2 Quiz 1

2.1 Question 2
• This analysis does not take any time-related effects into account. The solution is
a state that is invariant in time. One way of looking at it is that all components
have had an very long time to settle, and that the voltages and currents don’t move
in time anymore. This type of analysis takes all nonlinear effects into considera-
tion! However, this makes this type of simulation slightly slower than small-signal
analysis.

• DC analysis (.DC [source] [start] [stop] [step])

2.2 Question 3
• This type of analysis is also called a small-signal analysis. It computes the oper-
ating point of the circuit first, and then considers small perturbations on top of
that operating point that vary with frequency. The analysis then approximates
all nonlinear devices by linear ones (using a small-signal equivalent model). This
approximation is fine for very small perturbations. For example, an amplifier can
be biased around 1V ± 1mV, and amplifies it to 5V ± 10mV. The small-signal
analysis allows you to find the signal gain of 10 (it amplifies 1mV to 10mV). This
type of simulation is really fast due to the linearization!

• AC analysis (.AC [lin—dec—oct] [steps] [start] [stop])

2.3 Question 4
• By far the slowest type of simulation takes all effects into consideration: time-
domain effects as well as all nonlinear effects. This simulation is probably closest
to show you what happens in real time. It is better not to trust the simulation
too much however, as you still have rounding errors, errors due to using discrete
time steps (truncation errors), and of course model errors, no noise contributions,
no process variation, no temperature effects over time, etc.

• Transient analysis (.TRAN [step] [stop])

4
2.4 Question 6

• How can you determine the pole frequency of this filter and what is it for this circuit?

Pole gives rise to a decay in the magnitude with 20 dB per decade and a phase shit
of -90 degree. So at the pole, the amplitude would decrease from 0 dB. (define a
3dB decay point as the point it start to decay) In this circuit, amplitude decrease
at 155 k Hz. Thus, the pole frequency of this circuit is 155k Hz.

2.5 Question 7

• What happens to the DC gain when ”r” changes?

Higher r, lower DC gain; Lower r, higher DC gain.

• What happens to the cutoff frequency when ”r” changes?

Lower r, lower curoff frequency.

2.6 Question 8
One of the most important elements to CMOS design is identifying and analyzing capac-
itors. The capacitor has the following relation:

5
 dvc
ic = C (8)
dt
Or, the same equation using the total charge stored on the capacitor:

Qc = Cvc (9)

From the capacitor equation, you can deduce a few interesting properties that are often
used:

• When a circuit is static, meaning that no voltage or current changes over time, then
that means that the capacitor current is exactly 0. The capacitor therefore behaves
in this case as an open circuit.

• Alternatively, you can also state that the voltage across a capacitor remains con-
tinuous. If the voltage would be discontinuous, then the derivative would become
infinite, leading to an infinite current (there are some theoretical exceptions).

2.7 Question 9
Plot the current through the capacitor from the previous question. Compare the current
with the theoretically expected current in the different phases of the voltage waveform.

dV
Theoretically, I = C ∗ dt
.

• Time [1ns 11ns], current should equal to 1n * (5/10n) = 0.5A

• Time [11ns 16ns], current = 0A since the derivative of voltage equals 0A

• Time [16ns 21ns], current should equal to 1n * (-5/5n) = -1A

• Time [21ns 31ns], current = 0A since the derivative of voltage equals 0A

The result is the same with theory.