Rail-to-rail input and output

amplifiers

Willy Sansen
KULeuven, ESAT-MICAS
Leuven, Belgium
willy.sansen@esat.kuleuven.be

Willy Sansen 10-05 111

Table of contents

ƒ Why rail-to-rail ?
ƒ 3 x Current mirror rtr amplifiers
ƒ Zener diode rtr amplifiers
ƒ Current regulator rtr amplifier on 1.5 V
ƒ Supply regulating rtr amplifier on 1.3 V
ƒ Other rtr amplifiers and comparison

Willy Sansen 10-05 112

Why rail-to-rail amplifiers ?

ƒ For low supply voltages : use full range for

maximum dynamic range
ƒ Fully differential signal processing
ƒ Rail-to-rail output is always required
ƒ But not necessarily rail-to-rail-input !

Willy Sansen 10-05 113

Symmetrical CMOS OTA

VDD
M7 1: M9 :1 M8
Symmetrical OTA
5 4 vOUT
- 3 +
M1 M2 CL

2 1
M5 M3 M4 M6 Rail-to-rail
B:1 1:B
output swing !
VSS

Willy Sansen 10-05 114

When rail-to-rail input ?

R2 +
vIN + vOUT
-
vIN R1 + - R2
- vOUT
+ R1
- No !
No !
+
vIN + vOUT
-
-
Yes !
Willy Sansen 10-05 115
Rail-to-rail input for CMFB

Ad voutd vinc
Ac
+ - +
vind A +
- + -
CL CL
CMFB

For a rail-to-rail output swing in fully-differential amplifiers

A CMFB amplifier is required
With rail-to-rail input capability !
Willy Sansen 10-05 116
Table of contents

ƒ Why rail-to-rail ?
ƒ 3 x Current mirror rtr amplifiers
ƒ Zener diode rtr amplifiers
ƒ Current regulator rtr amplifier on 1.5 V
ƒ Supply regulating rtr amplifier on 1.3 V
ƒ Other rail-to-rail amplifiers

Willy Sansen 10-05 117

Problem ?
VGS ≈ 0.9 V & VDSsat ≈ 0.2 V >>> VGSDS = 1.1 V
VDD
VDSsatp

= VGSDS +
VGSp
VGSn = VGSDS
+
VDSsatn
VSS = 0
VINCM > 1.1 V VINCM < VDD - 1.1 V
Willy Sansen 10-05 118
Problem : limited input CM range
VDD
IB To be operational :
iout+
gmn gmp iout-
+ -
VINCM > 1.1 V
iout+
VINCM < VDD - 1.1 V
IB iout-

VSS = 0
VDDmin = 2.2 V

Willy Sansen 10-05 119

Problem: unequal gmtot

gm

gmtot
nMOST on :
pMOST nMOST
VINCM > 1.1 V
gmn gmp
VINCM
1.1 V VDD-1.1 V
VSS = 0 VDD /2 VDD

pMOST on : VINCM < VDD - 1.1 V

Willy Sansen 10-05 1110

Solution : gm equalization

gm

gmtot
nMOST on :
pMOST nMOST
VINCM > 1.1 V
gmn gmp
VINCM
1.1 V VDD-1.1 V
VSS = 0 VDD /2 VDD
Increase gm:
pMOST on : VINCM < VDD - 1.1 V
gmn+ gmp= ct
Willy Sansen 10-05 1111
Equalize gmtot in strong inversion

gmn + gmp = ct1

Wn Wp
2 K’n IBn + 2 K’p IBp = ct1
Ln Lp

K’n IBn + K’p IBp = ct2

IBn + IBp = ct3

3 x Current mirror : 1 + 1 = 0 + 4 > 4-1=3

Willy Sansen 10-05 1112
3x Current mirror for nMOSTs

VDD
IB

iout+
gmn gmp
Vrn Mrn iout-
+ -

iout+
iout-
1:3 IB IB x 4
VSS = 0

Willy Sansen 10-05 1113

 3x Current mirror for all MOSTs

3:1 VDD
IB IB x 4

Mrn
gmn gmp
Vrn + -
Vrp
Mrp

1:3 IB IB x 4
VSS = 0
Willy Sansen 10-05 1114
3x Current mirror : performance

∆gm/gm = 15%
gm gmtot

pMOST nMOST
gmn gmp
VINCM
1.1 V VDD-1.1 V
VSS = 0 VDD /2 VDD

gmtot ~ (4 - 3x) IB + x IB ∆gm/gm = 15% (x=1/3)

