Chapter 16 CMOS Amplifiers

16.1
16.2
16.3
16.4
16.5
16.6

General Considerations
Operating Point Analysis and Design
CMOS Amplifier Topologies
Common-Source Topology
Summary and Additional Examples
Chapter Summary

Chapter Outline

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

Example: Desired I/O Impedances

Rin

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

Ramp 0

Method to Measure the I/O Impedances

vX
Rin
iX

Rout

vX

iX

To measure Rin(Rout), deactivate all the other independent

sources in the circuit and find the ratio of vX/iX.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

Example: Input Impedance of a Simple Amplifier

i X 0 Rin

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

The Concept of Impedance at a Node

When the other node of a port is grounded, it is more

convenient to use the concept of impedance at a node.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

Example: Impedance Seen at Drain

Rout rO

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

Example: Impedance Seen at Source

Rout

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

gm

Impedance Summary

Looking into the gate, we see infinity.

Looking into the drain, we see rO if the source is (ac) grounded.
Looking into the source, we see 1/gm if the gate is (ac)
grounded and rO is neglected.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

Bias and Signal Levels for a MOS Transistor

Bias point analysis establishes the region of operation and the

small-signal parameters.
On top of the bias point, small signals are applied to the circuit.

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

10

General Steps in Circuit Analysis

First, the effects of constant voltage/current sources are

analyzed when signal sources are deactivated.
Second, small-signal analysis is done when constant sources
are set to zero.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

11

Simplification of Supply Voltage Notation

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

12

Example: Amplifier Driven by a Microphone

Microphone Output
20mV
0V

Since the DC (average) value is at zero, and 20mV is not

sufficient to turn on M1, M1 is off and Vout is at VDD.

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

13

Example: Amplifier with Gate Tied to VDD

Since the gate voltage level is fixed at VDD, no signal current

will be produced my M1, leading to no amplification.

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

14

Example: Amplifier with Gate Bias

With proper value of VB, M1 can operate in the desired

saturation region and amplify the incoming voice signal.

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

15

Simple Biasing

VGS

R2

VDD
R1 R2

In (a), VGS=VDD, whereas in (b) VGS equals to a fraction of VDD.

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

16

Example: Bias Current and Maximum RD

VTH 0.5V

nCox 100A / V 2
W L 5 0.18

0
R1 20K
R2 15K

ID

R2

VDD VTH 102 A

R1 R2

VTH 0.271V VRD m ax 1.529 RD 15 K

1
W
nCox
2
L

VD m in VGS

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

17

Capacitive Coupling

Capacitive coupling is used to block the zero DC output value

of the microphone and pass the voice signal to the amplifier.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

18

Biasing with Source Degeneration

R2VDD
VGS V1 VTH V 2V1
VTH
R

R
2
1
1
V1
W
nCox RS
L
2
1

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

19

Example: ID and Maximum RD for Source Degeneration Biasing

VTH 0.5V

nCox 100A / V 2
W / L 5 / 0.18
0

V1

1
0.36V
W
nCox RS
L

RV
VGS V1 VTH V12 2V1 2 DD VTH
R1 R2
V (VX VTH )
RD DD
3.25K
ID
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

0.974V

20

Example: Maximum W/L and Minimum RS

VTH 0.5V

nCox 100A / V 2
RD 2.5K

V V
A W
2
I D m ax DD Y 406A 50 2 0.38V
RD
V L
W
L

56.2
m ax

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

VGS VTH

RS min

2I D

1.041V
W
nCox
L
V VGS
X
604
ID

21

Self-Biased MOS Stage

ID

1
W
nCox VDD RS RD I D VTH 2
2
L

The gate voltage is provided by the drain with no voltage drop

across RG and M1 is always in saturation.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

