3.4 - BJT Differential Amplifiers: Objective

BJT Differential Amplifiers (6/24/00) Page 1
ECE 4430 - Analog Integrated Circuits and Systems P.E. Allen, 2000
3.4 - BJT DIFFERENTIAL AMPLIFIERS
INTRODUCTION
Objective
The objective of this presentation is:
1.) Define and characterize the differential amplifier
2.) Show the large-signal and small-signal performance
3.) Show alternate implementations of the differential amplifier
Outline
Characterization and definitions
Large-signal transconductance
Large-signal voltage transfer
Small-signal performance
Other characteristics of the differential amplifier
Summary
CHARACTERIZATION AND DEFINITIONS
What is a Differential Amplifier?
A differential amplifier is an amplifier that amplifies the difference between two voltages and rejects
the average or common mode value of the two voltages.
Symbol for a differential amplifier:
+
-
+
v
OUT
-
+
v
1
-
+
-
v
2
Fig. 5.2-1A
Differential and common mode voltages:
v
1
and v
2
are called single-ended voltages. They are voltages referenced to ac ground.
The differential-mode input voltage, v
ID
, is the voltage difference between v
1
and v
2
.
The common-mode input voltage, v
IC
, is the average value of v
1
and v
2 .
v
ID
= v
1
- v
2
and v
IC
=
v
1
+v
2
2
v
1
= v
IC
+ 0.5v
ID
and v
2
= v
IC
- 0.5v
ID

v
OUT
= A
VD
v
ID
A
VC
v
IC
= A
VD
(v
1
- v
2
) A
VC

.
|
,
` v
1
+ v
2
2

where
A
VD
= differential-mode voltage gain
A
VC
= common-mode voltage gain
+
-
+
v
OUT
-
v
IC
v
ID
2
v
ID
2
Fig. 5.2-1B
Differential Amplifier Definitions
Common mode rejection rato (CMRR)
CMRR =
A
VD
A
VC

CMRR is a measure of how well the differential amplifier rejects the common-mode input voltage in
favor of the differential-input voltage.
Input common-mode range (ICMR)
The input common-mode range is the range of common-mode voltages over which the differential
amplifier continues to sense and amplify the difference signal with the same gain.
Typically, the ICMR is defined by the common-mode voltage range over which all MOSFETs
remain in the saturation region and all BJTs remain in the active region.
Output offset voltage (V
OS
(out))
The output offset voltage is the voltage which appears at the output of the differential amplifier
when the input terminals are connected together.
Input offset voltage (V
OS
(in) = V
OS
)
The input offset voltage is equal to the output offset voltage divided by the differential voltage gain.
V
OS
=
V
OS
(out)
A
VD

LARGE-SIGNAL TRANSCONDUCTANCE
Transconductance Characteristic of the Differential Amplifier
Consider the following NPN-BJT differential amplifier (sometimes called an emitter-coupled pair):
V
EE
v
I1
v
I2
Q1 Q2
I
EE
BJTDA01
i
C1
i
C2
+
-
v
BE1
+
-
v
BE2
Large-Signal Analysis:
1.) Input loop eq.: v
I1
- v
BE1
+ v
BE2
- v
I2
= v
I1
- v
I2
- v
BE1
+ v
BE2
= v
ID
- v
BE1
+ v
BE2
= 0
2.) Foward-active region: v
BE1
= V
t
ln
.
|
,
` i
C1
I
S1
and v
BE2
= V
t
ln
.
|
,
` i
C2
I
S2
3.) If I
S1
= I
S2
then
i
C1
i
C2
= exp
.
|
,
` v
I1
-v
I2
V
t
= exp
.
|
,
` v
ID
V
t
4.) Nodal current equation at the emitters: -(i
E1
+i
E2
) = I
EE
=
1
F
(i
C1
+ i
C2
)
5.) Combining the above equations gives: i
C1
=
F
I
EE
1+exp
.
|
,
` -v
ID
V
t
and i
C2
=
F
I
EE
1+exp
.
|
,
` v
ID
V
t
Transconductance Characteristic of the Differential Amplifier - Continued
Plotting the collect current as a function of v
ID
:
BJTDA00
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
v
ID
V
t
-4
-2 0 2 4 -5 5 3 1 -1 -3
i
C
I
EE
i
C2
i
C1
Transconductance:
g
m1
=
i
C1
v
ID

|
Q
=
F
I
EE
]
]
]
1+exp
.
|
,
` -v
ID
V
t
2
V
t
F
I
EE
4V
t
=
I
C1
2V
t
when V
ID
= 0
g
m2
=
i
C2
v
ID

|
Q
=
-
F
I
EE
]
]
]
1+exp
.
|
,
` v
ID
V
t
2
V
t
=
-
F
I
EE
4V
t
=
-I
C2
2V
t
when V
ID
= 0
VOLTAGE TRANSFER CHARACTERISTICS
Large-Signal Voltage Transfer Function
Assume load resistors as shown:
v
OD
= v
O1
-v
O2
= V
CC
-i
C1
R
C
- V
CC
+ i
C2
R
C
= R
C
(i
C2
-i
C1
)
Substituting in the previous expressions and
using hyperbolic trig identities gives
v
OD
=
F
I
EE
R
C
tanh
.
|
,
` -v
ID
2V
t

