Typical Frequency Response of

Discrete MOS or BJT Amplifiers

22-2

1
 Frequency Response of Direct-Coupled
(dc) Amplifier

Gain does not fall off at low frequencies, and the

midband gain AM extends down to zero frequency

22-3

Cross Section of MOSFET Showing

Internal Capacitances
Gate/Source capacitance:
2
Cgs = WLCox + Cov
3
where
Cox = εox / t [F/cm 2 ]
W : transistor width
L : gate length
Cov = WLovCox
Lov : overlap bet. gate/source
MOSFET has several internal capacitances,
or gate/drain, ~ 0.05 to 0.1L
which take time to charge/discharge, limiting
the transistor speed.
Gate/Drain capacitance:
Cgd = Cov

22-4

2
 (Simplified) High-Frequency
Equivalent-Circuit Model for MOSFET

Hybrid-pi Model T Model

Capacitances between source/body, Csb, and between

drain/body, Cdb, are neglected

22-5

Unity-Gain Frequency, fT
Ii
fT : defined as frequency at which Vgs =
sCgs + sCgd
short-circuit current gain = 1
Vgs
fT : a figure-of-merit for transistor speed KCL: I o + = gmVgs
1 / sCgd
I o = gmVgs − sCgdVgs ≈ gmVgs
Ii
= gm
sCgs + sCgd
Io gm
AI = =
I i sCgs + sCgd
s = jω
Drain is grounded (short-circuit load) Io gm
=
I i ω (Cgs + Cgd )
As gate length reduces in advanced gm
technology node, Cgs reduces and fT ωT =
increases Cgs + Cgd

22-6

3
 High Frequency Response of
CS Amplifier
Frequency response can be solved
by analyzing the gain of the high-
frequency equivalent circuit.
However, it is tedious, and does
not show intuitive interpretation.

Vo = (I gd − gmVgs )RL' ≈ −gmVgs RL'

I gd << gmVgs (Cgd is small)
RL' = ro || RD || RL
Vgs −Vo Vgs + gm RL' Vgs
I gd = =
1 / sCgd 1 / sCgd
Vgs (1+ gm RL' )
I gd =
1 / sCgd

22-7

Vgs (1+ gm RL' )

Miller Capacitance I gd =
1 / sCgd
Vgs
=
1 / s(1+ gm RL' )Cgd
Vgs
=
1 / sCeq
Ceq = (1+ gm RL' )Cgd

! R $ 1 / sC
G in
Vgs = ## Vsig && '
" Rsig + RG % Rsig +1 / sCin
! R $ 1
G
= ## Vsig &&
" Rsig + RG % s +1
ωH
'
ω H = 1 / Cin Rsig
Cin = Cgs + (1+ gm RL' )Cgd
Large input capacitance in CS amplifier ! $ 1
RG
due to Miller effect, which greatly AV (s) = ## − gm RL' &&
reduced the bandwidth of CS amp " Rsig + RG % s +1
ωH
22-8

4
 Miller Theorem
Miller Equivalent Circuit

If V2 = KV1
Input side: Ouput side:
V −V (1− K )V1 V1 V V −V (1−1/K)V2 V2 V
I= 1 2 = = = 1 I= 2 1= = = 2
Z Z Z Z1 Z Z Z Z2
(1− K ) 1−1/K
Z Z
Z1 = Z2 =
(1− K ) 1−1/K

22-9

Open-Circuit Time Constant (OCTC)

Method for High Cut-off Frequency

1. Replace all capacitance by open circuit

2. Replace signal source by short circuit
3. Consider one capacitor at a time, find
resistance Ri "seen" by the i-th capacitor, Ci
4.
1
ωH ≈
∑Ci Ri
i

22-10

5
 Applying OCTC to CS Amplifier

Vd V +V
I x = gmVgs + = gmVgs + x ' gs
RL' RL
'
Rgs = Rsig '
Vgs = −I x Rsig RC = RL'
L

Vx '
Rgd = = Rsig (1+ gm RL' ) + RL'
Ix
22-11

Applying OCTC to CS Amplifier

'
τ H = Rsig Cgs + ( Rsig
'
(1+ gm RL' ) + RL' ) Cgd + RL' CL
Rearranging :
' '
τ H = Rsig Cgs + Rsig (1+ gm RL' )Cgd + RL' Cgd + RL' CL
'
≈ Rsig (Cgs + (1+ gm RL' )Cgd ) + RL' (Cgd + CL )

Time constant from Time constant from

input port of Output port of
Miller Equivalent Circuit Miller Equivalent Circuit

22-12

6
 High-Frequency Response of
CG Amplifier
Note: Cgd and CL can be lumped togetheer
since they are in parallel.
Rgd = RL || Ro ≈ RL
Ro = ro + (1+ gm ro )Rsig

τ H = Rgd (Cgd + CL ) + RgsCgs

!1 R $
= RL (Cgd + CL ) + Rsig || # + L & Cgs
" gm gm ro %
1 1
fH = !1
2π τ H R $
Rsig || # + L &
" gm gm ro %
•  No Miller effect since both capacitance are grounded
•  The dominant term is likely to be (1/gm)Cgs, which is small à High fH
à Common-Gate is a broadband amplifier

22-13

Impedance Transformation of
Common Gate Amplifier
From Lecture Slide: 17-5

Impedance transformation:

Look into Drain : Rs amplified by ( gm ro )

Look into Source : RL reduced by ( gm ro )

22-14

7
More Detailed Analysis of
Resistances in OCTC

22-15