lecture30-LOW VOLTAGE OP AMPS
lecture30-LOW VOLTAGE OP AMPS
INTRODUCTION
Implications of Low-Voltage, Strong-Inversion Operation
• Reduced power supply means decreased dynamic range
• Nonlinearity will increase because the transistor is working close to VDS(sat)
• Large values of because the transistor is working close to VDS(sat)
• Increased drain-bulk and source-bulk capacitances because they are less reverse biased.
• Large values of currents and W/L ratios to get high transconductance
• Small values of currents and large values of W/L will give small VDS(sat)
• Severely reduced input common mode range
• Switches will require charge pumps
supply is:
VDD
VDD(min.) = 3VON M3 M4 +
However, to have any input common mode range, the VPB1 VON
-
effective minimum power supply is, M1 + M2
VDD(min.) = VT + 2VON VON
+ +
VT+VON - VT+VON
- -
M5 +
VNB1 VON
-
060802-02
Therefore,
VDD(min.) = VT + 3VON
This could be reduced to 3VON with the floating battery but its implementation probably
requires more than 3VON of power supply.
Note the output signal swing is VT + VON while the input common range is VON.
-VT1
Input common-mode range: vicm M1 M2
Vicm(upper) = VDD - VSD3(sat) + VT1 VGS1
Vicm(lower) = VDS5(sat) + VGS1
VDS5(sat) +
VBias M5
-
Fig. 7.6-3
If the threshold magnitudes are 0.7V, VDD =
1.5V and the saturation voltages are 0.3V, then
Vicm(upper) = 1.5 - 0.3 + 0.7 = 1.9V
and
Vicm(lower) = 0.3 + 1.0 = 1.3V
giving an ICMR of 0.6V.
CMOS Analog Circuit Design © P.E. Allen - 2016
Lecture 30 – Low Voltage Op Amps (6/25/14) Page 30-6
VDD > Vicm > Vonp: (n-channel on and p-channel off) gm(eq) = gmN
Vonp Vicm Vonn: (n-channel on and p-channel on) gm(eq) = gmN + gmP
Vonn > Vicm > 0 : (n-channel off and p-channel on) gm(eq) = gmP
where gm(eq) is the equivalent input transconductance of the above input stage, gmN is
the input transconductance for the n-channel input and gmP is the input trans-
conductance for the p-channel input.
gm(eff)
gmN+gmP
gmP gmN
n-channel off Vonn n-channel on Vonp n-channel on
p-channel on p-channel on p-channel off
Vicm
0 VSDP5(sat)+VGSN1 VDD-VSDP5(sat)+VGSN1 VDD Fig. 7.6-5
CMOS Analog Circuit Design © P.E. Allen - 2016
Lecture 30 – Low Voltage Op Amps (6/25/14) Page 30-7
gmN=gmP
0 Vicm
0 Vonn Vonp VDD Fig. 7.6-7
The above techniques and many similar ones are good for power supply values down to
about 1.5V. Below that, different techniques must be used or the technology must be
modified (natural devices).
CMOS Analog Circuit Design © P.E. Allen - 2016
Lecture 30 – Low Voltage Op Amps (6/25/14) Page 30-9
Natural Transistors
Natural or native NMOS transistors normally have a threshold voltage around 0.1V
before the threshold is increased by increasing the p concentration in the channel.
If these transistors are characterized, then they provide a means of achieving low voltage
operation.
Minimum power supply (ICMR = 0):
VDD(min) = 3VON
Input common mode range:
Vicm(upper) = VDD – VON + VT(natural)
Vicm(lower) = 2VON + VT(natural)
If VT(natural) ≈ VON = 0.1V, then
Vicm(upper) = VDD
Vicm(lower) = 3VON = 0.3V
Therefore,
ICMR = VDD - 3VON = VDD – 0.3V VDD(min) ≈ 1V
Matching tends to be better (less doping and magnitude is smaller).
CMOS Analog Circuit Design © P.E. Allen - 2016
Lecture 30 – Low Voltage Op Amps (6/25/14) Page 30-10
Bulk-Driven MOSFET
A depletion device would permit large ICMR even with very small power supply
voltages because VGS is zero or negative.
When a MOSFET is driven from the bulk with the gate held constant, it acts like a
depletion transistor.
Cross-section of an n-channel vBS VDS VGS VDD
bulk-driven MOSFET: Bulk Drain Gate Source Substrate
Channel
p+ n+ n+ n+
QP
Depletion p-well
Region QV
n substrate
Large signal equation: Fig. 7.6-8
KN’W
iD = 2L VGS - VT0 - 2|F| - vBS + 2|F|2
Small-signal transconductance:
(2KN’W/L)ID
gmbs =
2 2|F| - VBS
CMOS Analog Circuit Design © P.E. Allen - 2016
Lecture 30 – Low Voltage Op Amps (6/25/14) Page 30-11
1000
Saturation: VDS > VBS – VP gives,
VBS = VP + VON 500
IDSS
Gate-source
VBS2
iD = IDSS 1 - V driven
P 0
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
Comments: Gate-Source or Bulk-Source Voltage (Volts)
Fig. 7.6-9
200nA
Bulk-Source Current
150nA
100nA
50nA
-50nA
-0.50V -0.25V 0.00V 0.25V 0.50V
Input Common-Mode Voltage Fig. 7.6-10A
Comments:
• Effective ICMR is from VSS to VDD -0.3V
• The transconductance of the input stage can vary as much as 100% over the ICMR
which makes it very difficult to compensate
CMOS Analog Circuit Design © P.E. Allen - 2016
Lecture 30 – Low Voltage Op Amps (6/25/14) Page 30-14
†T. Lehmann and M. Cassia, “1V Power Supply CMOS Cascode Amplifier,” IEEE J. of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 36, No. 7, 2001.
