Lecture 12

Single Stage FET Amplifiers:

Common Gate Amplifier
Common Drain Amplifier

The Building Blocks of Analog Circuits - II

In this lecture you will learn:

• Common Gate (CG) and Common Drain (CD) Amplifiers

• Small signal models of amplifiers

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

The Common Source Amplifier

VDD

R
IOUT + iout
VOUT  v out
D ID + id
RS
G
+
+
vs IG + ig RL VOUT  v out
-
-
S
+
VBIAS
-

An attribute of the common source amplifier:

The input resistance is very large:

Rin  
Not suitable for current amplifiers or transimpedance amplifiers

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

1
 The Common Gate Amplifier
VDD

R
Assume an
AC short ID + id IOUT + iout
IS + is

RS
+
+ IG + ig RL VOUT  v out
I BIAS +
vs -
- VBIAS
-

The gate terminal is “common” between the input and the output
The common gate amplifiers are useful when small input resistances and large
output resistances are desired in amplifiers (they also have good high frequency
performance – but that will come later in the course)
But the current gain is unity!
Note: The bulk is not tied to the source

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

The Common Gate Amplifier: Same Topology, Different Look

VDD

R
IOUT + iout

D
ID + id
IG + ig G
+
Assume an S RL VOUT  v out
IS + is -
+ AC short
VBIAS RS
- I BIAS
+
vs
-

The gate terminal is “common” between the input and the output
The common gate amplifiers are useful when small input resistances and large
output resistances are desired in amplifiers
But the current gain is unity!
Note: The bulk is not tied to the source

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

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 Choice of Substrate Potentials

D S B D S B

N+ P+
N N P+ P P N+

N well

P Substrate

In order to keep the source and drain PN-junctions with the substrate (or bulk)
reverse biased at all times,

i) The P-substrate (for NFETs) is generally tied to the most negative voltage in
the circuit
ii) The N-substrate or N-well (for PFETs) is tied to the most positive voltage in
the circuit
ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

The Common Gate Amplifier: Small Signal Model

ig Gate Drain id iout
+
v gs ro
g mv gs +
- g mbv bs R v out RL
+ Source - -
v bs
RS
+
v in +
vs
- - Base

Note:

v bs  v gs

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

3
 The Common Gate Amplifier: Short Circuit Current Gain
ig Gate Drain id
+
v gs ro
- g m v gs g mbv bs R
Source - iout
v bs
+
itest
Base

Short circuit current gain:

itest   id  iout
iout
Ai  1 Short circuit current gain is unity!
itest

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

The Common Gate Amplifier: Input Resistance

ig Gate Drain id iout
+
v gs ro
g m v gs +
- g mbv bs R v out RL
Source v s  v gs - -
v bs
itest
+
+ Base
v test
-

Input resistance:
 g  gmb ro  1 v out  v gs
itest   id   m  v gs id  gm  gmb v gs 
 ro  R || RL   ro
v gs ro  R || RL  v gs R || RL 
v
Rin  test     gm  gmb v gs   id
itest itest gm  gmb ro  1 ro ro
v gs
Rin can be small if: gm  gmb v gs 
ro
 gm  gmb  ro  1 id 
R || RL 
1
ro
ro   R || RL  1   R || RL  

gm  gmb ro  1
 Rin   1 Small v gs
 gm  gmb  ro  1  gm  gmb   ro


ro  R || RL 

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

4
 The Common Gate Amplifier: Open Circuit Voltage Gain
ig Gate Drain id
+
v gs ro
- g m v gs g mbv bs R +
Source - v out
v bs
-
itest +
+ Base
v test
-

Open circuit voltage gain:

 g  gmb  ro  1  1  v gs
 v gs   gm  gmb  R || ro  v gs id  gm  gmb v gs  out
v
v out   id R   R  m
 ro  R   ro  ro
v out v  1 v gs R
 Av    out   gm  gmb  R || ro   gm  gmb v gs   id
v test v gs  ro  ro ro

id 
gm  gmb  ro  1 v gs
If: ro  R
gm  gmb ro  1
 1
 Av   gm  gmb  R || ro  ~ gm  gmb R || ro  Large if R is large
 ro 

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

The Common Gate Amplifier: Output Resistance

ig Gate Drain id
+
v gs ro
g m v gs itest
- g mbv bs R
Source - +
v s  v gs v bs v test
-
+
RS RD
Base

Output resistance:
v test  v gs v gs
i d  g m  g mb v gs  
ro Rs
 1 
 ro || || R 
 g m  g mb  s 
 v gs  v test
ro
v test ro R s
RD    ro  Rs 1  ro g m  g mb 
id  1 
 ro || || R s 
 g m  g mb  
ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

5
 The Common Gate Amplifier: Output Resistance
ig Gate Drain id
+
v gs ro
g m v gs itest
- g mbv bs R
Source - +
v bs v test
-
+
RS RD
Base

Output resistance:
RD  ro  Rs  roRs gm  gmb 
Rout  R || RD  Rout depends on Rs
 R || ro  Rs  roRs gm  gmb 

