Class exercise 4 - Cascode Architectures

Cascode common-source:
How does cascading another transistor effects the small signal gain?
We will solve with R
L
as the load resistance, if the load is an ideal current source then R
L

KVL & KCL:
I
I
= I
2
I
1
= V
X
( g
M2
+g
MB2
)+g
M1
V
IN
V
X
= I
1
r
O1
I
2
I
1
= I
1
r
O1
( g
M2
+g
MB2
)+g
M1
V
IN
I
1
r
O1
+I
2
r
O2
= V
OUT
I
2
=
V
OUT
I
1
r
O1
r
O2
V
OUT
r
O2
g
M1
V
IN
= I
1

|
r
O1
r
O2
+r
O1
( g
M2
+g
MB2
)+1

V
OUT
g
M1
r
O2
V
IN
r
O2
=
I
1

|
r
O1
+r
O1
r
O2
( g
M2
+g
MB2
)+r
O2
r
O2
I
1
=
V
OUT
g
M1
r
O2
V
IN
r
O1
+r
O1
r
O2
( g
M2
+g
MB2
)+r
O2
I
2
=
V
OUT
I
1
r
O1
r
O2
I
L
= I
2
I
1
( g
M2
+g
MB2
)r
O1
I
L
R
L
= V
OUT
After all The algebra:
A
V
=
V
OUT
V
IN
=
g
M1
r
O1
(1+r
O2
( g
M2
+g
MB2
))
r
O1
R
L
( r
O2
( g
M2
+g
MB2
)1)+
r
O2
R
L
1
|
V
V

If R
L
then the small signal gain will be:
A
V
=
V
OUT
V
IN
=
g
M1
r
O1
(1+r
O2
( g
M2
+g
MB2
))
1
= g
M1
r
O1
(1+r
O2
( g
M2
+g
MB2
))
|
V
V

Exercise: consider the following cascode amplifier:
We are using 0_25um_MODEL_TYP.md (V
DD
= 2.5V)
A) Calculate the DC operating points for both M1 and M2 (Manually no Spice)
B) Calculate the small signal parameters for both M1 and M2 (Manually no Spice)
C) Calculate
A
V

for the small signal parameters that you have calculated, present your answer
in dB.
D) Simulate the circuit in Tanner-tools, confirm A, B and C via simulation
E) If the load was an ideal current source at the value equal to the I
D
you have already calculated in
A, how would
A
V

be effected? present your answer in dB.

F) Simulate section E and confirm your answer.
G) Calculate the cascode output resistance for R
L
= 15k and R
L

Solution:
A soul transistor was simulated in order to find from the I-V curve = 0.12 [V
-1
]
I-V Curve:
Now, all the currents:
I
D1
=
1
2

W
L
C
OX
j
n
(0.50.37)
2
(1+\V
X
)
I
D2
=
1
2

W
L
C
OX
j
n
(0.9V
X
0.37)
2
(1+\(V
OUT
V
X
))
I
R
=
V
DD
V
OUT
R
Now, retrieve V
OUT
and V
X
and we are set.
I
D2
= I
R
1
2

W
L
C
OX
j
n
R(0.9V
X
0.37)
2
(1+\(V
OUT
V
X
)) = V
DD
V
OUT
V
OUT
=
2.5129.36(0.53V
X
)
2
(10.12V
X
)
1+15.52(0.53V
X
)
2
I
D1
= I
D2
1
2

W
L
C
OX
j
n
(0.50.37)
2
(1+\V
X
) =
1
2

W
L
C
OX
j
n
R(0.9V
X
0.37)
2
(1+\(
2.5129.36(0.53V
X
)
2
(10.12V
X
)
1+15.52(0.53V
X
)
2
V
X
))

The equation is very complicated to solve without Matlab
Matlab solution:
>>solve('129.36*(0.53-x)^2*(1+0.12*(0.0169*(1+0.12*x)-0.88*(0.53-x)^2)/(0.12*(0.53-x)^2)-
x)=2.5-(0.0169*(1+0.12*x)-0.88*(0.53-x)^2)/(0.12*(0.53-x)^2)')
>>
.39575825445498576586366646858039
.66219598299510844806329098468584
.61487365306950974308286614813405+.32518208099692931008330656792416*i
-.47701543589113700092689749534330e-1
.61487365306950974308286614813405-.32518208099692931008330656792416*i
We revived 5 answers and now must decide which one is the correct one:
The signal is real and positive the final three are disqualified.
0.66 at V
X
will cause V
GS2
= 0.9-0.66 = 0.24<V
T2
M2 is cutoff
Therefore V
X
= 0.39V
I
D1
=
1
2

100
1
6.1610
3
28010
4
(0.50.37)
2
(1+0.120.39) = 152j A
15210
6
= =
1
2

100
1
6.1610
3
28010
4
(0.90.390.37)
2
(1+0.12(V
OUT
0.39))
V
OUT
= 0.8V
So, the solution to A is
(152j A, 0.39V)
1
;(152j A, 0.41V)
2
B)
g
M1
=
.
2I
D1
=
.
2
1
2
1006.1610
3
28010
4
15210
6
= 1.65mS
g
M2
= g
M1
g
MB2
=
g
M2
2
.
V
SB
+2
F

