite Stage (II)
This example shows that by probing different places in a
circuit, different types of output can be obtained.
Vout1 is a result of M1 acting as a source follower whereas
Vout2 is a result of M1 acting as a CS stage with
degeneration.
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