Course Syllabus

Course ECE 320

Analog Integrated Circuits

University: State Engineering University of Armenia Instructor: Vazgen Melikyan

Phone: +37410.492333
E-mail: vazgenm@synopsys.com

Prerequisites and Course Level:

ECE 210: Semiconductor Technology
ECE 220: Introduction to Semiconductor Devices
ECE 230: Introduction to Electronic Circuits

Objective:
The main objectives of the course are:
 To study the features, design and analysis methods of basic analog circuits.
 To familiarize the students with the principles of analog circuit techniques, variants,
parameter improvement methods, parameter analysis of different basic analog circuits:
differential and operational amplifiers, switched capacitor circuits, oscillators, phase
looked loops, data converters, secondary power sources etc.

Class Hours:
Total number of weeks in the course – 15
Total number of hours in the course – 226
Number of hours for lecturers – 127
Number of hours for labs – 57
Number of hours for practice classes – 32
Number of hours for class discussion - 10

Homework and Exams:

Grades will be based on homework, design assignments, weekly quizzes, midterm tests, and a
final design project. Overall grades will be normalized and assigned to a standard curve.
Quizzes covering material from recent lectures will be randomly given throughout this course.
There will be a final exam covering the whole course.

Labs:
Tools used during laboratory exercises: Cosmos, HSPICE, NanoSim, Star-RCXT, Hercules, VCS
MX.

Reference Materials:

Main
1. R. J. Baker, H. W. Li, D. E. Boyce. CMOS Circuit Design, Layout, and Simulation. Wiley-
IEEE Press; 1st edition. 2005. 902p.
2. B. Razavi. Design of Analog CMOS Integrated Circuits. McGraw-Hill
Science/Engineering/Math; 1st edition. 2000. 684p.

Additional
3. R. J. Baker. CMOS Mixed-Signal Circuit Design. Wiley-IEEE Press. 2002. 502p.
4. P. Horowitz, W. Hill. The Art of Electronics. Cambridge University Press; 2nd edition.
2006. 1125p.

Grading:
Laboratory Exercises (20 points)
Practical Work (20 points)
Exams (60 points)

ECE320 Syllabus © 2007 Synopsys, Inc.

Developed By: Vazgen Melikyan
Course Syllabus

Lecture and Lab Topics:

Topic 1 (12 hours) - Review of transistor operation

 Reading assignment –1. Ch. 6.1-6.3, 2. Ch.2.2-2.4
 Lab – MOS research (IV characteristics, second order effects: body affect, channel length
modulation) (6 hours)
 Presentation materials - AIC1.ppt
 Content: MOS I/V characteristics: threshold voltage, derivation of I/V characteristics.
Transistor second order effects: body effect, channel length modulation, subthreshold
conduction and voltage limitation. Small signal analysis: transistors non-linearity, linearized
equation for a transistor around given operating point, output conductance of transistor. Small
signal model: conductance, transconductance and body effect transconductance, small signal
gain, capacitances of transistor.

Topic 2 (8 hours) - Single stage amplifiers

 Reading assignment –1. Ch. 21.1.1, 21.1.2, 21.1.3, 2. Ch.3.1-3.5
 Lab – Research of MOS transistor’s single-stage amplifier (6 hours)
 Presentation materials – AIC2.ppt
 Content: Gain of common-source stage amplifier using small signal analysis. Common-
source stage with resistive load, diode-connected load, current-source load, triode load,
source degeneration. Source follower stage. Common-gate stage. Cascode stages: Shielding
property, folded cascode.

Topic 3 (12 hours) - Differential amplifier

 Reading assignment – 1. Ch.22, 2. Ch4
 Lab – Research of differential pair with resistive load (5 hours), Research of differential pair
with active load (4 hours), Research of differential pair with MOS load (4 hours), Research of
differential pair with diode connected load (4 hours)
 Presentation materials – AIC3.ppt
 Content: Single-ended and differential operation. Basic differential pair: qualitative analysis,
quantitative analysis. Common-mode response: CM noise, CMRR. Differential pair with MOS
loads: differential pair with diode connected and current source loads, cascode differential
pair. Gilbert Cell: summation of the output voltages of two amplifiers, summation in the
current domain, gain controlled circuit, Gilbert cell.

