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Lecture

Current Mirrors: Differential Pair with Active Load

In course

EE-320: Analog IC design

Introduction to the design of analog CMOS integrated circuits at the transistor level. Understanding and design of basic structures. ...

Description

This lecture covers the concept of a five-transistor OTA, which consists of a differential pair with an active load. The instructor explains how to combine the drain currents of the transistors involved and analyzes small-signal and gain approximations. The lecture delves into the analysis of the output impedance and common-mode properties of the circuit. It also discusses the gain comparison between single-ended and differential topologies, highlighting the advantages of differential operation. The lecture concludes with a detailed examination of the common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) and its implications in circuit design.

Instructor

Mahsa Shoaran

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Physics

Electromagnetism: Electrical networks

Related concepts (32)

Differential amplifier

A differential amplifier is a type of electronic amplifier that amplifies the difference between two input voltages but suppresses any voltage common to the two inputs. It is an analog circuit with two inputs and and one output , in which the output is ideally proportional to the difference between the two voltages: where is the gain of the amplifier. Single amplifiers are usually implemented by either adding the appropriate feedback resistors to a standard op-amp, or with a dedicated integrated circuit containing internal feedback resistors.

Differential signalling

Differential signalling is a method for electrically transmitting information using two complementary signals. The technique sends the same electrical signal as a differential pair of signals, each in its own conductor. The pair of conductors can be wires in a twisted-pair or ribbon cable or traces on a printed circuit board. Electrically, the two conductors carry voltage signals which are equal in magnitude, but of opposite polarity. The receiving circuit responds to the difference between the two signals, which results in a signal with a magnitude twice as large.

Operational amplifier

An operational amplifier (often op amp or opamp) is a DC-coupled high-gain electronic voltage amplifier with a differential input and, usually, a single-ended output. In this configuration, an op amp produces an output potential (relative to circuit ground) that is typically 100,000 times larger than the potential difference between its input terminals. The operational amplifier traces its origin and name to analog computers, where they were used to perform mathematical operations in linear, non-linear, and frequency-dependent circuits.

Low-voltage differential signaling

Low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS), also known as TIA/EIA-644, is a technical standard that specifies electrical characteristics of a differential, serial signaling standard. LVDS operates at low power and can run at very high speeds using inexpensive twisted-pair copper cables. LVDS is a physical layer specification only; many data communication standards and applications use it and add a data link layer as defined in the OSI model on top of it.

Current mirror

A current mirror is a circuit designed to copy a current through one active device by controlling the current in another active device of a circuit, keeping the output current constant regardless of loading. The current being "copied" can be, and sometimes is, a varying signal current. Conceptually, an ideal current mirror is simply an ideal inverting current amplifier that reverses the current direction as well. Or it can consist of a current-controlled current source (CCCS).

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