= 0.4mS
r
O
=
V
A
+V
DS
I
D
r
O1
=
8.33+0.39
I
D
= 57.38k D
r
O
=
8.33+0.41
I
D
= 57.39k D
C)
A
V
=
g
M1
r
O1
(1+r
O2
( g
M2
+g
MB2
))
r
O1
R
L
( r
O2
( g
M2
+g
MB2
)1)+
r
O2
R
L
1
A
V
=
1.6510
3
57.3810
3
(1+57.3810
3
(1.6510
3
+0.410
3
))
57.3810
3
1510
3
(57.3810
3
(1.6510
3
+0.410
3
)1)+
57.3810
3
1510
3
1
A
V
=
11231.4
456.62
= 24.59
|
V
V

A
V
= 20log(24.59) = 27.81dB
D) In order to check all sections at the same simulation we must perform an OP analysis parallel to
an AC sweep, the result:
OP analysis:
MNMOS_1 MNMOS_2
MODEL NMOS NMOS
TYPE NMOS NMOS
REGION Saturation Saturation
ID 115.42268u 115.42268u
IBS 0. 0.
IBD 0. 0.
VGS 500.00000m 569.67245m
VDS 330.32755m 438.33219m
VBS 0. -330.32755m
VTH 401.78396m 477.98468m
VDSAT 106.69545m 108.18428m
BETA 5.40357m 5.52400m
RS 0. 0.
RD 0. 0.
GM 1.80054m 1.83902m
GDS 5.93358u 4.99501u
GMB 103.77854u 92.39611u
GBD 0. 0.
GBS 0. 0.
CDTOT 568.01039f 510.76000f
CGTOT 573.38917f 563.22601f
CSTOT 1.05109p 960.03398f
CBTOT 1.41887p 1.26046p
CGS 490.45851f 484.52070f
CGD 44.78696f 44.37480f
CGB 38.14371f 34.33050f
CBD 522.30308f 465.37526f
CBS 759.13718f 677.09976f
A small difference in I
D
calculation and in g
M
also.
A much smaller g
MB
compare to the manual results.
The gain:
Simulation A
V
= 28.5 dB.
E) Since I
BIAS
= 152A, the none of the small signal parameters will change and:

A
V
= g
M1
r
O1
(1+r
O2
( g
M2
+g
MB2
))
A
V
= 1.6510
3
57.3810
3
(1+57.3810
3
(1.6510
3
+0.410
3
)) = 11,231.4
A
V
= 20log(11,231.4) = 81dB
F) Simulation results:
G) Recall the single transistor common-source small signal gain:
A
V
= g
M
r
O
R
L
and the output resistance was:
R
OUT
= r
O
R
L
we will do the same here to determine the output
resistance:
A
V
=
g
M1
r
O1
(1+r
O2
( g
M2
+g
MB2
))
r
O1
R
L
(r
O2
( g
M2
+g
MB2
)1)+
r
O2
R
L
1
R
OUT
=
r
O1
(1+r
O2
( g
M2
+g
MB2
))
r
O1
R
L
(r
O2
( g
M2
+g
MB2
)+1)
r
O2
R
L
+1
Now, assume there is no M2:
R
OUT
=
r
O1
(1+0(0+0))
r
O1
R
L
(0( g
M2
+g
MB2
)+1)
0
R
L
+1
R
OUT
=
r
O1
r
O1
R
L
+1
=
r
O1
R
L
r
O1
+R
L
= r
O1
R
L
and we are back to where we have started
The folded cascode:
Small signal:
Organizing the circuit:

V
X
= I
1
(r
O1
r
O3
)
I
2
= ( g
M2
+g
MB2
)V
X
I
I
= I
2
I
1
= ( g
M2
+g
MB2
)V
X
g
M1
V
IN
( g
M2
+g
MB2
)V
X
I
1
= ( g
M2
+g
MB2
)V
X
g
M1
V
IN
I
1
= g
M1
V
IN
V
X
= g
M1
V
IN
(r
O1
r
O3
)
V
OUT
= g
M1
V
IN
(r
O1
r
O3
)(1+( g
M2
+g
MB2
)r
O2
)
A
V
= g
M1
(r
O1
r
O3
)(1+( g
M2
+g
MB2
)r
O2
)
Gain boosting cascode:
Here, the use of an Ideal operational amplifier in order to increase the small signal gain and
output resistance.
Small signal analysis:
Organizing the circuit:
V
X
= g
M1
r
O1
V
IN
V
OUT
= g
M1
r
O1
V
IN
g
M1
r
O1
V
IN
( A+1)g
M2
r
O2
V
OUT
= g
M1
r
O1
V
IN
(1+( A+1)g
M2
r
O2
)
A
V
= g
M1
r
O1
(1+( A+1)g
M2
r
O2
)
R
OUT
= r
O1
(1+( A+1)g
M2
r
O2
)
Home Work:
1. Consider the folded cascode amplifier covered earlier with the following parameters:
(
W
L
)
1
=
(
W
L
)
3
=2
(
W
L
)
2
=
160
1
V
IN, DC
=2.1V ; V
B1
=V
DD
; V
B2
=0.5V; V
B3
=0.4V ;
I
BIAS
=120jA

1.1: Calculate the DC operating point for all transistors Manually, compare your answer to the
Spice OP simulation.
1.2: Calculate the small signal parameters for all transistors Manually, compare your answer to
the Spice OP simulation.
1.3: Calculate the amplifier small signal gain and compare your answer to the simulation results,
present your answer in dB
2. Consider the Gain boosted cascode amplifier covered earlier with the following parameters:
V
IN, DC
=0.5V; V
B1
=0.5V;
A = 10
I
BIAS
=250jA
Determine the size of transistors in order to achieve 90dB gain
For both exercises transistors model is 0_25um_MODEL_TYP.md