Topic 4 (3 hours) - Current Mirrors

 Reading assignment – 1. Ch.20.1.3, 20.2.1, 20.2.2, 2. Ch.5
 Lab – Research of current mirrors (4 hours)
 Presentation materials – AIC4.ppt
 Content: Basic and cascode current mirrors. Using active current mirrors as loads: active
current mirrors, large-signal analysis, small-signal analysis, common-mode properties, CMRR
calculating.

Topic 5 (2 hours) - Frequency Response of Amplifiers

 Reading assignment – 1. Ch. 21.1.1, 2. Ch.6
 Lab – Research of differential pair with resistive load (5 hours), Research of differential pair
with active load (4 hours), Research of differential pair with MOS load (4 hours), Research of
differential pair with diode connected load (4 hours)
 Presentation materials – AIC5.ppt
 Content: The Miller theorem. Frequency response of source follower, common-gate
amplifier, cascode stage, differential pair.

Topic 6 (4 hours) - Noise characteristics and types

 Reading assignment – 1. Ch.8.2.2, 8.2.5, 2. Ch.7

ECE320 Syllabus © 2007 Synopsys, Inc.

Developed By: Vazgen Melikyan
Course Syllabus

 Lab – N/A
 Presentation materials – AIC6.ppt
 Content: Noise characteristics: noise spectrum, amplitude distribution. Noise types: thermal
noise, flicker noise. Representation of noise in circuits: noise in single-stage amplifiers,
common-source stage, common-gate stage, source followers, cascode stage, differential
pairs.

Topic 7 (10 hours) - General considerations of feedback

 Reading assignment – 2. Ch.8
 Lab – N/A
 Presentation materials – AIC7.ppt
 Content: Properties of feedback circuits: gain desensitization, terminal impedance
modification, bandwidth modification, types of amplifiers, Sense and return mechanisms.
Feedback Configurations: voltage-voltage feedback, current voltage feedback, voltage
current feedback, current-current feedback. Effect of loading in feedback. Loading in voltage-
voltage feedback, current voltage feedback, voltage current feedback, current-current
feedback.

Topic 8 (30 hours) - Operational amplifiers

 Reading assignment – 1. Ch.24.1, 24.3, 2. Ch9, Ch.10
 Lab – Research of one stage operational amplifier (4 hours), Research of two stage
operational amplifier (4 hours)
 Presentation materials – AIC8.ppt
 Content: Operational amplifier’s performance parameters: gain, small-signal bandwidth,
large-signal bandwidth, output swing, linearity, noise and offset, supply rejection.
One-Stage Op Amps: cascode op amps, folded-cascode circuits, folded-cascode op amp,
folded-cascode op amp with cascode PMOS loads, realization of folded-cascode op amp,
cascode op amp with single ended output.
Two-Stage Op Amp: simple implementation, employing cascoding with single-ended output.
Op Amps Gain Boosting: increasing the output impedance by feedback, gain boosting in
cascode stage, boosting the output impedance of a differential cascode stage, folded-
cascode circuit used as auxiliary amplifier, gain signal applied to both signal path and load
devices.
Op Amps Common-Mode Feedback: simplified model of high-gain amplifier, conceptual
topology for common-mode feedback, common-mode feedback with resistive sensing,
common-mode feedback using source followers, sensing and controlling output CM level.
Op Amps Input Range Limitation: unity-gain buffer, extension of input CM range, variation of
equivalent transconductance with the input CM level. Op Amps Slew Rate: response of a
linear circuit to input step, slewing in an op amp circuit, slewing during low-to-high transition,
slewing during high-to-low transition, slewing in telescopic op amp, slewing in folded-cascode
op amp.
Noise in Op Amps and Power Supply Rejection: supply rejection of differential pair with active
current mirror, noise in telescopic op amp, noise in folded-cascode op amp, noise in two
stage op amp.
Stability and Frequency compensation: general considerations, multipole systems, phase
margin, frequency compensation, compensation of two-stage op amps, slewing in two-stage
op amps, other compensation techniques.