Illustration
V
CC
V
EE
v
i1
v
i2
Q1 Q2
I
EE
BJTDA03
i
C1 i
C2
+
-
v
BE1
+
-
v
BE2
+ -
v
OD
+
-
v
O1
+
-
v
O1
R
C R
C
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
-4 -2 0 2 4 -5 -3 -1 1 3 5
F
I
EE
R
C
v
OD
v
ID
V
t
BJTDA04
Emitter Degeneration of the BJT Differential Amplifier
Increases the range over which the emitter-coupled pair behaves as a linear amplifier with lower gain at
the cost of lower gain.
V
CC
V
EE
v
i1
v
i2
Q2
I
EE
BJTDA05
i
C1 i
C2
+
-
v
BE1
+
-
v
BE2
+ -
v
OD
R
C R
C
R
E R
E
-25 -20 -15 -10 -5 5 10 15 20 25
1
0.5
-0.5
-1
Increasing
R
E
R
E
=0
F
I
EE
R
C
v
OD
v
ID
V
t
We know that, i
D
= i
C1
- i
C2
=
F
I
EE
tanh
]
]
]
v
ID
-(R
E
i
D
/
F
)
2Vt

F
I
EE

]
]
]
v
ID
-(R
E
i
D
/
F
)
2Vt
Solving for i
D
gives, i
D
= i
C1
- i
C2
=
F
I
EE
v
ID
2V
t
+R
E
I
EE
g
m
(DC) =
di
D
dv
ID
=
(
F
I
EE
)
2V
t
+R
E
I
EE
=
(
F
I
EE
)/2V
t
1+R
E
I
EE
/2V
t
SMALL-SIGNAL PERFORMANCE
Differential and Common-mode Small-Signal Performance
The small-signal performance of a differential amplifier can be separated into a differential mode and
common mode analysis. This separation allows us to take advantage of the following simplifications.
V
CC
V
EE
v
i1
v
i2
Q1 Q2
I
EE
BJTDA06
i
c1 i
c2
+
-
v
be1
+
-
v
be2
+ -
v
od
+
-
v
o1
+
-
v
o2
R
C R
C
R
EE
V
EE
V
CC
v
id
v
id
Q1 Q2
i
c1 i
c2
+
-
v
be1
+
-
v
be2
+ -
v
od
+
-
v
o1
+
-
v
o2
R
C R
C
2
2
V
CC
D
i
f
f
e
r
e
n
t
i
a
l
M
o
d
e
A
n
a
l
y
s
i
s
V
CC
V
EE
v
ic
v
ic
Q1 Q2
I
EE
i
c1 i
c2
+
-
v
be1
+
-
v
be2
+ -
v
od
+
-
v
o1
+
-
v
o2
R
C R
C
2R
EE
V
EE
2
V
EE
I
EE
2R
EE
V
EE
2
V
CC
C
o
m
m
o
n
M
o
d
e

A
n
a
l
y
s
i
s
Half-Circuit Concept:
Note: The half-circuit concept is valid as long as the resistance seen looking into each emitter is the same.
SMALL-SIGNAL PERFORMANCE
Differential and Common-mode Small-Signal Performance
The small-signal performance of a differential amplifier can be separated into a differential mode and
common mode analysis. This separation allows us to take advantage of the following simplifications.
V
CC
V
EE
v
i1
v
i2
Q1 Q2
I
EE
BJTDA06
i
c1 i
c2
+
-
v
be1
+
-
v
be2
+ -
v
od
+
-
v
o1
+
-
v
o2
R
C R
C
R
EE
V
EE
V
CC
v
id
v
id
Q1 Q2
i
c1 i
c2
+
-
v
be1
+
-
v
be2
+ -
v
od
+
-
v
o1
+
-
v
o2
R
C R
C
2
2
V
CC
D
i
f
f
e
r
e
n
t
i
a
l
M
o
d
e
A
n
a
l
y
s
i
s
V
CC
V
EE
v
ic
v
ic
Q1 Q2
I
EE
i
c1 i
c2
+
-
v
be1
+
-
v
be2
+ -
v
od
+
-
v
o1
+
-
v
o2
R
C R
C
2R
EE
V
EE
2
V
EE
I
EE
2R
EE
V
EE
2
V
CC
C
o
m
m
o
n
M
o
d
e

A
n
a
l
y
s
i
s
Half-Circuit Concept:
Note: The half-circuit concept is valid as long as the resistance seen looking into each emitter is the same.
Small-Signal, Common Mode Performance of the BJT Differential Amplifier
Circuit and small-signal model:
V
CC
V
EE
v
ic
Q1
I
EE
i
c1
+
-
v
be1
+
-
v
o1
R
C
2R
EE
V
EE
2
v
ic
v
out
R
C
2R
EE
+
-
+
-
r
v
g
m
v
r
o
BJTDA08
R
in R
out
+
-
Half-circuit performance:
R
in1
= r
1
+(1+
o1
)2R
EE
, R
out1
= r
o
]
]
]
1+
1
2R
EE
2R
EE
+r
1
+ 2R
EE
||r
1
, and
v
o1
v
ic
= -
o1
R
C
r
1
+(1+
o1
)2R
EE