Rout can be large if R is large

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

The Common Gate Amplifier: Transimpedance Gain

ig Gate Drain id
+
v gs ro
- g m v gs g mbv bs R +
Source - v out
v bs
-
itest +
+ Base
v test
-

Transimpedance gain:
itest   id

v out i R
Rm   d R
itest itest

Rm can be large if R is large

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

6
 The Common Gate Amplifier: A Current Buffer
ig Gate Drain id
+ iout
v gs ro
g mv gs +
- g mbv bs R v out RL
Source - -
v bs
+
is RS Base

Compare with the standard current amplifier model:

Rout can be large
i in iout
Rin is small
+ +
is RS Rin Ai i in Rout v out RL
- Ai is unity
-
It is a good
current buffer!!

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

The Common Gate Amplifier: A Transimpedance Amplifier

ig Gate Drain id
+ iout
v gs ro
g mv gs +
- g mbv bs R v out RL
Source - -
v bs
+
is RS Base

Compare with the standard transimpedance amplifier model:

Rout can be large

i in Rout Rin is small

+ + R i +
is RS Rin v out RL Rm can be large
- - m in
-
It is a decent
transimpedance
amplifier!!

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

7
 The Common Drain Amplifier (or the Source Follower)
VDD

D
ID + id
IG + ig G

RS S
IS + is IOUT + iout
+
vs
- +
+ Ro RL VOUT  v out
VBIAS -
-

The drain terminal is “common” between the input and the output
The common drain amplifiers are useful when large input resistances and small
output resistances are desired in voltage amplifiers
The voltage gain is less than unity!
Note: The bulk is not tied to the source
ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

The Common Drain Amplifier: Small Signal Model

ig Gate Drain id
+
v gs ro R
Rs - g mv gs g mbv bs

+
is
vs Source - +
- Ro
v bs v out RL
+
Base -

Note:
v bs  v out

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

8
 The Common Drain Amplifier: Open Circuit Voltage Gain
ig Gate Drain id vd
+
v gs ro R
- g mv gs g mbv bs
+
v test is
- Source - +
v bs v out
Ro
+
Base -
Open circuit voltage gain:
v test  v gs  v out  v gs  id Ro v d  v out
id  g mv gs  g mbv out 
v
 out  id 

gm rov gs  1  gmb ro v out  ro
Ro ro  R   g mv gs  g mbv out 
 i d R  v out
ro
 1 1  gmb ro   gm ro g r
 v out   v  v test  v out  m o gm rov gs  1  g mb ro v out 
 Ro ro  R   gs ro  R  ro  R   id 
ro  R 
 1 1  gmb ro  g r  gm ro
 v out    m o v
 Ro ro  R  ro  R   test ro  R 
gm roRo
v
 Av  out 
ro  R  1
v test 1  gm  gmb roRo Less than unity – but can be very
ro  R  close to unity
ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

The Common Drain Amplifier: Input Resistance

ig Gate Drain id

itest +
v gs ro R
- g mv gs g mbv bs

+
is
v test Source - +
- Ro
v bs v out RL
+
Base -

Input resistance:
v test
Rin   Large
itest

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

9
 The Common Drain Amplifier: Output Resistance
ig Gate Drain id vd
+
v gs ro R
- g mv gs g mbv bs
Rs is itest
Source -
v bs +
Ro v test
+ -
Base
Output resistance:
v v d  v test
itest  test  id i d  g mv gs  g mbv test 
Ro ro


v test

gm rov gs  1  gmb ro v test   g mv gs  g mbv test 
 id R  v test
Ro ro  R  ro
gm rov gs  1  g mb ro v test 
v test gm ro  1  gmb ro   id 
  v test ro  R 
Ro ro  R 
1 i 1 gm  gmb  ro  1
  test   Rout can be small if:
Rout v test Ro ro  R  ro >> R
(gm+gmb) ro >>1
and/or if Ro is small

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

The Common Drain Amplifier: A Voltage Buffer

ig Gate Drain id
+
v gs ro R
Rs - g mv gs g mbv bs

+
is
vs Source - +
- Ro
v bs v out RL
+
Base -

Compare with the standard voltage amplifier model: Rout can be small

Rin is large
Rout
RS + Av can be almost
+ + A v
v in Rin v out RL unity
+ - v in
vs - -
- It is a good
voltage buffer!!

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

10
 The CS, CG, and CD Topologies
The common source (CS) topology:
1) Large input resistance
2) Large output resistance
3) Decent voltage gain
4) A decent voltage amplifier
5) A decent transconductance amplifier

The common gate (CG) topology:

1) Can have small input resistance
2) Large output resistance
3) Decent voltage gain
4) Unity current gain
5) A good current buffer
6) A decent voltage amplifier
7) A decent transimpedance amplifier

The common drain (CD) topology:

1) Large input resistance
2) Small output resistance
3) Less than unity voltage gain
4) A good voltage buffer

ECE 315 – Spring 2007 – Farhan Rana – Cornell University

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