CMOS Analog Circuit Design © P.E. Allen - 2016
Lecture 30 – Low Voltage Op Amps (6/25/14) Page 30-15
VDD
Current-Driven Bulk Technique
Bias circuit for keeping Imax defined VBias1
M7
independent of BJT betas. M3
IS,E =1.3ID
Note:
ID,C = ICD + ID M6 ID IE IR
IS,E = ID + IE + IR R
IBB M1 M2
The circuit feedback causes a bulk bias ID,C =1.1ID ICD M5
M4
current IBB and hence a bias voltage VBIAS M8 +
such that VBias
IR =
IS,E = ID + IBB(1+CS + CD) + IR VBias2
0.1ID
-
Use VBias1 and VBias2 to set ID,C 1.1ID, VSS
130418-01
IS,E 1.3ID and IR 0.1ID which sets IBB at 0.1ID assuming we can neglect ICS with
respect to ICD. This is illustrated as follows,
IS,E ≈ ID + IBB(1+CD) + IR = ID + IBB + ICD + IR = ID + IBB + 0.1ID + 0.1ID = 1.3ID
For this circuit to work, the following conditions must be satisfied:
VBE < VTN + IRR and |VTP| + VDS(sat) < VTN + IRR
If |VTP| > VTN, then the level shifter IRR can be eliminated.
CMOS Analog Circuit Design © P.E. Allen - 2016
Lecture 30 – Low Voltage Op Amps (6/25/14) Page 30-16
The problem with this approach is the number of poles that occur (one per stage) if the
amplifier is to be used in a closed loop application. Instability or poor transient response
will result.
This approach is complicated by the feedforward paths which create RHP zeros.
Unfortunately, the analysis becomes quite complex - for the details refer to the reference
below.
† R. Hogervorst and J. H. Huijsing, Design of Low-Voltage, Low-Power Operational Amplifier Cells, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1996, pp. 127-
131.
CMOS Analog Circuit Design © P.E. Allen - 2016
Lecture 30 – Low Voltage Op Amps (6/25/14) Page 30-21
VDD VDD
M7
M3 M4 M7 M3 M4
or
M6 M6 M5
M1 M2 M1
M5 IB2 M2
Fig. 7.6-13A
M4
iout M3
+ + +
VGS3 VBS3 VGS4
- -M2
M1 M2 - M1
+ + + + + +
VGS V BS VGS VGS1 VBS1 VGS2
- - - - - -
Simple bulk-driven Cascodebulk-driven
current mirror current mirror. Fig.7.6-11
The cascode current mirror gives a minimum input voltage of less than 0.5V for currents
less than 100µA
CMOS Analog Circuit Design © P.E. Allen - 2016
Lecture 30 – Low Voltage Op Amps (6/25/14) Page 30-23
R1
Voltage-mode bandgap topology. Current-mode bandgap topology. Voltage-current mode bandgap topology.
Fig. 7.6-14
Current
K2IVBE K1IPTAT
I2 INL K3INL
INL
IVBE K1IPTAT
Temperature
Circuit to generate nonlinear correction term, INL. Illustration of the various currents.
Fig. 7.6-16
0 , K2IVBE > K1IPTAT
INL =
K1IPTAT - K2IVBE , K2IVBE < K1IPTAT
The combination of the above concept with the previous slide yielded a curvature-
corrected bandgap reference of 0.596V with a TC of 20ppm/C° from -15C° to 90C°
using a 1.1V power supply.† In addition, the line regulation was 408 ppm/V for
1.2VDD10V and 2000 ppm/V for 1.1VDD10V. The quiescent current was 14µA.
† G.A. Rincon-Mora and P.E. Allen, “A 1.1-V Current-Mode and Piecewise-Linear Curvature-Corrected Bandgap Reference,” J. of Solid-State
Circuits, vol. 33, no. 10, October 1998, pp. 1551-1554.
CMOS Analog Circuit Design © P.E. Allen - 2016
Lecture 30 – Low Voltage Op Amps (6/25/14) Page 30-25
VPB2 vOUT
Cc
+ M1 M2
vIN M6 M7
-
VNB1
M5 M8 M9 M10
060804-01
Performance:
Gain ≈ gm2rds2
Miller compensated
Output swing is VDD -2VON
Max. CM input = VDD
Min. CM input = 2VON + VT
CMOS Analog Circuit Design © P.E. Allen - 2016
Lecture 30 – Low Voltage Op Amps (6/25/14) Page 30-26
Performance:
Gain ≈ gm2rds2, self compensated, and output swing is VDD -4VON
VPB2 VPB2
+ - vOUT
VNB2 VNB2
VNB1
1:3
060804-02
M6 M13
Cx M9 M10
M17
+
vin M1 M2 vout
-
CL
M7 M8
VBiasN M3 M5 M4 M14
M15
M16
SUMMARY
• Integrated circuit power supplies are rapidly decreasing (today 2-3Volts)
• Classical analog circuit design techniques begin to deteriorate at 1.5-2 Volts
• Approaches for lower voltage circuits:
- Use natural NMOS transistors (VT 0.1V)
- Drive the bulk terminal
- Forward bias the bulk
- Use depeletion devices
• The dynamic range will be compressed if the noise is not also reduced
• Fortunately, the threshold reduction continues to allow the techniques of this section to
be used in today’s technology