Chapter 7

Differential and Multistage Amplifiers

1
Introduction
Why differential ?

Figure 1 Single-ended signal. Figure 2 Differential signal.

Vout  Vin Vout  Vin1  Vin 2

2
Introduction

Figure 3 (a) Noise of Supply Voltage at single MOS (b) Noise at Differential MOS.

Vout  Vout  Vnoise Vout  VX  Vnoise   VY  Vnoise 

Output contain no interference component

3
7.1 The MOS Differential Pair
7.1.1 Operation with a Common-Mode Input Voltage

vCM is called the common-mode voltage.

2 2 L
vs  vCM  VGS
I
vD1  vD 2  VDD  RD
2

Figure 4 The MOS differential pair with a common-mode input voltage vCM .
4
7.1 The MOS Differential Pair
7.1.2 Operation with a Differential Input Voltage
setting vG 2  0
vid  vGS 1  vGS 2
If vid  0, vGS 1  vGS 2 , iD1  iD 2 , vD1  vD 2
vid  0, vGS 1  vGS 2 , iD1  iD 2 , vD1  vD 2
Differential input signals make the differential output.

when iD1  I iD 2  0
vGS 2  Vt Assumed, Q1 and Q2 are in saturation
vG  vS 2  Vt
vS 2  vs  Vt
1 W
I  iD1  nCox  vGS 1  Vt 
2
Figure 5 The MOS differential pair with differential input signal.
2 L
vid max  vGS 1  vS vGS 1  Vt  2 I  nCox W L  
 Vt  2 I  nCox W L    Vt

 2 I  nCox W L   5
7.1 The MOS Differential Pair
7.1.2 Operation with a Differential Input Voltage
when iD1  0 , iD 2  I
vid  vGS 1  vs
 Vt  vs
1 W
I  iD 2  nCox  vGS 2  Vt 
2

2 L
vGS 2  Vt  2 I  nCox W L  

vs  Vt  2 I  nCox W L  

vs  Vt   2 I  nCox W L  

vid min  vs  Vt   2 I  nCox W L  

6
7.1 The MOS Differential Pair
7.1.3 Large-Signal Operation 1 W
iD1   nCox  vGS 1  Vt 
2

2 L
1 W
  nCox  vGS 2  Vt 
2
iD 2
2 L
1 W
iD1  nCox  vGS 1  Vt 
2 L
1 W
iD 2  nCox  vGS 2  Vt 
2 L
vGS 1  vGS 2  vG1  vG 2  vid

1 W
iD1  iD 2  nCox vid
2 L
1 W
Figure 6 The MOS differential pair for the purpose of deriving iD1  iD 2  2 iD1iD 2  nCox vid2
the transfer characteristics 2 L
iD1  iD 2  I
1 W
2 iD1iD 2  I  nCox vid2
2 L
7
7.1 The MOS Differential Pair
7.1.3 Large-Signal Operation
1 W
2 iD1iD 2  I  nCox vid2
2 L
iD 2  I  iD1
1 W
2 iD1  I  iD1   I  nCox vid2
2 L
2
1 W W
4iD1  I  iD1   I   nCox  vid4  I nCox vid2
2

4 L L
W 2
x  iD1 , a  I , b  nCox
2
1 W W vid
4i  4iD1I  I   nCox  vid4  I nCox vid2
2 2
D1
4 L L L
1
4 x 2  4ax  a 2  b 2  ab
4
1
4 x 2  4ax  a 2  ab  b 2  0
4
1 1 
x 2  ax   a 2  ab  b 2   0
4 4 
 1 
a  a 2   a 2  ab  b 2 
 4 
x
2
 vid 2 
2
I W v 
1
ab  b 2 iD1   nCox I  id  1 
a
x  4 2 L  2  I nCox
W
8
2 2 L
 7.1 The MOS Differential Pair
7.1.3 Large-Signal Operation
 vid 2 
2
I W v 
iD1   nCox I  id  1 
2 L  2  I nCox
W
L
iD1  iD 2  I
 vid 2 
2
I W v 
iD 2   nCox I  id  1 
2 L  2  I nCox
W
L
At the bias point, vid  0
I
iD1  iD 2 
2
vGS 1  vGS 2  VGS I  I  v  v 2
2

iD1      id  1   id 
I 1 W 2  2   VOV   VOV 
 nCox VOV 
2

2 2 L 2
I  I  v  v 2
I iD 2      id  1   id 
VOV  2  2   VOV   VOV 
W
nCox
L
9
7.1 The MOS Differential Pair
7.1.3 Large-Signal Operation
iD1, D 2 vid
Normalized plot vs
I VOV
vid2 is nonlinear term
vid2 should be as small as possible
2
I  I  v  v 2
iD1      id  1   id 
2  2   VOV   VOV 

I  I  v  v 2
2
iD1  iD 2  I
iD 2      id  1   id 
2  2   VOV   VOV 
vid
Setting VOV
2
I  I  v 
iD1      id 
2  2   VOV 
I  I   vid 
iD 2     
2  2   VOV 
Figure 7 Normalized plots of the currents in a MOSFET differential pair. 10