22

Example: Self-Biased MOS Stage

nCox 100A / V 2
VTH 0.5V

I D 556A
I D 278A RD 2.867K

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

23

Example: PMOS Stage with Biasing

p Cox 50A / V 2
W L 5 0.18

0
R1 20 K
R2 15K
VTH 0.5V

VGS

R2
VDD 0.771V
R1 R2

1
W
2
I D p Cox VGS VTH 56A
2
L
Saturation RD m ax 27.3K
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

24

Example: PMOS Stage with Self-Biasing

p Cox 50A / V 2
W L 5 0.18
0
VTH 0.5V

1
W
I D p Cox VDD I D RD VTH
2
L
I D 418 A

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

25

Good Example of Current Source

As long as a MOS transistor is in saturation region and =0, the

current is independent of the drain voltage and it behaves as an
ideal current source seen from the drain terminal.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

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Bad Example of Current Source

Since the variation of the source voltage directly affects the

current of a MOS transistor, it does not operate as a good
current source if seen from the source terminal
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

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Possible I/O Connections to a MOS Transistor

Of all the possible I/O connections to a MOS transistor, only

(a,d), (a,e) and (b,d) are functional.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

28

Common Source (CS) Stage

If the input is applied to the gate and the output is sensed at the
drain, the circuit is called a common-source (CS) stage.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

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Small-Signal Model of CS Stage

vout

g m v1
RD
Av g m RD

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

30

Example: CS Stage

I D 1mA

nCox 100A / V 2
VTH 0.5V

W
1
g m 2nCox I D
L
300
Av g m RD 3.33

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

VGS VTH
VGS VTH

2I D

1.1V
W
nCox
L
0.6V ,VDD RD I D 0.8V

0.8 0.6 Saturation

31

Example: Faulty CS Stage Design

Power 1mW
VDD 1.8V
Av 5
VTH 0.5V

nCox 100A / V 2
W L 5 0.18
0

Power 1mW I D 556A g m 1 569

Av 5 RD 2845

However, no solution exists since M1 is out of the saturation

region (VDD-IDRD<VGS-VTH).
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

32

CS Stage I/O Impedance Calculation

vx
Rin
ix

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

Rout

vx
RD
ix

33

CS Stage Including Channel-Length Modulation

Av g m RD || rO
Rout RD || rO

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

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Example: Gain
No Channel-Length Modulation

With Channel-Length Modulation

Av x

Av x 2
1
rO
RD
I D
1

I D RD

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

35

Example: RD

Av g m rO
Av

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

W
L 2 nCoxWL
ID
ID

2 nCox

36

CS Stage with Current Source Load

Av g m1 rO1 || rO 2
Rout rO1 || rO 2

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

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Example: CS Stage with Current Source Load

Av g m1 rO1 || rO 2

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

38

CS Stage with Diode-Connected Load

Av g m1
|| rO 2 || rO1
gm2

1
Rout
|| rO 2 || rO1
gm2

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

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Example: CS Stage with Diode-Connected PMOS

Av g m 2
|| rO 2 || rO1
g m1

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

40

CS Stage with Source Degeneration

Av

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

RD
1
RS
gm

41

Example: CS Stage with Source Degeneration

Av

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

RD
1
1

g m1 g m 2

42

Example: Degeneration Resistor

Without Degeneration

With Degeneration

g m 1 200

g m 1 200

Av 8

Av 4

g m RD 8 RD 1.6 K
g m RD
4 RS 1 g m 200
1 g m RS

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

43

Effective Transconductance

Gm

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

iout
gm

vin 1 g m RS

44

Effect of Transistor Output Resistance

Rout rO g m rO 1RS
Rout rO 1 g m RS

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

45

Stage with Explicit Depiction of rO

Sometimes, the transistors output resistance is explicitly

drawn to emphasize its significance.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

46

Example: NMOS Current Source Design

I D 1mA
Rout 20K

nCox 100A / V 2
0.25V 1
VDS m in 0.3V

VDS min VGS VTH 0.3

2I D
1
gm

VGS V TH 150

1 g m R S rO RS 20K

RS 578
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

47

Example: Output Resistance of CS Stage with Degeneration I

1 1

R out rO1 1 g m1
gm2 gm2

g m1 g m 2 g m Rout 2rO1

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

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Example: Output Resistance of CS Stage with Degeneration II

Rout 1 g m1rO1 rO 2 rO1

Rout g m1rO1rO 2

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

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Example: Failing Microphone Amplifier

No Amplification!!

