Chapter 3

Single-Stage Amplifiers

Zou Zhige
2006 HUST

Zou Zhige ＣＭＯＳ　Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ３　　　　　　　　 1

 Table of contents

• Introduction
• Common-Source Amplifiers
• Source follower Amplifiers
• Common Gate Amplifiers
• Cascode Amplifiers

Zou Zhige ＣＭＯＳ　Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ３　　　　　　　　 2

 Overview

• Reading
–Chapter 3
• Introduction
In this lecture, we study the low-frequency behavior of single-stage
CMOS amplifiers. Analyzing both the large-signal and the small-signal
characteristics of each circuit, we develop intuitive techniques and
models that prove useful in understanding more complex systems.
Following a brief review of basic concepts, we describe in this
chapter four types of amplifiers:
---Common-Source Amplifier
---Common-Gate Amplifier
---Source Followers
---Cascode
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 Questions

• What is amplifiers?
• Why we need to learn amplifiers?
• What will we learn about amplifiers?
• How to learn?

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 What is Amplifier

• The IO characteristic of an amplifier is a nonlinear function:

y (t ) ≈ a0 + a1 x(t ) + a2 x 2 (t ) + K + an x n (t ) x1 ≤ x ≤ x2

• For a sufficiently narrow range of x:

y (t ) ≈ a0 + a1 x (t )
• Where a0 is the operating (bias) point and a 1 is the small-signal
gain.

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 Why we need to learn amplifiers?

• Microphone
• Communications
– Wireless
– Optical-fiber
• Disk Drive Electronics
• Processing of Natural
Signals
– Sensors

• Amplifier is a key circuit

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 What will we learn about amplifiers?

• Basic configurations of amp.

• The main characteristics of amp.
• How to analyze & design amp.
– Signal-----Large Signal, Small Signal(*)
– Model-----LSM, SSM(*), Two-Port Model
– Parameter-----
• Device parameter-----W,L
• Circuit parameter------Rin, Rout, Av, Ai, Bias
• Frequency characteristics-----Frequency response
• Gain, speed, power dissipation, noise,…

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 How to Learn?

• Lear the operation conditions of different amp.

• Distinguish different characteristics of different amp.
• DC and ac Analysis

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 DC and ac Analysis

• DC Analysis (Large-Signal Analysis)

--- Determine the exact biasing.
• AC Analysis (Small-Signal Analysis)
--- Obtain the expression of the voltage gain,
small-signal input and output impedance.

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 Tradeoffs

Most of these parameters

trade with each other. Such
trade-offs lead to many
challenges in the
design of high performance
amplifiers.

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 Single-Stage Amplifiers

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 Table of contents

• Introduction
• Common-Source Amplifiers
– CS with Resistive Load
– CS with diode-connected MOS load
– CS with Current Source Load
– CS with Triode Region Load
– CS with source degeneration
• Source follower Amplifiers
• Common Gate Amplifiers
• Cascode Amplifiers
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 3.2 Common Source

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 3.2.1 Common Source (CS) with Resistive Load

• Resistive Load is often used in high-speed circuit because of

the linearity of resistance, and also the output voltage swing
may reach up to VDD.

Fig. 3.1 (a) CS Stage; (b) input-output characteristic; (c) equivalent circuit in deep triode region

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 Method of Analysis

• Large-Signal Analysis
– Input range, output range, operation region
– Plot of Vout V: Vin
• Small-Signal Analysis
– Small-signal equal circuit
– Av of saturation region
(easy to difficult: No gmb àgmb, No ro à ro)
– Rin and Rou
• Different load
• Discussion

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 CS with Resistive Load (cont.)

• DC Analysis (Large-Signal Analysis)

(1) When V in < VTH , M1 is in cut-off region, Id=0, Vout=VDD-IdRD=VDD
(2) When V in > VTH , and V in < V in1 , M1 is in saturation region.
µnCox W
Vout = VDD − (Vin −VTH )2 RD
2 L
Here we have neglected channel length modulation.
(3) When Vin - VTH = Vout , M1 is at the boundary of saturation and triode regions.
µnCox W
Vin1 − VTH = VDD − (Vin1 − VTH ) 2 RD
2 L
From which V in1-VTH and hence Vout can be calculated.

