ECEN 326

Electronic Circuits
Frequency Response

Dr. Aydın İlker Karşılayan

Texas A&M University

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
 High-Frequency Model BJT & MOS

rx Cf
B or G C or D
rin v1 Cin gm v1 gmb v2 ro B
v2

E or S

General BJT MOS

rx rb 0
rin rπ ∞
Cin Cπ Cgs
Cf Cµ Cgd
ro ro ro
gm gm gm
gmb 0 gmb

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 1

 BJT & MOS Capacitances Active

BJT: Cπ = Cb + Cje = τFgm + Cje

Cµo
Cµ =  n
V


1 −
 
 

ψo
Cπ  Cµ

2
MOS: Cgs = WLCox
3

Cgd : Overlap capacitance

Cgs  Cgd

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 2

 Transition Frequency, fT BJT & MOS

io io

ii ii

rx Cf

ii rin v1 Cin gm v1 ro io

io gmrin
(s) ≈
ii 1 + rin(Cin + Cf )s

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 3

 Transition Frequency, fT BJT & MOS

io gmrin
(jω ) ≈
ii 1 + rin(Cin + Cf )jω

At high frequencies:
io gm
(jω ) ≈
ii (Cin + Cf )jω
 

 io 
 gm
(jω ) =1 ⇒ =1
 
 
 

 ii 

ω =ωT (Cin + Cf )ωT

gm ωT
ωT = , fT =
Cin + Cf 2π

gm gm
BJT: ωT = MOS: ωT =
C π + Cµ Cgs + Cgd

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 4

 BJT-CE & MOS-CS Small-signal circuit

RL RL
Vo Vo
RS RS
Vi Vi

RS rx Cf
vi vo

rin v1 Cin g m v1 ro RL

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 5

 BJT-CE & MOS-CS Transfer function

Cf
vo 1−s
(s) = K gm
vi 1 + a1s + a2s2

gmROLR rin
K=− = −gmROL
RS + rx RS + rx + rin

a1 = Cf ROL + Cf R + CinR + gmROLRCf

a2 = ROLRCf Cin

R = (RS + rx) k rin

ROL = ro k RL

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 6

 BJT-CE & MOS-CS Poles & zeros

s s
  

D(s) = 1 + a1s + a2s2 = 1 − 1−

  
 
 
p1 p2
1 a1
|p2|  |p1| ⇒ p1 ≈ − , p2 ≈ −
a1 a2
1
p1 = −  
ROL 


R Cin + Cf 1 + gmROL +

 


R
1 1 1 g
 
m
p2 = −  + + +



ROLCf RCin ROLCin Cin

s gm
N(s) = 1 − ⇒ z1 =
z1 Cf

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 7

 Miller Approximation

Zx

Vi −A Vo

Zi
Vi Vi Vi ZxVi Zx
Zi = = V −V = = =
Ii i o Vi − (− AVi ) (A + 1)Vi A+1
Zx Zx
1 1 1
Zx = ⇒ Zi = = 0
, C0 = (A + 1)C
sC s(A + 1)C sC

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 8

 Miller Capacitance

RS +rx Cf
vi vo

rin v1 Cin gm v1 ro RL

⇓ Miller Approximation ⇓
RS +rx
vi vo

rin v1 Cin CM gm v1 ro RL

vo
CM = (A + 1)Cf , A=− = gm(ro k RL)
v1

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 9

 BJT-CE & MOS-CS Approximate solution

RS +rx
vi vo

rin v1 Cin+CM gm v1 ROL

1
rin k
vo s(Cin + CM)
= −gmROL
1
 
vi RS + rx + rin k
 


s(Cin + CM)
rin 1
= −gmROL
RS + rx + rin 1 + s(Cin + CM)R

R = (RS + rx) k rin , ROL = ro k RL

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 10

 Approximate vs. Exact Solution

Miller approximation:
1
p1 = −
R(Cin + Cf (1 + gmROL))

Exact derivation:
1
p1 = −  
ROL 


R Cin + Cf 1 + gmROL +

 


R
1 1 1 gm 
 

p2 = −  + + +

 

ROLCf RCin ROLCin Cin
gm
z1 =
Cf

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 11

 BJT-CE Poles & zeros

1
p1 = −  
ROL 


((RS + rb) k rπ ) Cπ + Cµ 1 + gmROL +

 
  
