Analog VLSI Circuits E3-238

End-Term Exam (December 06, 2021)

Total Points 100 (Part I: 30 points, Part II: 70 points), Duration: 4hr 00 mins

Part – I: Short answer type questions (Total Points 30)

1. One of the significant short-channel effects is the horizontal velocity saturation. The saturation
current 𝐼𝐷,𝑠𝑎𝑡 of a MOSFET operating under strong velocity saturation is given by: 𝐼𝐷,𝑠𝑎𝑡 =
𝜇𝑛 𝐶𝑜𝑥 𝑊ℰ𝑐 (𝑉𝐺𝑆 − 𝑉𝑇 ). Find an expression for the transconductance in terms of ID. What does it
imply about analog circuit design in advanced CMOS processes?
3𝜇
2. The transition frequency of a MOSFET is given by 𝑓𝑇 = 4𝜋𝐿𝑛2 (𝑉𝐺𝑆 − 𝑉𝑇 ). Express the transition
frequency in terms of bias current ID of the device. What does it imply about power consumption
in high bandwidth amplifier design?
𝑉𝐵𝐸
𝑉𝐶𝐸
3. The current equation of a BJT is given by 𝐼𝐶 ≈ (1 + ) 𝐼0 𝑒 𝑉𝑇 , where IC: collector current, VCE:
𝑉𝐴
collector emitter voltage, VA: Early voltage and VBE: base emitter voltage. Derive an expression for
𝜕𝑉𝐶𝐸
output resistance 𝑟𝑜 = 𝜕𝐼𝐶
.
4. Name one advantage of MOSFET over BJT in terms of functional property (NOT fabrication
advantage). Give one example application where this advantage plays a significant role.
5. Derive the Z-parameters of the following two-port network. The defining equations for Z-
parameters are: 𝑉1 = 𝑍11 𝐼1 + 𝑍12 𝐼2 and 𝑉2 = 𝑍21 𝐼1 + 𝑍22 𝐼2.

6. Derive the following impedance transform property of common gate stage. Input impedance of
𝑅𝐷 +𝑟𝑂
from the source side of the CG device 𝑍𝑖𝑛 = .
1+(𝑔𝑚 +𝑔𝑚𝑏 )𝑟𝑂
7. Calculate Iout and Vb for the following circuit. Use VT = 0.7V, Vod = 0.2V for M1, M2, M3 and M4, VDD
= 1.8V, R1 = 12k, R2 = 6k.

8. What is the approximate closed-loop gain of an operational amplifier in the unity feedback mode?
The operational amplifier in the unity feedback mode has a phase margin of 30⁰. If the amplifier
is used as a resistive feedback amplifier for an inverting gain of 16 V/V, would the phase margin
be higher or lower? What can you comment about the stabilities of the unity gain amplifier and
the amplifier with a gain of 16 V/V?
9. A well-compensated two-stage amplifier has the following properties
a. First stage gain G1 = 30 dB
b. Second stage gain G2 = 30 dB
c. Gain bandwidth product of the two-stage amplifier GB = 10MHz

What is the value of the dominant pole?

10. Write down the Barkhausen’s criteria for stability of a closed loop system.
 Part – II: Analytical questions (Total Points 70)

For all the questions in Part II:

• Find expression is equivalent to derive algebraic expression. Do not need to calculate the
numerical value.
• Calculate is equivalent to compute numerical value. This can be preceded by finding algebraic
expression.

11. Figure 1a and b are two types of differential amplifier circuits with load (𝑅𝐷 ) and source
degeneration resistors (𝑅𝑆 ). The difference between the two circuits is in the position of the
𝑊
bottom current source. In the circuit of Figure1b, M5 is equally broken in two parts i.e., ( ) =
𝐿 𝑀5𝑎
𝑊 1 𝑊
(𝐿) = 2(𝐿) and placed at the sources of the differential pairs.
𝑀5𝑏 𝑀5

a) b)
Figure 1 a) Differential pair with single current source b) Differential pair with split current source

