Differential Amp

BY
Dr Manish Goswami

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Single-Ended and Differential Operation
• A “single-ended” signal is one that is measured
with respect to a fixed potential while a
differential signal is one that is measured
between two nodes.
• The “center” potential in differential signaling is
called the “common-mode” (CM).
• Advantages of Differentail- Higher immunity to
“environmental” noise in differential operation
as compared to single-ended signaling
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• CM rejection also occurs with noisy supply voltages
• The differential circuit is more robust to supply noise
than its single-ended counterpart
• Differential operation is as beneficial for sensitive
signals (“victims”) as for noisy lines (“aggressors”)
• With perfect symmetry, the components coupled
from CK and CC̅K to the signal line cancel each other.
• Differential signaling increases maximum achievable
voltage swings

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 Circuit & Analysis

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• Differential amplifier forms the first stage in
operational amplifier.
• It’s function is to amplify only the difference
between the two signals and reject any
common between them.
• Figure 1 shows typical structure of active load
MOS differential amplifier

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 vp = vicm + vd vn = vicm−vd

Differential Gain = vout/( vp−vn) = gm(ro2||ro4)

Common mode gain = − 1/ 2gm3ro5

|CMRR| = gm(ro2||ro4)/( 2gm3ro5−1)= 2gm1∗gm3∗ro5(ro2||ro4)

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 Frequency Response
• The simplified small signal circuit of differential
amplifier is shown Figure 4. The circuit has two
capacitances Cm and CL. Cm is mainly formed
by Cgs3 and Cgs4 but also includes Cgd1,Cdb1
and Cdb3.
• Cm = Cgd1 + Cdb1 + Cdb3 + Cgs3 + Cgs4
Capacitance CL includes Cgd2, Cdb2, Cdb4 and
Cgd4.
• CL = Cgd2 + Cdb2 + Cdb4 + Cgd4
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• The transfer function of differential amplifier
is given by

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 Design of Differential Amplifier

• Specifications might consists of:

• Small signal gain (Av)
• Frequency response for the given load
capacitance (f−3dB)
• Input common mode range
• Slew rate for given load capacitance
• Power dissipation

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 STEPS FOR DESIGN
• Select I5 based on slew rate specification and Vdd,vss &
Pdiss.
• To meet the given f−3dB calculate the required Ro and
modify the I5
• Select (W L )3,4 to meet the upper ICMR.
VSG3 = VDD −VICMR + Vtn
• Select (W L )1,2 to attain the specified gain.
Av= gm1Ro =gm1 /(gds2 + gds4)
=
• Select (W L )5 to meet the lower ICMR.
Vds5 = VICMR −Vgs
• Repeat the above steps if all design specifications are not
met.
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 Assisgment-1
• Design a differential amplifier for the following
specifications
• Parameter Value
• Av 50dB
• SR 15V/µs
• f−3dB 300kHz
• ICMRmin 1.7V
• ICMRmax 4.5V
• Pdiss 1.5mW
• CL 3pF
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 Books Used as Source
• Allen Holberg-
• Razavi

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