AMPLIFIER ARCHITECTURE

MABI NADAF ANALOG IC DESIGN

 AMPLIFIER ARCHITECTURE

MABI NADAF ANALOG IC DESIGN

 AMPLIFIER ARCHITECTURE

Amplifiers Architecture Selection Guidance

Architecture Applications Pros Cons When to Use
Low-power, low-
Simple, low- Limited gain, complexity, or
Single-Stage IoT, buffers
power output swing low-frequency
applications.
High CMRR, Device When rejecting
Differential Sensor interfaces,
stable differential mismatch, common-mode
Amplifier noise-critical
operation moderate gain noise is critical.
For capacitive-
Voltage-to-
load-dominant
Filters, oscillators, current Poor resistive
OTA circuits and
low-power systems conversion, low load drive
tunable signal
power
processing.
When moderate
ADC drivers, Requires
High gain, flexible to high gain with
Two-Stage general-purpose compensation,
trade-offs moderate speed is
amps more power
needed.
When speed and
Communication, High bandwidth, Moderate gain, noise are critical in
Folded-Cascode
ADC front-ends good linearity complex design low-voltage
designs.
Precision Limited swing, When gain and
Telescopic High gain, low
amplifiers, not suitable for noise dominate
Cascode noise
instrumentation low voltage over swing.
Full swing, When full swing is
Portable, low- Complex design,
Rail-to-Rail suitable for low needed in low-
voltage systems increased noise
voltage voltage systems.
For decision-
No linear
ADCs, threshold High speed, making,
Comparator operation, noise
detection binary operation oscillators, or ADC
at thresholds
front-ends.

Summary of All the Architecture

MABI NADAF ANALOG IC DESIGN

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Key Constraints to Consider While Selecting Architectures

1. Gain Requirements:

o For high gain, prefer telescopic or two-stage architectures.

o For low gain, single-stage or rail-to-rail architectures suffice.

2. Speed and Bandwidth:

o High-speed applications favor folded cascode or telescopic designs.

o Moderate-speed applications can use two-stage or single-stage designs.

3. Power Consumption:

o Low-power applications lean towards single-stage or telescopic cascode

designs.

o Avoid power-intensive designs like rail-to-rail for ultra-low-power systems.

4. Supply Voltage:

o Folded cascode and rail-to-rail designs excel in low-voltage nodes (e.g.,

16nm, 5nm).

o Two-stage designs are better suited for legacy nodes (e.g., 90nm, 180nm).

5. Output Swing:

o For full-swing requirements, rail-to-rail or folded cascode designs are ideal.

o Limited swing applications can use telescopic cascode.

6. Noise Performance:

o Telescopic cascode and folded cascode are better for noise-sensitive

applications.

o Avoid rail-to-rail designs if noise is a significant concern.

7. Technology Node:

o Advanced nodes (e.g., 5nm, 16nm) favor folded cascode for speed and rail-
to-rail for low power.

o Larger nodes (e.g., 90nm, 180nm) suit two-stage or telescopic cascode for
robustness.

MABI NADAF ANALOG IC DESIGN

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1. Single-Stage Common-Source Op-Amp

Applications:

• Low-power, low-gain applications.

• Basic buffer circuits in IoT and portable devices.

• Pre-amplifiers in low-complexity signal chains.

Pros:

• Simple design with minimal components.

• High output resistance can provide good gain with resistive loads.

• Low power consumption.

Cons:

• Limited gain (Av≈gmRoA_v \approx g_m R_oAv≈gmRo).

• Poor output swing due to high RoR_oRo.

• Moderate bandwidth and phase margin.

Limitations:

• Not suitable for high-gain or low-noise applications.

• Stability issues in feedback configurations due to single dominant pole.

When to Use:

• When area and power constraints dominate.

• For low-frequency and moderate gain requirements.

MABI NADAF ANALOG IC DESIGN

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2. Differential Amplifier

Applications:

• Sensor interfaces, instrumentation amplifiers.

• Front-end of ADCs and signal processing circuits.

• High common-mode noise rejection applications.

Pros:

• High Common-Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR).

• Stable operation in differential mode.

• Can handle input signals with a wide common-mode range.

Cons:

• Moderate gain compared to cascode or two-stage architectures.

• Requires additional circuitry for single-ended outputs.

• Sensitive to device mismatch, impacting offset and noise.

Limitations:

• Requires precise matching of transistors for good performance.

• Limited gain and output swing compared to two-stage op-amps.

When to Use:

• When rejecting common-mode noise or interference is critical.

• Ideal for sensor signal conditioning and pre-amplification stages.

MABI NADAF ANALOG IC DESIGN

 AMPLIFIER ARCHITECTURE

3. Operational Transconductance Amplifier (OTA)

Applications:

• Continuous-time filters, voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs), and automatic gain

control.