100 || 50 K
VX
2.5V 2.5mV
100 K 100 || 50 K

Because of the microphones small low-frequency output

resistance (100), the bias voltage at the gate is not sufficient
to turn on M1.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

50

Capacitive Coupling

To fix the problem in the previous example, a method known as

capacitive coupling is used to block the DC content of the
microphone and pass the AC signal to the amplifier.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

51

Capacitive Coupling: Bias Analysis

1
W
I D nCox
2
L

R2

VDD VTH
R1 R2

Since a capacitor is an open at DC, it can be replaced by an

open during bias point analysis.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

52

Capacitive Coupling: AC Analysis

vout
g m RD || rO
vin

Since a capacitor is a short at AC, it can be replaced by a short

during AC analysis.

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

53

Capacitive Coupling: I/O Impedances

Rin1
Rin 2 R1 || R2

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

Rout RD || rO

54

Example: Amplifier with Direction Connection of Speaker

This amplifier design still fails because the solenoid of the

speaker shorts the drain to ground.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

55

Example: Amplifier with Capacitive Coupling at I/O

Req RD || Rsp 8

Av g m RD || Rsp 0.08

This amplifier design produces very little gain because its

equivalent output resistance is too small.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

56

Source Degeneration with Bypass Capacitor

R1 || R2
Av
g m RD
RG R1 || R2

It is possible to utilize degeneration for biasing but eliminate its

effect on the small-signal by adding a bypass capacitor.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

57

Example: Source Degeneration with Bypass Capacitor Design

Av 5
Rin 50K
Power 5mW

nCox 100A / V 2
VTH 0.5V

0
VDD 1.8V
VRS 400mV

RS 148
g m 1 46.3
W L 864
RD 463 2
R1 64.3K, R2 225K
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

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Concept Summary

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

59

Common-Gate Stage

In a common-gate stage, the input is applied at the source

while the output is taken at the drain.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

60

Small Signal Analysis of Common-Gate Stage

Av g m RD

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

61

Example: Common-Gate Stage Design

I D 0.5mA
W L 50

nCox 100A / V 2
VTH 0.5V
VDD 1.8V

VDD I D RD Vb VTH RD 2.71k

g m 1 447 Av 6.06

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

62

Input Impedance of Common-Gate Stage

1
Rin
gm

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

63

The Use of Low Input Impedance

The low input impedance of a common-gate stage can be used

to impedance match a 50- transmission line.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

64

Output Impedance of Common-Gate Stage

Rout rO || RD

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

65

Example: Alternate Av Expression of CG Stage

Rout
Av
Rin

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

66

CG Stage in the Presence of Finite Source

Resistance

vout
RD

1
vin
RS
gm
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

67

Output Impedance of a General CG Stage

Rout RD || 1 g m RS rO RS

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

68

CG and CS Stages Output Impedance Comparison

RoutCG RoutCS RD || 1 g m RS rO RS
Since when calculating the output impedance, the input voltage
source of the CG stage is grounded, the result will be identical
to that of a CS stage if the same assumptions are made for both
circuits.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

69

Example: AV and Rout

vout
g m1 RD

vin 1 g m1 g m 2 RS

=0

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

Rout g m1rO1
|| RS rO1 || RD
gm2

>0

70

Example: CG Stage Lacking Bias Current

Although the capacitor C1 isolates the DC content of the signal

source, it also blocks the bias current of M1, hence turning it
OFF.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

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Example: CG Stage with Source Shorted to Ground

Although there is now a path for bias current to flow to ground,

the signal current also goes with it, hence producing no gain.

