ECEN 326

Electronic Circuits
Stability

Dr. Aydın İlker Karşılayan

Texas A&M University

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
 Ideal Configuration

Vε
Vi Σ a(s) Vo

Vfb

Vo ao
a(s) = (s) = s
Vε 1−
p1

ao
Vo a(s) 1 + aof
A(s) = (s) = = s
Vi 1 + a(s)f 1−
(1 + aof)p1

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 1

 Gain-Bandwidth 1-pole amplifier

Gain magnitude, dB
|a(jω)|
20 log ao

−20 dB/dec
ao |A(jω)|
20 log
1+ao f

ωt ω
0
|p1| (1+ao f) |p1| log scale

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 2

 Instability and the Nyquist Criterion

Transfer function of a 3-pole amplifier:

ao
a(s) = 
s

s

s


1− 1− 1−
   
   
   
p1 p2 p3

Nyquist criterion for stability of the amplifier:

Consider a feedback amplifier with a stable T(s). If the

Nyquist plot of T(jω ) encircles the point (-1,0), the feedback
amplifier is unstable.

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 3

 Magnitude & Phase 3-pole amplifier

|a(jω )|, dB

20 log ao
−20 dB/dec

20 log a180 −40 dB/dec

−60 dB/dec
ω
0
|p1| |p2| ω180 |p3| log scale

−45 ω
−90
−135
−180
−225
−270

a(j ω )

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 4

 Magnitude & Phase T(s) = a(s)f1

|T(jω )|, dB

20 log ao f1
−20 dB/dec

20 log a180 f1 −40 dB/dec

ω
0
|p1| |p2| ω180 |p3| −60 dB/dec
log scale

−45 ω
−90
−135
−180
−225
−270

T(j ω )

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 5

 Nyquist Plot T(s) = a(s)f1

Im
ω negative

a180 f1 0 ao f1
Re
(−1,0)
ω= ω=0

ω=ω180
ω positive

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 6

 Magnitude & Phase T(s) = a(s)f2

|T(j ω )|, dB

20 log ao f2 −20 dB/dec

ω180 |p3| ω
0
|p1| |p2| log scale
20 log a180 f2 −40 dB/dec

−60 dB/dec

log scale
−45 ω
−90
−135
−180
−225
−270

T(j ω)

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 7

 Nyquist Plot T(s) = a(s)f2

Im

ω negative

ω=ω180
a180 f2 0 ao f2
Re
(−1,0)
ω= ω=0

ω positive

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 8

 Gain & Phase Margin

|a(j ω )|, dB |T(j ω )|=0 dB

20 log ao ω axis for |T(j ω )|

20 log 1
f
Gain margin
20 log a180

ω
0
|p1| ωo |p2| ω180 |p3|
log scale
−45 ω
−90
−135
−180
−225
−270

a(j ω ), T(j ω ) Phase margin

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 9

 Stability Criteria

Nyquist:
|T(jω180)| = a180f < 1 ⇒ Stable

Gain Margin (GM):

1
GM = 20 log = −20 log |T(jω180)|
|T(jω180)|
GM > 0 ⇒ Stable

Phase Margin (PM):

PM = 180◦ + 6 T(jωo)

PM > 0 ⇒ Stable

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 10

 Phase Margin

1
|T(jωo)| = 1 ⇒ |a(jωo)|f = 1 ⇒ |a(jωo)| =
f
a(jωo)
PM = 45◦ ⇒ 6 T(jωo) = −135◦ , A(jωo) =
1 + T(jωo)
a(jωo) a(jωo)
A(jωo) = ◦ =
1 + e−j135 1 − 0.7 − 0.7j
|a(jωo)| 1 1.3
|A(jωo)| = = =
|0.3 − 0.7j| 0.76f f

PM = 30◦ ⇒ 6 T(jωo) = −150◦ , |A(jωo)| = 1.92/f

PM = 60◦ ⇒ 6 T(jωo) = −120◦ , |A(jωo)| = 1/f
PM = 90◦ ⇒ 6 T(jωo) = −90◦ , |A(jωo)| = 0.7/f

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 11

 Closed-Loop Frequency Response
10
PM=30
PM=45
PM=60
5 PM=90

-5
Relative Gain, dB

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30
0.01 0.1 1 10
Relative Frequency

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 12

 Closed-Loop Step Response

PM = 30◦ PM = 45◦

PM = 60◦ PM = 90◦

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 13

 Compensation Dominant pole (pD) added, f = 1

|a(j ω)|, dB
20 log ao
Original

Aft
er c
om
pen
sat
ion

|pD | |p1| |p2| |p3| ω

log scale
Original
−45
−90
−135 After compensation
−180
−225
−270

a(j ω)
|pD| ≈ |p1|/ao

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 14

 Compensation Dominant pole (pD) added, f < 1

|a(j ω)|, dB
20 log ao Original
Aft
er c
om
pen
sat
ion 20 log 1
f

|pD | |p1| |p2| |p3| ω

log scale
Original
−45
−90
−135 After compensation
−180
−225
−270

a(j ω)
|pD| ≈ |p1|/(aof)

