Lect. 25: BJT current mirror (6.3.

3)

I REF =

VCC VBE
R

2
I REF = I C + 2 I C / = I C 1 +

1
I O = I C = I REF
2
1+

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High-Speed Circuits and Systems Laboratory

Lect. 25: BJT current mirror

How does VO affect IO?

IC1

VC1
IO = IC 1 +

VO VC 1
rO

Since rO =

VA
,
IC

IO = IC 1 +

IC
V
(VO VC 1 )  I C 1 (1 + O )
VA
VA

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VC2

V
I REF
(1 + O )
VA
1+ (2 / )

High-Speed Circuits and Systems Laboratory

Lect. 25: BJT current mirror

Q2 can have m times larger E-B junction than Q1

I REF = I C 1 + I B1 + I B 2
(m x Q1)

=I C 1 +

IC 1

+ m

IC 1

1+ m
=I C 1 1 +

Since I O = m I C 1 (1 +

VO
)
VA

VO
m I REF
(1 + )
IO =
VA

1+ m
1
+

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High-Speed Circuits and Systems Laboratory

Lect. 25: BJT current mirror

I n = I REF

1+

1
N +1

(Equal size transistors

and no rO dependence)

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High-Speed Circuits and Systems Laboratory

Lect. 25: BJT current mirror

Reduce dependence

IO = IC

I REF
IO
I REF

(1 + 2 )

+1

1+ 2

= I C 1 +

+1

+2
=
=
2
+1+ 1+

1
1+

2
( + 2)

1
1+ 2 2

Wilson current mirror

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High-Speed Circuits and Systems Laboratory

Lect. 25: BJT current mirror

Enhance output resistance: less VO dependence
ix = ( + 2 +
=(2+

v
RO = x =
ix

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)i i

)i

vx = ( + 2 +

)i rO + ( i +

( + 2 +

) re

)rO + (1 +

2(1+

) re

rO
2

High-Speed Circuits and Systems Laboratory

Lect. 25: BJT current mirror

Example 6.14
Determine R1 for IO= 10A. Q1, Q2 have VBE=0.7V for IC=1mA.

Since I C = I S exp(v BE

v BE ,1 v BE ,2
IC 1
/ VT ),
= exp(
)
IC 2
VT

Let I C 2 = 1mA, v BE ,2 = 0.7V

v BE ,1 = v BE ,2 + VT ln(
R1 =

IC 1
10A
) = 0.7 + 0.25 ln(
) = 0.58V
IC 2
1mA

10 0.58
= 942k
0.01

R1 is too large.
Any way to reduce the required resistance?

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High-Speed Circuits and Systems Laboratory

Lect. 25: BJT current mirror

Example 6.14
Determine R1 for IO= 10A. Q1, Q2 have VBE=0.7V for IC=1mA.
I
I
VBE 1 = VT ln E 1  VT ln REF
IS
IS

IO
V
V
,
ln
=
BE 2

T

IS

VBE 1 VBE 2 = VT ln REF

IO
VBE 1 = VBE 2 + I O RE
I

I O R3 = VT ln REF
IO
10 0.7
= 9.3k
1
1mA
10 106 R3 = 0.025 ln

10A
For I REF = 1mA, R2 =

Widlar current source

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R3 = 11.5k

High-Speed Circuits and Systems Laboratory