Lecture 25

Multistage Amplifiers (II)

DC VOLTAGE AND CURRENT SOURCES

Outline

1. DC Voltage Sources
2. DC Current Sources and Sinks

Reading Assignment:
Howe and Sodini, Chapter 9, Sections 9-3-9.4

6.012 Spring 2007 Lecture 25 1

 1. DC Voltage Sources
Characteristics of DC Voltage Sources :

• A well controlled output voltage

• Output voltage does not depend on current drawn
from source ⇒ Low Thevenin Resistance

Consider a MOSFET connected in “diode configuration”

I-V characteristics:

µ n Cox (VGS − VTn ) = µ n Cox (VDS − VTn )

W W
ID =
2 2

2L 2L

Beyond the threshold voltage, the MOSFET looks like a

“diode” with quadratic I-V characteristics

6.012 Spring 2007 Lecture 25 2

 How does one synthesize a voltage source with this?
Assume a current source is available

VGS = VDS takes a value needed to sink current

W
µnC ox (vOUT − VTn )
2
i D = I REF + iOUT =
2L
Then:
W
µn Cox (v OUT − VTn ) − I REF
2
iOUT =
2L
Solving for vOUT:
I REF + iOUT
vOUT = VTn + W
µn Cox
2L
6.012 Spring 2007 Lecture 25 3
 Synthesizing Voltage Sources (contd.)
vOUT is a function of IREF and W/L of MOSFET:

• IREF ↑ ⇒ vOUT ↑
• W/L ↑ ⇒ vOUT ↓

Small Signal Equivalent Circuit Model:

1 1
Rout = || ro ≈
gm gm
Rout is small (good!)
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 PMOS voltage source

Same operation and characteristics as NMOS voltage

source. PMOS needs to be larger to attain the same Rout.

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 3. DC Current Sources and Sinks
Characteristics of Current Sources

• A well controlled output current

• Supplied current does not depend on output voltage
⇒ High Norton Resistance
Connect a voltage source to the gate of another MOSFET:
1 ⎛ W⎞
IOUT ≈ ⎜ ⎟ µnCox (VREF − VTn )
2
2⎝ L ⎠2
1 ⎛W⎞
I REF ≈ ⎜ ⎟ µn Cox (VREF − VTn )
2
2 ⎝ L ⎠1

⎛ W⎞
⎜ ⎟
⎝ L ⎠2
Then: I OUT = I REF
⎛ W⎞
⎜ ⎟
⎝ L ⎠1
IOUT scales with IREF by W/L ratios of two MOSFETs
⇒ Current Mirror Circuit

Well “matched” transistors important.

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 DC Current Sources and Sinks (contd.)
Small Signal Equivalent Circuit Model:

Rout 2 = ro2
I-V characteristics of NMOS current source:

6.012 Spring 2007 Lecture 25 7

 PMOS Current Source

• NMOS current source sinks current to ground

• PMOS current source sources current from positive
supply

PMOS Current Mirror:

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 3. Multiple Current Sources
Since there is no DC gate current in MOSFET, we can
tie up multiple current mirrors to single current source:

⎛ W⎞
⎜ ⎟
⎝ L ⎠n
I OUTn = I REF
⎛ W⎞
⎜ ⎟
⎝ L⎠R
Similar idea with NMOS current sinks:

6.012 Spring 2007 Lecture 25 9

 Multiple Current Sources and Sinks
Often, in a given circuit, we need current sources and
sinks. We can build them all out of a single current
source.

⎛W ⎞ ⎛W⎞
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎝ L ⎠1 ⎝ L⎠2
I OUT1 = I REF I OUT2 = I REF
⎛W⎞ ⎛W⎞
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎝ L⎠R ⎝ L⎠R
⎛W⎞ ⎛ W⎞ ⎛ W⎞
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎝ L⎠4 ⎝ L ⎠ 4 ⎝ L ⎠1
I OUT4 = I OUT1 = I REF
⎛ W⎞ ⎛W⎞ ⎛W⎞
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎝ L ⎠3 ⎝ L ⎠3⎝ L ⎠ R
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 Generating IREF
Simple circuit:

VDD − VOUT
I REF =
R

I REF
VOUT = VTn + W
µ nCox
2L

VDD − VTn
For large W/L: I REF ≈
R
• Advantages
– IREF set by value of resistor
• Disadvantages
– VDD also affects IREF.
– VTn and R are functions of temperature ⇒ IREF(T).

In the real world, more sophisticated circuits are used to

generate IREF that are VDD and T independent.

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 What did we learn today?

Summary of Key Concepts

• Voltage source easily synthesized from reference

current source using MOSFET in diode configuration
• Current source easily synthesized from current
source using current mirror circuit.
• Multiple current sources and sinks with different
magnitudes can be synthesized from a single current
source.
• Voltage and current sources rely on the availability of
well “matched” transistors in IC technology.

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