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 15

 Compensation p1 shifted to p01, f = 1

|a(j ω)|, dB
20 log ao
Original
Aft
er c
om
pen
sat
ion

|p1| |p1| |p2| |p3| ω

log scale
Original
−45
−90
−135 After compensation
−180
−225
−270

a(j ω)
|p01| ≈ |p2|/ao

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 16

 Compensation p1 shifted to p01, f < 1

|a(j ω)|, dB
20 log ao Original
Aft
er c
om
pen
sat
ion 20 log 1
f

|p1| |p1| |p2| |p3| ω

log scale
Original
−45
−90
−135 After compensation
−180
−225
−270

a(j ω)
|p01| ≈ |p2|/(aof)

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 17

 2-Stage Amplifier Dominant-pole compensation

VCC

RL1 RL1 RL2 RL2

Vo1 Vo2
Q1 C Q2 Q3 Q4
Vi1 Vi2

−VEE

C : Compensation capacitor

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 18

 2-Stage Amplifier DM half circuit

vo
RL1

Q3 RL2
RS
Q1 2C
vs

1
|pD| =
2RC

R = RL1 k (rb3 + rπ 3)

The value of C required is usually very large (typically > 1nF)

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 19

 Compensation of Opamps Simplified BJT

VDD

Q8 Q7
Q5

vi
Q1 Q2
C
Ibias vo

Q3 Q4 Q6

−VSS

C : Compensation capacitor

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 20

 Compensation of Opamps Simplified MOS

VDD

M8 M7
M5

vi
M1 M2
C
Ibias vo

M3 M4 M6

−VSS

C : Compensation capacitor

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 21

 Compensation of Opamps Small-signal equivalent

C
vo

vi Rin Cin gm1vi R1 v1 C1 gm6v1 C2 R2

vo gm1R1R2(gm6 − sC)
=
vi 1+s[R1(C1 +C)+R2(C2 +C)+gm6R1R2C]+s2[R1R2(C1C2 +CC1 +CC2]

If p1 and p2 are real, |p1|  |p2|, C is large,

gm6R1, gm6R2  1 :
1 1
p1 ≈ − ≈−
R1(C1 +C) + R2(C2 +C) + gm6R1R2C gm6R1R2C
gm6C gm6
p2 ≈ − z=
C1C2 + C(C1 +C2) C

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 22

 Compensation of Opamps Pole splitting

1 1
C = 0 ⇒ p1 = − , p2 = −
R1C1 R2C2
1 gm6
C  C1, C2 ⇒ p1 ≈ − , p2 ≈ −
gm6R1R2C C 1 + C2

jω
s plane
poles split
1 1 σ
R2C2 R1C1

As C increases, |p1| decreases and |p2| increases

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 23

 Effect of RHP Zero z = gm6/C

vo
vi (j ω ) , dB

az
ω
0
|p1| z |p2| log scale
−45 ω
−90
−135
−180
−225
−270
vo
vi (j ω )

If az > 0 dB and z < |p2|, PM becomes negative

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 24

 Elimination of RHP Zero Effect Solution #1

1
C C Buffer
VDD

M8 M7
M5

vi M9
M1 M2 C
Ibias vo
ID
M3 M4 M6

−VSS

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 25

 Elimination of RHP Zero Effect Solution #1

Assuming gm6R1, gm6R2  1 and C is large,

1
p1 ≈ −
gm6R1R2C
gm6C gm6
p2 ≈ − ≈−
(C1 + C)C2 C2

The zero has been eliminated

p1 is unchanged

p2 is approximately the same as before

Extra devices and bias current are required

Output swing is affected

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 26

 Elimination of RHP Zero Effect Solution #2

VDD

M8 M7
M5 ID
C
vi
M1 M2
VB M9
Ibias vo

M3 M4 ID M6

−VSS

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 27

 Elimination of RHP Zero Effect Solution #2

Assuming gm6R1, gm6R2  1 and C is large,

1
p1 ≈ −
gm6R1R2C
gm6 C
p2 ≈ −
C + C 2 C1

The zero has been eliminated

p1 is unchanged

p2 is at a higher frequency

Extra devices and bias current are required

Input offset voltage is affected if IDs mismatch

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 28

 Elimination of RHP Zero Effect Solution #2 - alt.

VDD

M8 M7
M5

vi
M1 M2
vo
Ibias
VB M9 M10 VB

M3 M4 C M6

−VSS

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 29

 Elimination of RHP Zero Effect Solution #3

VDD

M8 M7
M5

vi
M1 M2
C RZ
Ibias vo

M3 M4 M6

−VSS

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 30

 Elimination of RHP Zero Effect Solution #3

Assuming gm6R1, gm6R2  1 and C is large,

1
p1 ≈ −
gm6R1R2C
gm6C gm6
p2 ≈ − ≈−
C1C2 + C(C1 +C2) C1 +C2
1
p3 ≈ −
RZC1

1 1
z= 
1
 RZ = ⇒ z=∞


− RZ C
 gm6

gm6
1
RZ > ⇒ LHP zero (z < 0)
gm6

ECEN 326 Electronic Circuits - Aydın İ. Karşılayan - Stability 31