  
R
 
1 1 1 gm 
p2 = −


 + + + 
ROLCµ RCπ ROLCπ Cπ
 

gm
z1 =
Cµ
gm
ωT =
C π + Cµ

|p2|  |p1| , |p2| > ωT , |z1| > ωT

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 12

 MOS-CS Poles & zeros

1
p1 = −  
ROL 


RS Cgs + Cgd 1 + gmROL +

 


RS
 
1 1 1 gm 
p2 = −


 + + + 
ROLCgd RSCgs ROLCgs Cgs
 

gm
z1 =
Cgd
gm
ωT =
Cgs + Cgd

|p2|  |p1| , |p2| > ωT , |z1| > ωT

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 13

 BJT & MOS Differential Pair DM

RL RL
vod vod
vid RS 2 vid RS 2
2 2

vod
Dominant pole of (s) :
vid
1
p1 = −  
ROL 


R Cin + Cf 1 + gmROL +

 


R

R = (RS + rx) k rin , ROL = ro k RL

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 14

 BJT & MOS Differential Pair CM

RL RL
voc voc
RS RS
vic vic

2RT CT /2 2RT CT /2

RL 1 2RT
Acm(s) ≈ − , ZT = 2RT k =
ZT sCT/2 1 + sCTRT

RL
Acm(s) ≈ − (1 + sCTRT)
2RT

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 15

 BJT & MOS Differential Pair CMRR

Acm
dB
+20 dB/dec
ω
log scale
Adm 1
ω1 ≈
dB −20 dB/dec RTCT

ω 1
log scale
ω2 ≈
R(Cin + CM)
CMRR
dB

ω
ω1 ω2 log scale

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 16

 BJT-CC & MOS-CD Small-signal circuit

Vi Vi
RS Vo RS Vo

RL RL

RS rx
vi

rin v1 Cin gm v1

vo
1
ro RL gmb

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 17

 BJT-CC & MOS-CD Transfer function

0 R0L s
gmRL + 1−
vo rin z1
(s) =
vi 0 R0S + R0L 1 − s
1 + gmRL + p1
rin
1
gm +
1 rin
p1 = − , z1 = −
R1Cin Cin

R0S = RS + rx

1
R0L = ro k RL k
gmb
R0S + R0L
R1 = rin k
1 + gmR0L

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 18

 BJT-CC Poles & zeros

1
gm +
z1 = − rπ ≈ − gm ≈ −ω
T
Cπ Cπ
1 R0S + R0L
p1 = − , R1 = rπ k
R1Cπ 1 + gmR0L

R0S = RS + rb , R0L = ro k RL

Typically, |z1| is slightly larger than |p1|.

If gmR0L  1 and R0S  R0L, then R1 ≈ 1/gm and p1 ≈ −ωT.

If R0S is large (compared to R0L), then |p1| will be significantly

less than ωT.

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 19

 MOS-CD Poles & zeros

gm
z1 = − ≈ −ωT
Cgs
1 RS + R0L
p1 = − , R1 =
R1Cgs 1 + gmR0L
1
R0L = ro k RL k
gmb

Typically, |z1| is slightly larger than |p1|.

If gmR0L  1 and RS  R0L, then R1 ≈ 1/gm and p1 ≈ −ωT.

If RS is large (compared to R0L), then |p1| will be significantly

less than ωT.

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 20

 BJT-CC & MOS-CD Input impedance

rx rx

Cin
rin v1 Cin gm v1 (1+ gm R’L )rin
Zi Zi 1+gm R’L

R’L R’L

1
 

Z i = rx + R k + R0L
 
 
 
sC
Cin
R = (1 + gmR0L)rin , C=
1 + gmR0L
1
R0L = ro k RL k
gmb

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 21

 BJT-CC & MOS-CD Input impedance

BJT:
1
 

Zi = rb + R k + R0L
 


sC
Cπ
R = (1 + gmR0L)rπ , C=
1 + gmR0L
R0L = ro k RL

MOS:
1
Zi = + R0L
sC
Cgs
C=
1 + gmR0L
1
R0L = ro k RL k
gmb

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 22

 BJT-CC & MOS-CD Output impedance

vo

rin v1 Cin gm v1 R’L

Zo

R’S

zin 1
v1 = 0 vo , zin = rin k
zin + RS sCin
0 zin + R0S
 
 zin + R 
Zo = (zin + R0S) k 

S k 0
RL = k R0L
gmzin 1 + gmzin
 

1
R0S = RS + rx , R0L = ro k RL k
gmb

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 23

 BJT-CC & MOS-CD Output impedance

 

rin + R0S 1 + sCin(R0S

 
k rin)
 
