Lecture 19

Transistor Amplifiers (I)

Common-Source Amplifier

Outline
Amplifier fundamentals
Common-source amplifier
Common-source amplifier with current-source
supply

Reading Assignment:
Howe and Sodini; Chapter 8, Sections 8.1-8.4
Announcement:
Quiz #2: April 25, 7:30-9:30 PM at Walker. Calculator
Required. Open book.

6.012 Spring 2007

Lecture 19

Amplifier Fundamentals

Source resistance RS is associated only with small

signal sources
Choose ID = ISUP ---> DC output current
IOUT = 0
VOUT = 0
Input
sources

Intrinsic
Amplifier
V+

Load

Voltage Input
Supply
Current
ISUP

RS
vs

VBIAS +

vIN = VBIAS + vs

Current Input

is

iOUT = id

ISUP

RS

iIN = IBIAS + is

iD
Input

Active
Device
iD = f(input)

+
vOUT

RL

IBIAS

6.012 Spring 2007

Lecture 19

2. Common-Source Amplifier:
Consider the following circuit:
V+=VDD

RD

iR

signal source
RS

iD

+
vOUT

vs
VBIAS

signal
load
RL

V-=VSS

Consider intrinsic voltage amplifier - no loading

RS = 0
RL --->
VGS = VBIAS - VSS

VBIAS, RD and W/L of MOSFET selected to bias

transistor in saturation and obtain desired output
bias point (i.e. VOUT = 0).
Watch notation: vOUT(t)=VOUT+vout(t)

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Lecture 19

Load line view of amplifier:

load line

IR=ID
VDD-VSS

VVGG
-VSS
-VDD
- V=V
=V
SS- VSS
BIAS
ssDD

RD

VV
-V - Vss
GG
BIAS SS

-V
VVGG
-VSS
=V
BIAS
ssT= VT
0
VSS

VDD

VOUT

Transfer characteristics of amplifier:

VOUT
VDD

VSS
0

Want:

VT

VDD-VSS VGG-VSS

VBIAS - Vss

Bias point calculation;

Limits to signal swing
Small-signal gain;
Frequency response [in a few days]

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Lecture 19

Bias point: choice of VBIAS, W/L, and RD to keep

transistor in saturation and to get proper quiescent VOUT.

Assume MOSFET is in saturation:

ID =

W
2
nCox (VBIAS VSS VT )
2L

VDD VOUT
IR =
RD
If we select VOUT=0:

W
V DD
2
ID = IR =
C (V
VSS VT ) =
2 L n ox BIAS
RD
Then:

VBIAS =

2I D
W
n Cox
L

+ VSS + VT

Equation that allows us to compute needed VBIAS given

RD and W/L.
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Lecture 19

VDD

Signal swing:
RD
signal source
+

RS

vOUT

vs
VBIAS

VSS

Upswing: limited by MOSFET going into cut-off.

vout,max = VDD
Downswing: limited by MOSFET leaving saturation.

VDS ,sat = VGS VT =

or

2I D
W
n C ox
L

vout ,min VSS = VBIAS VSS VT

Then:

6.012 Spring 2007

vout,min = VBIAS VT
Lecture 19

Generic view of the effect of loading on

small-signal operation
Two-port network view of small-signal equivalent
circuit model of a voltage amplifier:
Rin is input resistance
Rout is output resistance
Avo is unloaded voltage gain
Rs

Rout
+

vs

vin

input
loading

Voltage divider at input:

Voltage divider at output:

Rin

Avovin

RL

vout
-

unloaded circuit

output
loading

vs
vin = Rin
Rin + Rs
Avo v in
vout = RL
Rout + RL

vout
RL
Rin
=
A
vo
Loaded voltage gain:
vs
Rin + RS
R L + Rout

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Lecture 19

Small-signal voltage gain Avo: draw small-signal

equivalent circuit model: Remove RL and RS

RD
+

vt

vgs

gmvgs

ro

vout
-

- S

vt

gmvt

(ro//RD) vout

vout = g mv t (ro // RD )
Then unloaded voltage gain:

v out
Avo =
= gm (ro // R D )
vt
6.012 Spring 2007

Lecture 19

Input Resistance

Calculation of input resistance, Rin:

Load amplifier with RL
Apply test voltage (or current) at input, measure test
current (or voltage).