Common mode performance:
R
ic
=
r
1
+(1+
o1
)2R
EE
2
, R
oc
= r
o
]
]
]
1+
1
2R
EE
2R
EE
+r
1
+ 2R
EE
||r
1
, and
v
oc
v
ic
= -
o1
R
C
r
1
+(1+
o1
)2R
EE

where g
m1
= g
m2
, r
1
= r
2
and
o1
=
o2
.
Common Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR)
The common mode rejection ratio is a measure of the differential amplifiers ability to reject the common
mode signal and amplify the differential mode signal.
CMRR =
A
dm
A
cm
=
v
o1
/v
id
v
o1
/v
ic
=
g
m1
R
C
2
o1
R
C
r
1
+(1+
o1
)2R
EE
g
m1
R
EE
=
I
EE
R
EE
2V
t
Thus, the larger the input transconductance or R
EE
, the larger the common mode rejection ratio.
OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DIFFERENTIAL AMPLIFIER
Input Common Mode Voltage Range
The input common mode voltage range (ICMR) is the range of common mode input voltages over which
the differential amplifier amplifies the differential signal without significant change.
Consider the following:
V
CC
V
EE
v
ic
(max)
Q1 Q2
I
EE
BJTDA03
+
-
V
BE1
+
-
v
BE2
R
C R
C
Q3
V
Bias
I
EE
2
I
EE
2
+
-
I
EE
R
C
2
+
-
v
CE
(sat)
V
CC
V
EE
v
ic
(min)
Q1 Q2
I
EE
+
-
V
BE1
+
-
v
BE2
R
C R
C
Q3
V
Bias
I
EE
2
I
EE
2
+
-
v
CE
(sat)
+
-
v
CE
(sat)
Maximum Input Common Mode Voltage:
v
ic
(max) = V
CC
- 0.5I
EE
R
C
-v
CE1
(sat)+V
BE1
Minimum Input Common Mode Voltage:
v
ic
(min) = V
EE
+v
CE3
(sat)+V
BE1
Slew Rate of the BJT Differential Amplifier
Slew rate is a voltage rate limit due to the fact that the current available to charge a capacitor is constant.
Slew rate = SR =
dv
C
dt
=
i
C
C
where i
C
and v
C
are the current through and voltage across a capacitor C.
A differential amplifier that has a capacitive load will experience slew rate which is seen as follows:
V
CC
V
EE
v
i1
<<0 v
i2
>>0
Q1 Q2
I
EE
BJTDA09A
i
C1 i
C2
+
-
v
BE1
+
-
v
BE2
+ -
v
OD
R
C
R
C
C
s
C
s
V
EE
v
i1
<<0 v
i2
>>0
Q1 Q2
I
EE
+
-
v
BE1
+
-
v
BE2
+ -
v
C1
R
C
R
C
C
o
V
CC
i
C1
=0
C
s
C
s
C
o
I
EE
2
i
C2
=I
EE
I
EE
2 i
Cs
i
Cs
i
Co
Situation at
v
OD
0
v
OD
0
v
C2
Note that the current in Q1 is 0 and Q2 is I
EE
. Therefore, the initial value of i
Co
is i
Co
= 0.5I
EE
- i
Cs
.
If we define the slew rate across C
o
as SR =
i
Co
C
o
, then i
Cs
= 0.5SRC
s
=
i
Co
2C
o
C
s
, i.e.
dv
C1
dt
= 0.5
dv
OD
dt

SR =
I
EE
2C
o
-
i
Cs
C
o
=
I
EE
2C
o
-
SRC
s
2C
o
SR
.
|
,
`
1 +
C
s
2C
o
=
I
EE
2C
o
SR =
0.5I
EE
C
o
+0.5C
s
=
I
EE
2C
o
+C
s

SUMMARY
A differential amplifier amplifies the difference signal between two voltages and rejects the common
mode signal
The transconductance characteristics of the BJT differential amplifier switches from all of the current in
one side to the other side within 100mV
The large-signal differential voltage transfer function has the form of hyperbolic tangent
Emitter degeneration increases the range over which the differential amplifier behaves as a linear
amplifier
The half circuit concept is very useful for analyzing the small-signal differential and common mode
performance
The maximum and minimum input common mode range is:
v
ic
(max) = V
CC
- 0.5I
EE
R
C
-v
CE1
(sat)+V
BE1
v
ic
(min) = V
EE
+v
CE3
(sat)+V
BE1
The differential amplifier has a slew rate limit of I
EE
/C
eq
where C
eq
is the capacitance seen to ground
from either collector.

3.4 - BJT Differential Amplifiers: Objective

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