 

Zo = R0L
 
k
 
 
1 + gmrin 1 + sC  1 k r
  
 
 
in  in
 
 
gm

1
> R0S ⇒ Zo is capacitive
gm
1
< R0S ⇒ Zo is inductive
gm
1
= R0S ⇒ Zo is resistive
gm

1
Practical design goals: rx  RS , = RS
gm

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 24

 BJT-CC & MOS-CD Output impedance

BJT:
 
 
rπ + RS + rb 1 + sCπ ((RS + rb) k rπ )
 
 
 
Zo = ro k RL k
 
 
1
   




β+1 1 + sCπ 

k rπ 





gm

MOS:
 
 
 
1 
 1 1 + sCgsRS 

Zo = ro k RL k k
 
 

gm 1 + s Cgs
 
gmb 







gm

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 25

 BJT-CB & MOS-CG Small-signal circuit

RS RS
Vi Vo Vi Vo

RL RL

gmb v1

gm v1
io
vo
vi
=i RS v1 rin Cin Cf RL
RS i

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 26

 BJT-CB & MOS-CG Transfer function

io 1
(s) = K s
ii 1−
p1

vo RL 1 1
(s) = K s s
vi RS 1− 1−
p1 p2

gm + gmb
K=
1 1
gm + gmb + +
RS rin

1 1
gm + gmb + +
RS rin 1
p1 = − , p2 = −
Cin Cf RL

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 27

 BJT-CB & MOS-CG Poles

BJT:
vo RL gm 1 1
(s) =
vi RS gm + 1 1 − s 1 − s
α RS p1 p2
gm 1
+
α RS 1
p1 = − , p2 = −
Cπ CµRL

MOS:
vo RL gm + gmb 1 1
(s) = s s
vi RS g + g 1
m mb + 1− 1−
RS p1 p2
1
gm + gmb +
RS 1
p1 = − , p2 = −
Cgs CgdRL

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 28

 Multistage Amplifiers Dominant-pole approximation

K
A(s) =
1 + b1s + b2s2 + · · · + bnsn
K
= 
s

s
 
s


1− 1− · · · 1 −
    
   
   
p1 p2 pn
1
 
n
b1 = −
X 
 
 
i=1 pi
If |p1|  |p2|, |p3|, ... then
 
 1  K
 

b1 ≈   , |A(jω )| ≈
 
v
p  2
u

 ω
u  
1 u
u
1+
u 
u  

p1
t

The higher 3-dB frequency is

1
ωH ≈ |p1| ≈
b1
ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 29
 Open-Circuit Time Constant Analysis
Also known as Zero-Value Time Constant Analysis. Can be used
to estimate the higher 3-dB frequency (ωH).
C1
Cn C2

Circuit with
Circuit with
C3 no capacitors
no capacitors

k
v
Ck Rko
C4

ik
vk
Rko = , Tko = RkoCk
ik
n
b1 = RkoCk = R1oC1 + R2oC2 + · · · + RnoCn
X

k=1
1 1
ωH ≈ |p1| ≈ ≈
b1 Tko
X

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 30

 Short-Circuit Time Constant Analysis

Can be used to estimate the lower 3-dB frequency (ωL) of AC-

coupled amplifiers.
C1
Cn C2

Circuit with
Circuit with
C3 no capacitors
no capacitors

k
v
Ck Rks
C4

ik
vk
Rks = , τks = RksCk
ik
n 1
ωL ≈
X

k=1 τks

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 31

 Short-Circuit Time Constant Analysis

Can be used to estimate the nondominant pole (p2) in DC-

coupled amplifiers that have only two widely-spaced real poles.
C2

Circuit with Circuit with

C1 i1 v1
no capacitors no capacitors
R1s

vk
Rks = , τks = RksCk , k = 1, 2
ik
2 1
p2 ≈ −
X

k=1 τks

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 32

 Cascode Frequency Response

RL RL
vo vo

Q2 M2

vi Q1 vi M1

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 33

 Differential Pair Current mirror load

VDD

M3 M4
Vo
M1 M2
Vid Vid
2 IT 2

vgs4 1 gm4 vgs4

Cx gm3 io

Vid Vid
v1 gm1 v1 gm2 v2 v2
2 2

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Frequency Response 34