1 + 4αVDD − 1 1 W 1 W
α = µ n Cox ( ) RD = k N ( ) RD
Vin1 = + VT H where 2 L 2 L
2α
k = µCox ....Technology parameter
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 CS with Resistive Load (cont.)

(4) For Vin > Vin1, M1 is in the triode region,

µnCox W
Vout = VDD − RD[2(Vin −VTH )Vout −Vout
2
]
2 L
As VGS has less control on Id when transistor M1 works in triode region,
we usually leave M1 in saturation for a large voltage gain.
If Vin is high enough to drive M1 into deep triode region. Vout<<2(Vin-VTH),
and,
Ron VDD
Vout =VDD =
Ron + RD 1+ µ C W R (V −V )
n ox D in TH
L
In very deep triode range, Ron→0, Vout →0

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 CS with Resistive Load (cont.)

• AC Analysis (Small-Signal Analysis)

(1) Derivation at the operation point
Assuming that the transistor is biased in strong inversion, active region

µnCox W
Vout = VDD − (Vin −VTH )2 RD
2 L
Taking the derivative of Vout with respect to Vin, we get,

dVout W
Av = = −RD µnCox (Vin −VTH ) = −gm RD
dVin L

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 CS with Resistive Load (cont.) What is?
How to
draw?
(2) Finding the gain from the small-signal equivalent circuit

Fig. 3.2 (a) CS Stage; (b) small-signal equivalent circuit

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 CS with Resistive Load (cont.)

(3) Intuitive observation

Av = − g m RD

This result can be directly derived from the observation that

M1 converts an input voltage change ΔVin to a drain current
change gm ΔVin , and hence an output voltage change - gmRD
ΔVin .

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 CS with Resistive Load (cont.)

• Taking the effect of channel length modulation in M1 into account,

the small-signal equivalent circuit is modified as following,

Fig.3.3 small-signal equivalent circuit including the output resistance of M1

Av = −gm (RD ro )
How high can the gain reach ??
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 CS with Resistive Load (cont.)

• Intrinsic Gain

If RD=∞, then
Av = −gmro
called the “intrinsic gain”of a transistor, this quantity
represents the maximum voltage gain that can be
achieved using a single device. For ideal long-channel
device, ro→ ∞, intrinsic gain → ∞; however, in today’s Fig 3.4
CMOS technology, intrinsic gain of short-channel device
is between roughly 10 and 30. Thus, we usually assume 1/gm << ro .

Question?: In Fig.3.4, Kirchhoff’s current law (KCL) requires that I D1 = I 1. Then, how
can Vin change the current of M1 if I 1 is constant?

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 Small Signal Rin and Rout of CS

• What is small signal impedance and how to calculate? (Next

page )
• Input impedance of CS is infinite
• Output impedance of CS is ro

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 Small Signal Input and Output Impedances

• Calculations of Small Signal Input and Output

Impedances
How to calculate input and output impedances (or
admittances) of an amplifier? In the following sections, we
assume that the amplifier is a voltage amplifier, whose input
and output are both voltages. But we can easily extend the
principles to any other types of amplifiers, such as current
amplifiers (input and output are both currents),
transimpedance amplifiers (input: current, output: voltage),
and transconductance amplifiers (input: voltage, output:
current).

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 Small Signal Input and Output Impedances (cont.)

1) Input impedance

i) Apply vtst at the input (* see note below), draw the small
signal diagram.
ii) Calculate itst = f (vtst) , or vtst = f (itst)
iii) The input impedance is given by zin = vtst / its

* Note: If the amplifier requires an output termination, we should terminate the

output accordingly. The load condition may affect the input impedance.

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 Small Signal Input and Output Impedances (cont.)