• Analog signal processing in low-power or low-voltage systems.

• Used in switched-capacitor circuits.

Pros:

• Converts voltage input to current output (ideal for capacitive loads).

• Scalable for low-power and low-voltage applications.

• Can operate at high frequencies with good linearity.

Cons:

• Limited driving capability for resistive loads.

• Gain-bandwidth trade-offs due to dependence on transconductance (gmg_mgm).

Limitations:

• Not suitable for directly driving resistive loads or high-current applications.

• Requires careful compensation for stability in high-speed designs.

When to Use:

• For applications where capacitive loads dominate, such as filters and VCOs.

• When high linearity and tunability are needed under low-power constraints.

MABI NADAF ANALOG IC DESIGN

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4. Two-Stage Op-Amp

Applications:

• General-purpose amplifiers for moderate to high-gain applications.

• ADC drivers and signal-conditioning circuits.

Pros:

• High gain due to cascading two stages.

• Can drive moderate capacitive loads with proper compensation.

• Flexible design for trade-offs between gain, bandwidth, and power.

Cons:

• Compensation (e.g., Miller) required for stability, which affects bandwidth.

• Increased power consumption compared to single-stage designs.

• Larger area due to additional stages and compensation elements.

Limitations:

• May not achieve the required speed for high-frequency applications.

• Limited scalability to very low supply voltages.

When to Use:

• When high gain and moderate bandwidth are needed.

• For applications with relatively stable supply voltage and power budgets.

MABI NADAF ANALOG IC DESIGN

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5. Folded-Cascode Op-Amp

Applications:

• High-speed, low-noise applications.

• ADC front ends and communication systems.

• Rail-to-rail or low-voltage op-amps in advanced technology nodes.

Pros:

• High bandwidth due to low input capacitance and single-pole response.

• Improved noise performance compared to telescopic cascode.

• Can operate with low supply voltages.

Cons:

• Lower gain compared to telescopic cascode due to additional current paths.

• Larger area and increased complexity in design.

• Higher power consumption due to the folded structure.

Limitations:

• Trade-off between gain and speed.

• Reduced output swing due to headroom constraints in the folded structure.

When to Use:

• When speed and noise are critical, but gain requirements are moderate.

• For low-voltage and high-speed applications in advanced nodes (e.g., 5nm, 16nm).

MABI NADAF ANALOG IC DESIGN

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6. Telescopic Cascode Op-Amp

Applications:

• High-gain amplifiers in high-precision instrumentation.

• Low-power amplifiers in ultra-low-noise systems.

Pros:

• Excellent gain and high output resistance.

• Low noise due to fewer active devices in the signal path.

• Relatively low power consumption.

Cons:

• Limited output swing due to stacked transistors.

• Difficult to design for low-voltage operation.

• Limited flexibility in trade-offs between gain, speed, and swing.

Limitations:

• Unsuitable for high-output swing or low supply voltages.

• Requires careful biasing to ensure proper operation.

When to Use:

• When gain and noise are the highest priorities.

• For applications with sufficient supply voltage to accommodate stacked devices.

MABI NADAF ANALOG IC DESIGN

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7. Rail-to-Rail Input/Output Op-Amp

Applications:

• Battery-operated systems requiring full input/output swing.

• Portable electronics, sensors, and low-power analog front-ends.

Pros:

• Can handle full rail-to-rail input and output swings.

• Suitable for low supply voltages and portable systems.

• Good for input common-mode range and output drive requirements.

Cons:

• Complex design for maintaining performance across the entire input/output range.

• Higher power consumption compared to non-rail-to-rail architectures.

• Increased noise and reduced linearity near supply rails.

Limitations:

• Lower gain and bandwidth compared to traditional architectures.

• Stability challenges when driving large capacitive loads.

When to Use:

• For portable and battery-powered systems with strict supply voltage constraints.

• When input/output range requirements are critical

MABI NADAF ANALOG IC DESIGN
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8. Comparator

Applications:

• Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs), especially SAR and flash ADCs.

• Oscillators, PWM circuits, and threshold detection in power management.

• Digital logic level conversion.

Pros:

• High-speed transition between two logic levels.

• Low power consumption in static conditions.

• Simplified design compared to an op-amp for threshold detection.

Cons:

• Lacks linear operation; unsuitable for amplification.

• Susceptible to noise and jitter near the threshold voltage.

• Hysteresis may be needed to prevent false triggering.

Limitations:

• Limited application scope due to its binary nature (only high or low outputs).

• Requires additional circuitry for hysteresis or programmable thresholds.

When to Use:

• When decision-making (e.g., comparing voltages) is needed.

• Ideal for ADCs, pulse-width modulation, and signal crossing detection.

MABI NADAF ANALOG IC DESIGN