EEET 2404 Electronic Circuits

Lecture 10

High Frequency Transistor Models

Assoc. Prof. James Scott

James.Scott@rmit.edu.au

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 Outline
•  MOSFET devices
–  capacitances, high frequency model
•  BJT devices
–  capacitances, high frequency model
•  Miller approximation
•  High frequency responses of amplifiers
–  CS/CE amplifiers
–  CG/CB and cascode amplifiers
–  Source/Emitter follower amplifiers

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 Reading
•  Sedra/Smith, chapter 8, sections 8.1 to 8.7

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 MOSFET Capacitances

Overlap capacitance consists of two

parts:
-overlap of the gate and drain/source
areas
-fringing capacitance between the gate
and the top of the S/D regions

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 MOSFET Capacitances (2)
Gate Capacitances:
1
Cgs = Cgd = WLCox (triode region)
2
2 ! Note: these capacitances vary
Cgs = WLCox #
3 " (saturation region) with VGS and VDS
Cgd = Coverlap = WLovCox #
$
Lov is typically 0.05 to 0.5L
Cgs = Cgd = 0 !#
" (cutoff)
Cgb = WLCox #
$
Junction Capacitances:
Csb0
Csb = , where V0 is the built-in voltage (0.6V to 0.8V)
V
1+ SB
V0 Csb0 is the value of Csb at VSB = 0V
Cdb0 Cdb0 is the value of Cdb at VDB = 0V
Cdb =
V
1+ DB
V0
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High Frequency MOSFET Model

(a) High frequency MOSFET model, (b) device symbol with capacitances
shown explicitly.

If the base and the source are connected together, then CSB disappears and
CDB becomes CDS.

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 MOSFET Transition Frequency
•  The transition frequency is the frequency
where the short circuit current gain drops to
1.
•  This is a figure of merit for the high
frequency operation of the transistor.

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 MOSFET Transition Frequency (2)
Cgd Io

+
Is vgs Cgs gmvgs ro
-

Setting the current gain to

I o ≅ gm vgs unity:
Is gm
vgs = ωT =
jω (Cgs + Cgd ) (Cgs + Cgd )
Io gm gm
= fT =
I s jω (Cgs + Cgd ) 2π (Cgs + Cgd )

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 MOSFET Transition Frequency (3)
•  Nano-scale MOSFETs can have ƒT values in
the GHz region
–  45nm Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process can
deliver an ƒT of 200 GHz

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Summary of MOSFET Model Elements

W Csb0
gm = µ nCox VOV Csb =
L VSB
1+
V0
VA Cdb0
ro = Cdb =
ID VDB
1+
V0
2 gm
Cgs = WLCox + WLovCox fT =
3 2π (Cgs + Cgd )
Cgd = WLovCox

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 BJT Capacitances

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Base Charging or Diffusion Capacitance
In the active mode, minority carrier charge is stored
in the base region. For an NPN transistor:
Qn = τ F iC where τ F is the forward base-transit time (average time
taken to cross the base)
Since iC depends on vBE :
dQn
Cde ≡
dvBE
di
=τF C
dvBE
so
IC
Cde = τ F gm = τ F
VT

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 Base-Emitter Junction Capacitance
•  A change in vBE also changes the charge
stored in the base-emitter depletion layer.
•  Since the base-emitter junction is forward
biased, the depletion layer capacitance is
approximately given by:

C je ≅ 2C je0
where C je0 is the value of C je at zero B-E junction
voltage.

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Collector-Base Junction Capacitance
•  In active-mode operation, the collector-base
junction is reverse biased.
•  Therefore the junction capacitance is a
depletion capacitance.
Cµ 0
Cµ = m
! VCB $
#1+ &
" V0c %
where
Cµ 0 is the value of Cµ at zero voltage
VCB is the magnitude of the reverse-bias voltage
V0c is the CB junction buit-in voltage (typically 0.75V)
m is its grading coefficient (typically 0.2 to 0.5)

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 High Frequency Hybrid-π Model
rx Cµ
B B' C

+
rπ vπ Cπ gmvπ ro
-

E E

Cπ = Cde + Cje
Cπ is in the range of a few pF to a few tens of pF
Cµ is in the range of a fraction of a pF to a few pF