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

72

CG Stage with Proper Bias Circuitry

1
Rin
|| R1
gm

1
Av
g m RD
1 1 g m R1 RS

R1 is used to provide a path for bias current to flow without

directly shorting the source to ground.
However, it also lowers the input impedance of the circuit
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

73

Input Current Flowing Paths

1
R1
gm
To maximize the useful current i2, R1 needs to be much larger
than 1/gm.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

74

Example: CG with Complete Bias Network

nCox 100A / V 2
VTH 0.5V

0
Av 5
RS 0, R1 500
1 / g m 50
Power 2mW
VDD 1.8V

VGS 0.8V
W L 244
g m 2 I D / VGS VTH 136.4

RD 682
RG1 45k, RG 2 135k
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

75

Example: Min W/L

nCox 100A / V 2
VTH 0.5V

0
Av 5
RS 0, R1 500
1 / g m 50
Power 2mW
VDD 1.8V

VDD I D RD VGS VR1 VTH

VDD
W

L
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

Av
VGS VTH VGS VTH VR1
2
2I D

VDD VR1

nCox 2
Av 2

76

Source Follower

Source follower sense the input at the gate and produces the
output at the source.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

77

Source Followers Response to an Input Change

As the input changes by a small amount, the output will follow

the input and changes by a smaller amount, hence the name
source follower.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

78

Small-Signal Model and Voltage Gain for Source Follower

vout
RS

1
vin
RS
gm

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

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Example: Source Follower with Current Source

VA

Av 1

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

80

Source Follower Acting as a Voltage Divider

vout
RS

1
vin
RS
gm
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

81

Complete Small-Signal Model with rO

vout
rO || RS

vin r || R 1
O
S
gm

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

82

Example: Source Follower with a Real Current Source

Av

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

rO1 || rO 2
rO1 || rO 2

1
gm

83

Example: Source Follower with a Real Current Source

RS 50
Av 0.5
Power 10mW

nCox 100A / V 2
VTH 0.5V

0
VDD 1.8V

Av

RS
1
RS
gm

0.5

1
50
W L 360
gm

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

84

Output Resistance of Source Follower

Rout

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

|| rO || RS
gm

85

Example: Source Follower with Biasing

I D 1mA
Av 0.8

nCox 100A / V 2
VTH 0.5V

0
VDD 1.8V
RG 50k

Av

RS
RS 867
VGS VTH
RS
2I D

VGS VDD I D RS 0.933V

W L 107
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

86

Source Follower with Current Source Biasing

In IC technology, source follower is often biased by a current

source to avoid the bias currents dependence on the supply
voltage.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

87

Summary of MOS Amplifier Topologies

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

88

Example: Common Source Stage I

Av g m1
|| rO1 || rO 2 || rO 3
g m3

1
Rout
|| rO1 || rO 2 || rO3
g m3

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

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Example: Common Source Stage II

rO 2
Av
1
1

|| rO 3
g m1 g m 3

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

90

Example: CS and CG Stages

AvCS g m 2 1 g m1rO1 RS rO1 || rO1

AvCG

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

rO 2
1
RS
g m1
91

Example: Composite Stage I

Av

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

RD
1
1

g m1 g m 2

92

Example: Composite Stage II

1
|| rO 2
gm2

vout1

1
1
vin
|| rO 2
gm2
g m1
vout 2
vin

CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

1
|| rO 3 || rO 4
g m3

1
1

|| rO 2
g m1 g m 2

93

Chapter Summary
The impedances looking into the gate, drain, and source of a
MOS are equal to , rO and 1/gm respectively (under proper
conditions).
The transistor has to be properly biased before small-signal
can be applied.
Resistive path between the supply rails establishes the gate
bias voltage.
Only three amplifiers topologies are possible.
CS stage provides moderate AV, high Rin and moderate Rout.
Source degeneration improves linearity but lower AV.
Source degeneration raises the Rout of CS stage considerably.
CG stage provides moderate AV, low Rin and moderate Rout.
AV for CS and CG stages are similar but for a sign.
Source follower provides AV less than 1, high Rin and low Rout,
serving as a good voltage buffer.
CH 16 CMOS Amplifiers

94