Advanced Current Mirrors and
Opamps
Hossein Shamsi
1
Wide-Swing Current Mirrors
It is proven that if both of the following conditions are satisfied, then all
transistors will be biased in the saturation region.
Vout n 1Veff
Vtn nVeff
Typically n is chosen identical to 1. So the output swing will be:
Vout 2Veff
2
Enhanced Output-Impedance Current Mirrors
Rout g m1 rds1 rds 2 1 A
3
Implementation of Enhanced Output-Impedance Current
Mirror
rds 3
Rout g m1 rds1 rds 2 g m 3
2
Vout Vtn Veff 3 Veff 1
Advantage:
•High Output-Impedance
Disadvantages:
•Low Output-Swing
•Imprecise Current Mirror
4
Implementation of Enhanced Output-Impedance Current
Mirror
rds 3
Rout g m1 rds1 rds 2 g m 3
2
Vout Vtn Veff 3 Veff 1
Advantages:
•High Output-Impedance
•Precise Current Mirror
Disadvantage:
•Low Output-Swing
5
Implementation of Enhanced Output-Impedance Current
Mirror
rds 3
Rout g m1 rds1 rds 2 g m 3 Advantages:
2 •High Output-Impedance
Vout 2Veff 1 •High Output-Swing
Disadvantage:
•Imprecise Current Mirror
6
Wide-Swing Current Mirror with Enhanced Output-Impedance
rds 3
Rout g m1 rds1 rds 2 g m 3 Vout 2Veff 1
2
Advantages:
•High Output-Impedance
•Precise Current Mirror
•High Output-Swing
Disadvantage:
•High Power Consumption
7
Modified Wide-Swing Current Mirror with Enhanced Output-Impedance
rds 3
Rout g m1 rds1 rds 2 g m 3 Vout 2Veff 1
2
Advantages:
•High Output-Impedance
•Precise Current Mirror
•High Output-Swing
8
Current Mirror Symbol
9
Folded-Cascode Opamp
•This opamp is useful when we want to drive capacitive loads.
•One of the most important parameters of this modern opamp is its
transconductance value.
•Therefore, some designers refer to this modern opamp as Operational
Transconductance Amplifier (OTA).
10
Remember the wide-swing current mirror
11
Opamp Gain
vi
i g m2
2 isc g m 2 vi
isc 2i
rout g m8 rds 8 rds10 g m 6 rds 6 rds 3 rds1
vo rout isc AV g m1 rout
12
Competition between Two Current Sources
Assume that:
W W
L 1 L 2
W W
L 3 L 4
If Ibias1>Ibias2 Q1:Triode Q3:Active I=Ibias2
If Ibias2>Ibias1 Q1:Active Q3:Triode I=Ibias1
13
Slew Rate
I D4
Assuming Ibias2>ID4 and Vin+>>Vin- SR
CL
I D4
Assuming Ibias2>ID4 and Vin->>Vin- SR
CL
14
Lemma
1
R
g m9
Wide-swing current mirror
15
Frequency Response
1
p1 g m1
rout CL ta
A0 g m1rout CL
1
p2
1 1 1
C p1 Cp2 C p3
g m5 g m9 g m8
16
Another Schematic for Folded-Cascode Opamp
Output swing: VB 2 Vtn Vout VB1 Vtp
Input common-mode range: Vtn Veff 1 Veff 12 Vcmi VB1 Vtp Veff 6 Vtn
17
Folded-Cascode Opamp without wide-swing current source
18
Folded-Cascode Opamp
(pmos-input)
19
Folded-Cascode Opamp
(pmos-input)
20
What is the DC voltage of the output node?
Vout dc
In a single-ended opamp, the DC voltage of the output node is determined by the
feedback circuit around the opamp.
Vout Vbias
R2
Vbias Vin
R1
21
Fully Differential Folded-Cascode Opamp
The bias voltages Vb1, Vb4, and Vb5 must be chosen so that the following
relation is satisfied!!!
ID9=0.5ID12+ID3
The opamp is completely symmetric. So we can use the half-circuit of the opamp
for AC analysis.
22
Fully Differential Folded-Cascode Opamp
(half-circuit)
1
p1
rout C L ta mi
g
CL
A0 g mi rout
1
p2
1
Cp
g m7
23
What is the DC voltage of the output nodes?
Vi Vi VCM
Vout dc
In a single-ended opamp, the DC voltage of the output node is determined by the
feedback circuit around the opamp.
VCM Vx
I
R VCM Vo 2VCM Vx Vo Vo Vo 2Vx VCM
VCM Vo 2 RI
The DC voltage of the output nodes can not be determined!!!
24
Common-Mode Feedback Circuit
(CMFB Circuit)
In a fully differential opamp, the CMFB circuit is employed inside the opamp to
adjust the common-mode voltage of the output nodes identical to a
predetermined voltage, Vref.
Vo Vo
CMFB Circuit Vref Vo Vo Vref
2
Vref VCM
KVL and KCL Vo 2Vx VCM Vx
2
25
Ideal CMFB Circuit (1)
Vref denotes the desired output
common-mode voltage.
26
Ideal CMFB Circuit (2)
Vref denotes the desired output
common-mode voltage.
27
Ideal CMFB Circuit (3)
Vref denotes the desired output
common-mode voltage.
28
Single-ended Telescopic Opamp
isc g m1vi
rout g m 4 rds 4 rds 2 g m 6 rds 6 rds 8
vo rout isc AV g m1 rout
Slew Rate
I SS
SR SR
CL
30
Frequency Response
1
p1 gm
rout CL ta i
A0 g m rout
CL
i
1
p2
1 1 1
C p1 Cp2 C p3
g m3 gm7 gm6
31
Input common-mode range and output swing
Output swing: VB1 Vtn Vout VB 2 Vtp
Input common-mode range: Vtn Veff 1 Veff 9 Vcmi VB1 Veff 3
32
Telescopic Opamp without wide-swing current source
33
Fully Differential Telescopic Opamp
The bias voltages Vb3 and Vb4 must be chosen so that the following relation is
satisfied!!!
ID7=0.5ID9
The opamp is completely symmetric. So we can use the half-circuit of the opamp
for AC analysis.
34
Fully Differential Telescopic Opamp
(half-circuit)
1
p1 g
rout CL ta m1
A0 g m1rout
CL
1
p2
1
Cp
g m3
35
Ideal CMFB Circuit (1)
Vref denotes the desired output
common-mode voltage.
36
Ideal CMFB Circuit (2)
Vref denotes the desired output
common-mode voltage.
37
Fully Differential Two-Stage Opamp
(nmos input)
A0 g m1R1 g m 5 R2
g m1
ta
CM
g m5
p2
C1 CL
C1 denotes the parasitic capacitance.
38
Fully Differential Two-Stage Opamp
(pmos input)
39
Fully Differential Two-Stage Opamp
(First Stage: Telescopic Cascode)
A0 g m1R1 g m 9 R2
g m1
ta
CM
g m9
p2
C1 CL
C1 denotes the parasitic capacitance at node X.
Miller compensation method is utilized.
40
Gain-Boosting Opamp
It is proven that the auxiliary amplifier will not affect the performance of the main
amplifier if the following relation is satisfied.
UGBW Auxiliary Amplifier UGBWMain Amplifier
41
Gain-Boosting Opamp
42
Differential Pair as an Auxiliary Opamp
43
Folded-Cascode Circuit as an Auxiliary Opamp
44
Comparison of Performance of Various Opamp Topologies
45