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 BJT Transition Frequency
jωCµvπ
rx Cµ Ic
B B' C
+
Is rπ vπ Cπ gmvπ ro
-
E E
I c = ( gm − jωCµ ) vπ
Is
vπ = I s ( rπ || Cπ || Cµ ) = gm
1 rπ + jω (Cπ + Cµ ) ωT =
(Cπ + Cµ )
Ic gm − jωCµ
h fe = = gm
I s 1 rπ + jω (Cπ + Cµ ) fT =
2π (Cπ + Cµ )
gm rπ β0
≅ =
1+ jω (Cπ + Cµ ) rπ 1+ jω (Cπ + Cµ ) rπ

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 Variation of ƒT with IC

ƒT is typically in the range of 100 MHz to tens of GHz.

The hybrid-π model characterises the BJT quite accurately up to a
frequency of about 0.2ƒT.

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Summary of BJT Model Elements

I Cµ 0
gm = C Cµ = m
VT ! VCB $
#1+ &
" V0c %
VA gm
ro = fT =
IC 2π (Cπ + Cµ )
Cπ = C je + Cde
= 2C je0 + τ F gm

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 Miller’s Theorem

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Limitations of Miller’s Theorem
•  The floating impedance and the voltage gain
should be calculated at the same frequency
–  In practice, we often use the low-frequency
voltage gain to simplify calculations
–  This leads to some inaccuracies in the solution

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 High Frequency Analysis Example
The following plot shows the errors in using
Miller’s approximation to analyse a common-
source amplifier.

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High–Frequency Response of Amplifiers
•  To analyse the frequency response of an amplifier:
–  Replace the transistors with their high frequency
equivalent circuits
–  Use Miller’s approximation or analyse the resulting
circuit directly
•  The device capacitances cause a high frequency
roll-off in the response
•  Any DC blocking capacitors (which are much
larger) will cause a low frequency roll off in the
response

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Common-Source Amplifier

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Common-Source Amplifier (2)

The node equation at the drain is

V
sCgd (Vgs − Vo ) = gmVgs + o' + sCLVo
RL
which can be expressed as
'
−Vo 1+ s (CL + Cgd ) RL
Vgs =
gm RL' 1− sCgd gm

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Common-Source Amplifier (3)
A loop equation at the input gives
Vsig' = I i Rsig
'
+ Vgs
and we can derive an expression for I i at the G node
I i = sCgsVgs + sCgd (Vgs − Vo )
so
Vsig' = Vgs "#1+ s (Cgs + Cgd ) Rsig
' $ '
% − sCgd RsigVo
Therefore, we obtain
Vo − ( gm RL' )"#1− s (Cgd gm )$%
=
Vsig' 1+ s "Cgs + Cgd (1+ gm RL' )$ Rsig
{ '
+ (CL + Cgd ) RL' + s 2 "#(CL + Cgd ) Cgs + CLCgd $% Rsig
'
RL' }
# %
The amplifier has two poles:
1
ω P1 ≅
"C + C (1+ g R' )$ R' + (C + C ) R'
# gs gd m L % sig L gd L DC gain is
"C + C (1+ g R' )$ R' + (C + C ) R'
ωP2 ≅
# gs gd m L % sig L gd L A0 = −gm RL'
"(CL + Cgd ) Cgs + CLCgd $ Rsig
' '
# % RL
where ω P1 is the dominant pole.

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 Common-Source Amplifier (4)
Since the gain expression has a numerator of the first order,
it has one of the two transmission zeroes at infinite frequency.
The second zero is at
g
s = sZ = m
Cgd
Since this is on the positive real axis of the s-plane and has a
frequency
g
ωZ = m
Cgd
Since gm is usually large and Cgd is usually small, fZ is normally
a very high frequency and has negligible effect on the -3dB frequency,
fH = fP1

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Common-Emitter Amplifier

Similar circuit
to the CS
amplifier!