2) Output impedance

i) Set vin=0 , or if the input is a signal current, set iin= 0 (** see
note below).
ii) Apply vtst at the output, draw the small signal diagram.
iii) Calculate itst = f (vtst) or vtst = f (itst)
iv) The output impedance is given by zout = vtst / itst
** Note: If the amplifier requires some input termination, we should terminate
the input accordingly. The input termination may affect the output impedance.

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 Table of contents

• Introduction
• Common-Source Amplifiers
– CS with Resistive Load
– CS with diode-connected MOS load
– CS with Current Source Load
– CS with Triode Region Load
– CS with source degeneration
• Source follower Amplifiers
• Common Gate Amplifiers
• Cascode Amplifiers
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 3.2.2 CS stage with diode-connected MOS load

A MOST can operate as a small-signal resistor if its gate and drain are shorted,
called “diode-connected”.
• what is the impedance of the following circuit seen from the source side of
transistor M1?

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 CS stage with diode-connected MOS load (cont.)

is = −gmvgs − gmbvb s + vs gds

= gmvs + gmbvs + gdsvs
= (gm + gmb + gds )vs
Seen from source terminal, the small signal conductance is given by
is
yin = = ( g m + g mb + g ds )
vs
or, the resistance is 1 1 1
rin = = ≈
y m g m + g mb + g ds g m + g mb

R become smaller because of body effect ! How to reduce BE?

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 CS stage with diode-connected MOS load (cont.)

1 gm1 1
Av = − gm1 =−
gm2 + gmb2 gm2 1 + η

(W / L)1 1
Av = −
(W / L)2 1 + η

Gain is independent of bias current!

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 CS stage with diode-connected MOS load (cont.)

• Advantage of CS with diode-connected load: linearity

(W / L)1 1
Av = −
(W / L)2 1 + η

This equation imply: if the variation of ηwith the output voltage

is neglected, the gain is independent of the bias currents and voltages
(so long as the M1 stays in saturation. In other words, as the input
and output signal levels vary, the gain remains relatively constant,
indicating that the input-output characteristic is relatively linear.

•Homework: Please do large-signal analysis of this circuit to

determine the biasing range.

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 CS stage with diode-connected MOS load (cont.)

I D1 = I D 2

W W 
(VGS1 − VTH1 ) = up (VGS2 − VTH2 )
2 2
un
 L 1  L 2

un (W / L)1 | VGS2 − VTH2 |

− =
up (W / L) 2 (VGS1 − VTH1)

un (W / L)1
Av = −
up (W / L) 2
This implies substantial voltage swing constraint.
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 Example: CS with any type of load

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 Example: CS with any type of load (cont.)

• Loads in series :

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 Example: CS with any type of load (cont.)

• Loads in parallel :

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 Example 3.3

I s = 0.75I1 What is the voltage gain of the amplifier ?

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 Short Channel Effect for the CS

• In today’s technology, channel-length modulation is quite

significant.
• The gain of CS should modified as:

 1 
Av = − g m  || ro1 || ro 2 
 gm2 

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 Table of contents

• Introduction
• Common-Source Amplifiers
– CS with Resistive Load
– CS with diode-connected MOS load
– CS with Current Source Load
– CS with Triode Region Load
– CS with source degeneration
• Source follower Amplifiers
• Common Gate Amplifiers
• Cascode Amplifiers
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 3.2.3 CS with Current Source Load

Av = −gm ro1 || ro2

Assuming ro2 large,


W  1 
Av = −gmro1 = − 2µn C I  
L  1 λI D
ox D 


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 CS with Current Source Load (cont.)

• Advantage of CS with current source Load : the output

impedance and the minimum required VDS of M2 are less
strongly coupled than the value and voltage drop of a resistor.

• Home work 2: Please do large-signal analysis of this circuit to

determine the biasing range. How to increase the gain?

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 CS with Current Source Load (cont.)

