11/5/2004

Example Another MOSFET Small-Signal Analysis.doc

1/4

Example: Another SmallSignal Analysis of a

MOSFET Amplifier
Lets determine the small-signal voltage gain Av = vo vi (note not
the open-circuit gain!) of the following amplifier:
10. 0 V

100K

1K
+

3K

vo (t )

+ v (t )
i

2K

= 0. 005 V -1
K = 0. 4 mA/V 2
Vt = 2. 0 V
C's are large

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS

11/5/2004

Example Another MOSFET Small-Signal Analysis.doc

2/4

Step 1: DC Analysis
Capacitors are open circuits at DC, therefore the DC circuit is:
We ASSUME the MOSFET is in
saturation, thus we ENFORCE:

10. 0 V

ID = K (VGS Vt )

1K

100K

ID

Since IG = 0 , we find that VG = VD , and

thus VGS = VDS . From KVL, we find:

VDS

10. 0 (1 ) ID VDS (2 ) ID = 0

VGS

2K

Or since VGS = VDS :

VGS = 10. 0 3ID

Combining this with ID = K (VGS Vt ) , we get a quadratic
2

equation of VGS:

VGS = 10. 0 3K (VGS Vt )

The solutions to this equation are:

VGS = 4. 2 V

and

VGS = 1. 0 V

Dont panic! Only one of these solutions satisfy our saturation

assumption: VGS = 4. 2 > 2. 0 = Vt .
Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS

11/5/2004

Example Another MOSFET Small-Signal Analysis.doc

3/4

Step 2: Determine Small-Signal Parameters

gm = 2K (VGS Vt )
= 2 ( 0. 4 ) ( 4. 2 2. 0 )
= 1. 76 mA V

ro =
=

K (VGS Vt )

1
0. 005 ( 0. 4 ) ( 4. 2 2. 0 )

= 103 K

Steps 3 and 4: Determine the small-signal circuit

a) Turn off the DC voltage source.
b) Replace the large capacitors with short circuits.

100K

1K
+

3K

vo (t )

+ vi (t )

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS

11/5/2004

Example Another MOSFET Small-Signal Analysis.doc

4/4

c) Replace the MOSFET with its small-signal model.

100K

G
+ vi (t )

i1

id
D

v gs (t )

103

1. 76 v gs

+
3

vo (t )

S
We find first that v gs = vi . We likewise see from KCL that
current i1 is:

i1 = 1. 76 v gs +

vo

vo

1
3
= 1. 76 vi + 1. 334 vo

vo

103

From Ohms Law, we likewise find that i1 is:

i1 =

vi v o
100

Combining these two equations, we find:

vi vo = 176 vi + 133. 4 vo
And from this we find that the small-signal voltage gain is:

Av =
Jim Stiles

vo
175
=
= 1. 31
vi 134. 4
The Univ. of Kansas

not much gain!

Dept. of EECS