a. For circuits Figure1 a and b, show the current flow in all device components.
b. For the circuit of Figure1a, find expression for the DC differential mode gain (𝐴𝐷𝑀1 ) using
half-circuit method. Assume transconductance gain of the differential pairs to be 𝑔𝑚 .
Assume standard notations for all other small signal equivalent circuit components.
c. For the circuit of Figure1a, find expression for the DC common mode gain (𝐴𝐶𝑀1 ) using
common mode analysis method. Assume output impedance of M5 to be 𝑟𝑂5.
d. For the circuit of Figure1a, find expression for the input common mode range (𝐼𝐶𝑀1).
e. For the circuit of Figure1a, find expression for the output common mode range (𝑂𝐶𝑀1 )
considering input common mode to be 𝑉𝐶𝑀𝑖𝑛 .
f. For the circuit of Figure1b, find expression for the quantities of b, c d and e i.e., 𝐴𝐷𝑀2 ,
𝐴𝐶𝑀2 , 𝐼𝐶𝑀2, 𝐴𝐷𝑀2 .
g. Comparing the results of the two circuits, what are the advantages of one circuit over the
other?
[Points division: 2+2+2+2+2+8+2=20]
12. Open loop differential amplifier of Figure 2 is widely used for their large bandwidth and
unconditional stability. In the previous problem set, you have calculated the DC/low-frequency
small signal differential and common mode gains of the circuit.

Figure 2: Differential amplifier with load capacitance

a. Find expression for the differential mode frequency response of the circuit considering a
load capacitance 𝐶𝐿 .
b. Considering the output pole i.e., the pole due to 𝐶𝐿 to be the dominant pole, find
expression for the 3-dB bandwidth of the amplifier using the frequency response
calculated in a. and dominant pole analysis.
c. Find expression for the gain bandwidth product of the amplifier which is given by the
product of DC gain and 3-dB bandwidth.
d. Find expression for the common mode frequency response of the circuit assuming a
parasitic capacitance 𝐶𝑃 from P to ground.

[Points division: 5+4+2+4=15]

13. The circuit in Figure 3 employs feedback.

Figure 3: Feedback amplifier

For the calculations use device data shown below in Table 1 and VDD = 3V.

Table 1: Parameters for NMOS and PMOS

____________________________________________________________
NMOS Model
VT0 = 0.7, GAMMA = 0, UO = 350, COX = 3.5

PMOS Model
VT0 = -0.8, GAMMA = 0, UO = 100, COX = 3.5
_____________________________________________________________
VTO: Threshold voltage with VSB=0 (unit: V)
GAMMA: Body effect coefficient (unit: V1/2)
UO: Channel mobility (unit: cm2/VS)
COX: Gate oxide thickness (unit: fF/m2)

𝑊 50
a. In the circuit of Figure 3, assume ( 𝐿 ) = 0.5, and 𝑅𝑆1 = 𝑅𝐷2 = 𝑅𝐹 = 3𝑘Ω. The biasing
1−3
voltages 𝑉𝑏 and 𝑉𝑖𝑛 are set such that 𝐼𝐷1 = |𝐼𝐷2 | = |𝐼𝐷3 | = 0.5𝑚𝐴. Calculate the biasing
voltages 𝑉𝑏 and 𝑉𝑖𝑛 .
b. Identify the amplifier circuit and feedback network in the figure (please draw it). What
kind of feedback (sense/feedback type and voltage/current type) is used here? What is
the equivalent nomenclature in terms of series/shunt?
c. The open loop amplifier consists of two single-stage amplifiers. What are the types
(CS/CD/CG) of each of them? Find expression and calculate the gains of the first and
second stages in dB. Calculate the total open loop gain of the amplifier.
d. Calculate the two-port parameters of the feedback network.
e. How is the negative feedback condition satisfied in the circuit i.e., identity the inverting
and the non-inverting input terminals of the amplifier? Calculate the closed loop gain.
f. Calculate the closed loop output resistance.

[Points division: 4+3+4+3+3+3=20]

14. The circuit in Figure 4 is a source-degenerated single-stage common-source amplifier.

Figure 4: Source degenerated CS amplifier

a. Show all the noise sources in a schematic drawing.

b. Assume all noise sources are un-correlated i.e., noise from each source add in power.
Find the expression for the input referred noise spectral density. Assume no channel
length modulation i.e., 𝜆 = 0 and body effect coefficient 𝛾 = 0.
𝑛𝑉
c. Calculate the thermal noise component of the input referred noise in the unit of . To
√𝐻𝑧
do so, first calculate the contributions of each circuit elements RD, RS and M1 separately
and then compute the total noise. Calculate the % contributions of each to the total
thermal noise.

Use circuit parameters 𝑅𝑆 = 1𝑘Ω, 𝑅𝐷 = 10𝑘Ω, For M1 𝑔𝑚 = 10 𝑚℧, and 𝛾 = 2/3. Use
Boltzmann’s constant 𝑘𝐵 = 1.38 × 10−23 𝐽𝐾 −1 and 𝑇 = 300𝐾.

[Points division: 4+6+5=15]