FT13 VSD2537

Session-03

Comparator Design - I ( Two stage open loop )

Session delivered by:

Chandramohan P.

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Session Objective

To understanding the concepts of
– Characterization of Comparators
– Two-Stage, Open-Loop Comparators
– Other Open-Loop Comparators
– Improving the Performance of Open-Loop Comparators

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Session Topics

Comparator

Non-inverting and Inverting Comparators

Static Characteristics

Dynamic Characteristics

Two-Stage, Open-Loop Comparators

Other Open-Loop Comparators

Improving the Performance of Open-Loop Comparators

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Comparator

The comparator is a circuit that compares one analog signal with another
analog signal or a reference voltage and outputs a binary signal based on the
comparison.

The comparator is basically a 1-bit analog-to-digital converter

Comparator symbol

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Non-inverting and Inverting Comparators

The comparator output is binary with the two-level outputs defined as,
– VOH = the high output of the comparator
– VOL = the low level output of the comparator

Voltage transfer function of a Non-inverting and Inverting Comparator

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Static Characteristics

Gain

Output high and low states

Input resolution

Offset

Noise

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Infinite Gain Comparator

Voltage transfer function curve

Model

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Finite Gain Comparator

Voltage transfer curve

where for a non-inverting comparator,

– VIH = smallest input voltage at which the output voltage is VOH
– VIL = largest input voltage at which the output voltage is VOL

Model

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Input Offset Voltage of a Comparator

Voltage transfer curve

Model

Other aspects of the model:

– ICMR = input common mode voltage range (all transistors remain in saturation)
– Rin = input differential resistance
– Ricm = common mode input resistance

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Comparator Noise

Noise of a comparator is modeled as if the comparator were biased in the
transition region

Noise leads to an uncertainty in the transition region causing jitter or phase

noise

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Input Common Mode Range

Because the input is analog and normally differential, the input common
mode range of the comparator is also important

Input common mode range (ICMR):
– ICMR = the voltage range over which the input common-mode signal
can vary without influence the differential performance

The ICMR is defined by the common-mode voltage range over which all
MOSFETs remain in the saturation region

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Dynamic Characterization – Propagation delay

Rising propagation delay time

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Linear Frequency Response – Dominant Single-Pole

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Dynamic Characteristics - Propagation Time Delay

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Dynamic Characterization – Slew Rate

If the rate of rise or fall of a comparator becomes large, the dynamics may be
limited by the slew rate

Slew rate comes from the relationship
– where i is the current through a capacitor and v is the voltage across it

If the current becomes limited, then the voltage rate becomes limited,
Therefore for a comparator that is slew rate limited, then

where
– SR = slew rate of the comparator
– If SR < |maximum slope|, then the comparator is slewing

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Example - Propagation Delay Time of a Comparator

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Open-loop Comparators
SINGLE-POLE COMPARATORS
Dominant Pole Comparators

Any of the self-compensated op amps provide a straight-forward
implementation of an open loop comparator without any modification.

The previous section give the relationships for:
– The static characteristics
• Gain
• Input offset
• Noise
– The dynamic characteristics
• Linear frequency response
• Slew rate response

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Single-Stage Dominant Pole Comparator

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Folded-Cascode Comparator

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Enhanced-Gain, Folded-Cascode Comparator

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Two-pole Comparators

Two-Stage Comparator

The two-stage op amp without compensation is an excellent implementation
of a high-gain, open-loop comparator

Much faster linear response – the two poles of the comparator are typically
much larger than the dominant pole of the self-compensated type of
comparator.

Be careful not to close the loop because the amplifier is uncompensated
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Performance of the Two-Stage, Open-Loop Comparator

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Example - Performance of a Two-Stage Comparator

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Linear Step Response of the Two-Stage Comparator

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Linear Step Response of the Two-Stage Comparator – Cont…

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Step Response of a Two-Stage Comparator

Find the maximum slope of Two stage comparator and the time it occurs if the
magnitude of the input step is vin(min). If the dc bias current in M7 is 100µA, at
what value of load capacitance, CL would the transient response become slew
limited? If the magnitude of the input step is 100vin(min), what is the new value of
CL at which slewing would occur?
Solution

The poles of the comparator were given as p1 = -6.75x106 rads/sec p2 = -1.71x106
rads/sec. This gives a value of m = 0.253. From the previous expressions, the
maximum slope occurs at tn(max) = 1.84 secs. Dividing by |p1| gives t(max) =
0.272µs. The slope of the transient response at this time is found as

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Propagation Delay Time (Non-Slew)

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Example - Propagation Delay Time of a Two-Pole VSD2537

Comparator (Non-Slew)

Find the propagation time delay of Two stage comparator if Vin = 10mV,
100mV and 1V

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Initial Operating States for the Two-Stage, Open-Loop VSD2537

Comparator

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Initial Operating States - Continued

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Initial Operating States - Continued

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Initial Operating States - Continued

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Trip Point of an Inverter

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Propagation Delay Time of a Slewing, Two-Stage, Open-LoopVSD2537
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Comparator

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 Example -Propagation Time Delay of a Two-Stage, Open-
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Loop Comparator

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Example - Continued

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Example - Continued

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Two-Stage Comparator with Increased Speed

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Increasing the Gain of the Previous Comparator

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Comparators that Can Drive Large Capacitive Loads

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Summary

The two-stage, open-loop comparator has two poles which should as large as
possible

The transient response of a two-stage, open-loop comparator will be limited
by either the bandwidth or the slew rate

It is important to know the initial states of a two-stage, open-loop comparator
when finding the propagation delay time

If the comparator is gain bandwidth limited then the poles should be as large
as possible for minimum propagation delay time

If the comparator is slew rate limited, then the current sinking and sourcing
ability should be as large as possible

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