Task – 1 (Assessment – 3)

Deadline: 20-10-2021
Frequency response of Differential Amplifier

Design a MOS differential amplifier the given specifications:

VCC = 5 V, ICS = 1 mA, Rsig = 10 kΩ, RCS = 100 kΩ
Differential gain Ad = 20.
Use MOSFET 1 µm technology library.

For NMOS 1 µm: µn =217 cm2/V.s, Vt=0.5 V, lambda=0.1, tox=15 nm.

From the above information, µnCox = 50 µA/V2

Aim:
To determine the differential and common mode voltage gains and CMRR of the differential amplifier.

Components Required:
NMOS – 1 µm MOS model library
Resistors
Capacitors
Voltage Source – 5 V
Current Source

Circuit Diagram:
A differential amplifier is a circuit that can accept two input signals and amplify the difference between these
two input signals. There are also two outputs terminals Vo1 and Vo2. The output is taken differentially. It is a
basic building block of an op-amp. The common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR), usually defined as the ratio
between differential-mode gain and common-mode gain, indicates the ability of the amplifier to accurately
cancel voltages that are common to both inputs.
 Fig. 1

Design:
Rule of thumb: Assume the DC voltages of input (VIN) and output (VO) are 2.5 V.
To find RD1 and RD2:
VDD − VO
Find RD =
ID

To find the width and length of NMOS:

Since the circuit is symmetric, let RD = RD1 = RD2, W/L = (W/L)M1, (W/L)M2
Ad = − g m ( RD ro ) ------- (1)

1
We know that, ro =
ID

Find the value of g m using (1).

W
g m = 2 I D nCox ------- (2)
L
W
From the value of g m , find using (2).
L
Let L = 1 µm, then find the value of W.
Procedure and Model graph:
1. Apply ac magnitude = 1 V in the input signal Vsig and plot the frequency response for differential gain (ie.,
Vo1 − Vo2)
2. Find the gain Ad, 3-dB frequency fH from the AC plot and note down the readings in Table 1.

Tabulation:
From the AC plot,
Gain (dB) fH (Hz)

Table 1

Sample Design:
VCC = 5 V, ICS = 0.6 mA, Rsig = 10 kΩ, RCS = 100 kΩ
Differential gain Ad = 10.
Using the formulae above,
W
RD = 8.33 kΩ, gm = 1.5 mS, = 75 (let L = 1 µm, then W = 75 µm)
L