Topic 9 (8 hours) - Bandgap References

 Reading assignment – 2. Ch.11
 Lab – Research of bandgap reference (4 hours)
 Presentation materials – AIC9.ppt
 Content: Supply-independent biasing. Temperature- independent references: negative-TC
voltage, positive-TC voltage, bandgap reference: collector current variation, op amp offset
and output impedance, feedback polarity, supply dependence and start-up, curvature
correction. PTAT current generation. Speed and noise issues.

ECE320 Syllabus © 2007 Synopsys, Inc.

Developed By: Vazgen Melikyan
Course Syllabus

Topic 10 (8 hours) - Switched-capacitor circuits

 Reading assignment – 2. Ch.12
 Lab – N/A
 Presentation materials - AIC10.ppt
 Content: General considerations: continuous-time feedback amplifier using resistors,
capacitors, switched-capacitor amplifier in sampling mode, amplification mode, transfer of
capacitor’s charges.
Sampling switches: MOSFETs as switches, speed consideration, channel charge injection,
clock feed through, charge injection cancellation.
Switched-capacitor amplifiers: unity gain sampler/buffer (precision consideration, speed
consideration), non inverting amplifier (precision consideration, speed consideration),
precision multiply-by-two circuit.
Switched-capacitor integrator.

Topic 11 (6 hours) - Nonlinearity and mismatch

 Reading assignment – 2. Ch.13
 Lab – N/A
 Presentation materials – AIC11.ppt
 Content: Nonlinearity: general considerations (I/O characteristic of nonlinear system),
nonlinearity of differential circuits, effect of negative feedback on nonlinearity, capacitor
nonlinearity, linearization techniques. Mismatch: DC offsets, even-order distortion, offset
cancellation techniques.

Topic 12 (8 hours) – Oscillators

 Reading assignment – 2. Ch.14
 Lab – N/A
 Presentation materials - AIC12.ppt
 Content: General considerations. Ring oscillators. LC oscillators: crossed-coupled oscillator,
colpitts oscillator, one-port oscillators. Voltage-controlled oscillators: center frequency, tuning
range, tuning linearity, tuning in ring oscillators (delay variation by positive feedback, delay
variation by interpolation), tuning in LC oscillator. Mathematical models of VCOs.

Topic 13 (6 hours) - Phase-locked loops

 Reading assignment – 2. Ch.15
 Lab – N/A
 Presentation materials - AIC13.ppt
 Content: Simple PLL: phase detector, basic PLL topology (PLL waveforms in locked
condition, small transient in locked condition), dynamics of simple PLL. Charge-pump PLLs:
problem of lock acquisition, phase/frequency detector and charge pump, basic charge-pump
PLL (dynamics of CPLL, stability issues). Non ideal effects in PLLs: PFD/CP non idealities,
jitter in PLLs. Delay-locked loops. PLL applications: frequency multiplication and synthesis,
skew redaction, jitter reduction.

Topic 14 (10 hours) - Data converters

 Reading assignment – 1. Ch.28.1-28.5, 29.1.2-29.1.5, 29.2
 Lab – Research of R-2R matrix (4 hours), Research of R string DAC (4 hours), Research of
Flash ADC (4 hours)
 Presentation materials - AIC14.ppt
 Content: Analog versus discrete time signals. Sample and hold characteristics. ADC and
DAC specifications: INL, DNL, offset error, gain error. DAC architectures: resistor string, R-
2R, current steering, charge scaling. ADC architectures: flash, two step flash, pipeline,
integrating, successive approximation, over sampling.

ECE320 Syllabus © 2007 Synopsys, Inc.

Developed By: Vazgen Melikyan