For common-source amplifier:

it
+
+

vt
-

vgs

gmvgs

(ro//RD)

RL

vt
it = 0 Rin = =
it
No effect of loading at input.

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Lecture 19

Output Resistance

Calculation of output resistance, Rout:

Load amplifier with RS
Apply test voltage (or current) at output, measure test
current (or voltage).
Set input source equal zero

For common-source amplifier:

it
+

RS

vgs

gmvgs

(ro//RD)

vt

v gs = 0 gm v gs = 0 v t = it (ro // RD )
vt
Rout =
= ro // RD
it

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Lecture 19

10

Two-port network view of common-source amplifier

Voltage Amplifier

Rs

Rout
+

vs

vin

input
loading

Rin

Avovin

RL

vout
-

Intrinsic circuit

output
loading

v out
Rin
RL
=
Avo
vs
Rin + RS
RL + Rout
vout
RL
= g m(ro // RD )
= gm (ro // RD // RL )
vs
RL + ro // RD

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Lecture 19

11

Current Source Supply

IV characteristics of current source:
iSUP
+

vSUP

1
roc

ISUP

iSUP

_
vSUP

Equivalent circuit models :

iSUP
+

vSUP

ISUP

roc

roc

large-signal model

small-signal model

iSUP = 0 for vSUP 0

iSUP = ISUP + vSUP/ roc for vSUP > 0
High small-signal resistance roc.

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Lecture 19

12

3. Common-source amplifier with currentsource supply V

DD

iSUP
signal source
iD

RS

+
vOUT

vs
VBIAS

signal
load
RL

VSS

Loadline View
iSUP=ID

load line
VBIAS-VSS=VDD-VSS

ISUP

VBIAS-VSS

VBIAS-VSS=VT
0
VSS
6.012 Spring 2007

VDD

VOUT
Lecture 19

13

Use PMOS for current source supply

VDD

VB

iSUP

signal source
iD

RS

vOUT

vs
VBIAS

VSS

Bias point: Assume both transistors in saturation

VOUT = 0. Choose ISUP and determine VB.

W
2
I SUP = I Dp = p Cox VDD VB + VTp
2L p

Set -IDp = IDn for VOUT ~ 0

W
2
I SUP = I Dn = nCox (VBIAS VSS VTn )
2L n

2I SUP
VBIAS =
+ VSS + VT
W
nC ox
L n
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Lecture 19

14

VDD

Signal swing:
VB

iSUP

signal source
iD

RS

vOUT

vs
VBIAS

VSS

Upswing: limited by PMOS leaving saturation.

VSD, sat = VSG + VTp = VDD VB + VTp

VDD vout,max = VDD VB + VTp
vout,max = VB VTp
Downswing: limited by NMOS leaving saturation.
Same result as with resistive supply current.

vout,min = VBIAS VT
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Lecture 19

15

3. Common-source amplifier with currentsource supply (contd.)

Current source characterized by high output resistance:
roc. Significantly higher than amplifier with resistive supply.
p-channel MOSFET: roc = 1/IDp
VDD

VB

iSUP

signal source
iD

RS

vOUT

vs
VBIAS

VSS

Voltage gain: Avo = -gm (ro//roc).

Input resistance :Rin =

Output resistance: Rout = ro//roc.

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Lecture 19

16

Relationship between circuit figures of merit and

device parameters
Remember:

W
nCox
L
1
L
ro

n I D I D
gm = 2I D

Then:
Circuit Parameters
|Avo|

Device*
Parameters gm(ro//roc)

ISUP

Rin Rout

ro//roc

* adjustments are made to VBIAS so that none of

the other parameters change

CS amplifier with current source supply is a good

voltage amplifier (Rin high and |Avo| high), but Rout high
too voltage gain degraded if RL << ro//roc.
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Lecture 19

17

What did we learn today?

Summary of Key Concepts
for CS amplifier

Bias Calculations
Signal Swing
Small Signal Circuit Parameters
Voltage Gain - AVO
Input Resistance - Rin
Output Resistance - Rout

Relationship between small signal circuit and

device parameters

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Lecture 19

18