• Discussions:
(1) Gain increasing:
a) increase ro1 and ro2 ,
1 1 L
ro1 = λ∝ ro ∝
λI D L ID
so increase L is an effective method.
b) increase gm1,
W
g m1 = µn Cox (VGS − VTH )
L
Increasing W while keeping the Vov and L constant, gm1 increases.
Note: increasing Vov is no use, as I D ∝ (VGS − VTH )2

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 CS with Current Source Load (cont.)

• (2) Design consideration:

a) When requiring a large voltage gain, we usually design the
device with a large L2 of load M2 and a large W1 of M1, large
L1 is not must.

b) If L1 is scaled by a factor n (>1), then W1 may need to be

scaled proportionally as well. This is because, if W1 is not
scaled, the overdrive voltage increases, limiting the output
voltage swing.

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 Table of contents

• Introduction
• Common-Source Amplifiers
– CS with Resistive Load
– CS with diode-connected MOS load
– CS with Current Source Load
– CS with Triode Region Load
– CS with source degeneration
• Source follower Amplifiers
• Common Gate Amplifiers
• Cascode Amplifiers
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 3.2.4 CS with Triode Region Load

Av = −gm RON2

1
RON 2 =
µ p Cox WL  (VDD − Vb − | VTHP |)
2

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 Table of contents

• Introduction
• Common-Source Amplifiers
– CS with Resistive Load
– CS with diode-connected MOS load
– CS with Current Source Load
– CS with Triode Region Load
– CS with source degeneration
• Source follower Amplifiers
• Common Gate Amplifiers
• Cascode Amplifiers
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 3.2.5 CS with source degeneration

• In some applications, the square-law dependence of the drain

current upon the overdrive voltage introductions excessive
nonlinearity, making it desirable to “soften”the device
characteristic.
• In 3.2.2, we noted the linear behavior of a CS stage using a
diode-connected load, but this topology has substantial voltage
swing constraint.
• Some other method?

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 CS with source degeneration (cont.)

•CS with source degeneration

Define: Gm----the transconductance of the circuit when
the output is shorted to ground.
∂I D ∂I D ∂VGS ∂VGS
Gm = = ⋅ = gm
∂Vin ∂VGS ∂Vin ∂Vin
VGS = Vin − I D RS
∂VGS ∂I
= 1 − D RS = 1 − Gm RS
∂Vin ∂Vin
gm
Gm = g m (1 − Gm RS ) Gm =
1 + g m RS
g m RD
AV = −Gm RD = −
1 + g m RS

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 CS with source degeneration (cont.)

If we ignore λ and γ :

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 CS with source degeneration (cont.)

• With source degeneration, the transconductance is more linear !!

As Rs increases, Gm becomes a weaker function of gm and hence the
drain current.

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 CS with source degeneration (cont.)

• Intuitive analysis:

− g m RD RD
Av = =−
1 + g m RS 1 / g m + RS

Drain current and transconductance of a CS device (a) without and (b) with source degenaration.

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 Example 3.5

• Assuming λ =γ = 0 for both M1 and M2. Calculate the small signal gain.

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 Example 3.5 (cont.)

• Recall the result from common source stage with source

degeneration :

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 Gm of CS with source degeneration

• What is the transconductance of the circuit (Gm) if we do not

ignore λand γ ?

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 Gm of CS stage with source degeneration (cont.)

g m ro
or, Gm =
Rs + [1 + ( g m + g mb ) Rs ]ro

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 Output Resistance of the CS stage with source degeneration

•Another importance consequence of source degeneration is the increase of the

output impedance of the stage.

rout = [1 + ( g m + g mb )ro ]Rs + ro Much More Bigger !

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 Gain (Av) of the CS stage with source degeneration

vout g m ro RD
Av = =−
vin RD + Rs + ro + ( g m + g mb ) Rs ro
Av = −Gm ( RD || rout )

Lemma: In a linear circuit, the voltage gain is equal to -GmRout

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 Example 3.6

Av = −Gm RD || rout
gm ro
Gm =
RS + [1+ (gm + gmb )RS ]ro

RD || rout = ∞ || {[1 + ( g m + g mb )ro ]Rs + ro }

Av = −gmro !

Why? Please explain this result.

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