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Common-Emitter Amplifier (2)
First we will relate Vsig' and Rsig
'
to Vsig and Rsig and the other
equivalent circuit parameters:
! rπ $
Vsig' = ## &&Vsig
" Rsig + rx + rπ %
'
Rsig = rπ || ( Rsig + rx )
The DC gain becomes
rπ
A0 = −
Rsig + rx + rπ
( gm RL' )

The zero frequency is

1 gm
fZ =
2π Cµ
The poles are
1 1
fP1 ≅
2π )*Cπ + Cµ (1+ gm RL' )+, Rsig
'
+ (CL + Cµ ) RL'
) ' + '
1 *Cπ + Cµ (1+ gm RL ), Rsig + (CL + Cµ ) RL
'

fP 2 ≅
2π )Cπ (CL + Cµ ) + CLCµ + Rsig
' '
* , RL
For fZ , fP 2 >> fP1,
fH ≅ fP1

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 Effect of Rsig low

If we assume that Rsig is zero, then for the CS amplifier

Vo ( −g R )"#1− s (C
m
'
L gd gm )$%
=
Vsig 1+ s (CL + Cgd ) RL'
so the high frequency response is now controlled by a
pole formed by CL + Cgd together with RL' .
The -3dB frequency is now
1
fH =
2π (CL + Cgd ) RL'
i.e. it is now controlled by the output circuit.

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Common-Gate Amplifier

1
fH =
2π !"Cgs Rgs + (Cgd + CL ) Rgd #$
where
Rgs = Rsig || Rin
Rgd = RL || Ro
ro + RL
Rin =
1+ gm ro
Ro = ro + Rsig + ( gm ro ) Rsig

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 MOS Cascode Amplifier

Note that Cdb1 and Cgs2 are

in parallel, and CL and
Cgd2 are also in parallel.

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MOS Cascode Amplifier (2)
Using the open-circuit time constants method:
1. Capacitance Cgs1 sees a resistance Rsig
2. Capacitance Cgd1 sees a resistance Rgd1
Rgd1 = (1+ gm1Rd1 ) Rsig + Rd1
where Rd1, the total resistance at D1 is
ro2 + RL
Rd1 = ro1 || Rin2 = ro1 ||
gm2 ro2
3. Capacitance (Cdb1 + Cgs2 ) sees a resistance Rd1
4. Capacitance (CL + Cgd 2 ) sees a resistance ( RL || Ro ) where
Ro = ro2 + ro1 + ( gm2 ro2 ) ro1
So the effective time constant τ H is
τ H = Cgs1Rsig + Cgd1 !"(1+ gm1Rd1 ) Rsig + Rd1 #$
+ (Cdb1 + Cgs2 ) Rd1 + (CL + Cgd 2 ) ( RL || Ro )

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 MOS Cascode Amplifier (3)
So the -3dB frequency is
1
fH ≅
2πτ H
Re-writing τ H
τ H = Rsig "#Cgs1 + Cgd1 (1+ gm1Rd1 )$% + Rd1 (Cgd1 + Cdb1 + Cgs2 )
+ ( RL || Ro ) (CL + Cgd 2 )

If Rsig is large, the first term can dominate, especially if (1+gm1Rd1) is

large. This happens when RL is large. So to extend the bandwidth, we
have to lower RL.
If Rsig is small, a large value of RL makes the dc gain large. Therefore,
the third term dominates.

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Comparison of CS and Cascode stages

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 BJT Cascode Amplifier

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Source Follower Amplifier

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Source Follower Amplifier (2)
Low frequency gain:

AM =
( RL || ro )
( RL || ro ) + (1 gm )
1
Ro = || ro
gm
We can combine RL and ro into RL'
Transmission zeros occur at infinite frequency and at
gm
ωZ =
Cgs
This is very close to fT since Cgd << Cgs
It can be shown that
1 1
fH = =
2πτ H 2π (Cgd Rsig + Cgs Rgs + CL RCL )
where
Rsig + RL'
Rgs =
1+ gm RL'
1
RCL = RL || ro ||
gm

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Emitter Follower Amplifier
'
We can combine Rsig , rx and rπ into Rsig
'
Rsig = Rsig + rx
and
RL' = RL || ro
Transmission zeros occur at infinite frequency and at
1
ωZ =
Cπ ro
This is very close to fT .
It can be shown that
1 1
fH = =
2πτ H 2π (Cµ Rµ + Cπ Rπ ) ƒH is usually very high
where
'
Rµ = Rsig || !"rπ + ( β +1) RL' #$
'
Rsig + RL'
Rπ = '
Rsig R'
1+ + L
rπ ro

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