6.

002x

CIRCUITS AND
ELECTRONICS

Amplifiers
Revisit Small Signal Trick

Reading: Amplifier small signal model -- Chapter 8 of A&L

1

Review
Vs
RL

n MOSFET amp

vO

vI

iDS

n Saturation discipline operate

MOSFET only in saturation region
n Large signal analysis
1. Find vO vs vI under saturation discipline.
2. Valid vI , vO ranges under saturation discipline.

Review Large Signal Analysis Review

1

vO vs vI

Valid operating ranges

K (vI VT )
vO = VS
RL
2

e.g ., 5V

vO

Vs

vO > vI VT
vO = vI VT
vO < vI VT

corresponding
interesting
region for vO

1V

vI

VT

1V

interesting region for vI .

2V

Saturation discipline satisfied.

Operating in the saturation region

VS

vO

Vs
RL

K (vI VT )
vO = VS
RL
2

vO = vI VT
VT

vI

vO
iDS

vI

But

vO

K (vI VT )
vO = VS
RL
2

VS

vO = vI VT
VT

VI

Vs
RL

vA

vO

vI
vA
VI

iDS

vI
Demo

Amp is nonlinear L
How do we get a
linear amplifier?
5

Small Signal Trick

VS

Vs
RL

vO

vO

vI

VT

iDS

vI

Small Signal Trick

Vs
RL
vO

Remember
Boost and Shrink

Operate amp at VI , VO DC bias

(possible choice: midpoint of valid input operating range)

Superimpose small signal of interest on top of VI

Response to small signal seems to be approximately linear

vI

iDS

Boost Use DC Bias

Vs

We use a DC bias VI to boost interesting input

signal above VT (and in fact, well above VT )

RL
vO
vI

iDS

Lets look at this in more detail

I
graphically
II mathematically
III from a circuit viewpoint
In the
next
sequence

I Graphically

interesting
input signal

vO

vI

VS

Vs
RL

vO

VI +

v I

vO = vI VT

VT

vI

10

Recall Small Signal Model Notation

aka incremental model
aka linearized model

11

Small Signal Model

Input:

vI = VI + vi

Output: vO = VO + vo

vI

vO

12

II Mathematically
vO = VS

RL K
(vI VT )2
2

watch
my
fingers!

13

II Mathematically
vO = VS

RL K
(vI VT )2
2

watch
my
fingers!

We will see why

this is called
transconductance
in the next
sequence
Transconductance related to MOSFET parameters and VI

14

Mathematically
vo = RL K (VI VT )vi
gm

related to VI

In other words, our circuit behaves like a linear amplifier

for small signals

15

Another way
vO = VS

RL K
(vI VT )2
2

Also, see Figure

8.9 in the text
for a graphical
interpretation
of this result

16

Small Signal Demo

VS

interesting
input signal
vi

vO

vO = vI VT
0

VT

VI

Vs
RL

vO

vI

vI

Demo

17