Willy Sansen 10-05 1115

Rail-to-rail opamp

1: 3 6.4 MHz
/ 10 pF

6.4 V/µs

31 nV/√ Hz

3.3 V
1: 3 0.18 mA
3 mApk

Ref.Hogervorst, JSSC Dec.1994, 1505-1512

Willy Sansen 10-05 1116

Table of contents

ƒ Why rail-to-rail ?
ƒ 3 x Current mirror rtr amplifiers
ƒ Zener diode rtr amplifiers
ƒ Current regulator rtr amplifier on 1.5 V
ƒ Supply regulating rtr amplifier on 1.3 V
ƒ Other rail-to-rail amplifiers

Willy Sansen 10-05 1117

Zener diodes

ID IDS

VZ

VZ

0 VBEon VD 0 VT VZ VGS

≈ 0.7 V
Electronic Zener

Willy Sansen 10-05 1118

Rail-to-rail amplifier with Zener diode
VDD
8IB

gmn gmp 1:6 6:1

+ -
VZ

IB 1 : 6 6 : 1 IB

VZ = VGSn +VGSp
8IB
VSS = 0
Willy Sansen 10-05 1119
Rail-to-rail amplifier with Zener diode
VDD

gmn 1:6 6:1

+ -
V<VZ

4IB 1 : 6 6 : 1 4IB

VZ = VGSn +VGSp
8IB
VSS = 0
Willy Sansen 10-05 1120
Rtr amp. with electronic Zener
VDD
8IB IB

gmn gmp
+ -
VZ

8IB IB
VSS = 0
Willy Sansen 10-05 1121
Rail-to-rail amp. with Zener : performance

gm gmtot High current

High SR !

pMOST nMOST
gmn gmp
VINCM
1.1 V VDD-1.1 V
VSS = 0 VDD /2 VDD

Zener: ∆gm/gm = 25% Electronic Zener: ∆gm/gm = 6%

Ref.Hogervorst, JSSC July 1996, 1035-1040

Willy Sansen 10-05 1122

Table of contents

ƒ Why rail-to-rail ?
ƒ 3 x Current mirror rtr amplifiers
ƒ Zener diode rtr amplifiers
ƒ Current regulator rtr amplifier on 1.5 V
ƒ Supply regulating rtr amplifier on 1.3 V
ƒ Other rail-to-rail amplifiers

Willy Sansen 10-05 1123

Equalize gmtot in weak inversion

gmn + gmp = ct

IBn IBp
+ = ct
2 nn kT/q 2 np kT/q

nn
IBn + IBp = ct
np

CD (VBS)
n=1+
Cox
Willy Sansen 10-05 1124
Rail-to-rail amplifier with current switch

VDD
nn
1:
np
gmp gmn
Vref
+ -
Mr

I-switch 2IB IB IB IB IB
4IB
VSS = 0

Willy Sansen 10-05 1125

Rtr amp. with I-switch : performance

gm gmtot
Vref = 0.5 V

Vref = 0.4 V

pMOST Vref = 0.3 V

nMOST
gmn gmp
VINCM
1.1 V VDD-1.1 V
VSS = 0 VDD /2 VDD

Current switch : Vref very critical !

Willy Sansen 10-05 1126

Ref. : Wu etal, JSSC Jan.1994, pp.63-66

14 MHz
/ 11pF
gm1vin
5.6 MHz
/ 100pF
gm3vin
4 V/µs

36 nV/√ Hz

5V
0.4 mA

Willy Sansen 10-05 1127

Ref. : Wu etal, JSSC Jan.1994, pp.63-66

Biasing :

IDS x 2
gm x 2

Willy Sansen 10-05 1128

Input rail-to-rail stage
VDD = 5V
20 20
5 10

5 10
20 5V 20

VDD
VDD
2
V+- high :
10 10 20 20
pMOSTs off !
1.5V 5 1.5V 0
nMOSTs :
IDS1 x 2
5 0
gm1 x 2
0V

Willy Sansen 10-05 1129

Current regulator FB loop

nn
VDD
IBn IBp
np
2IBp

S gmn gmp
+ -
4IB

Cc
180o 2IBn
VSS = 0

Willy Sansen 10-05 1130

Current regulator FB loop : replica biasing

2IBp 2IBn

gmn gmp gmn gmp

in+ in- in+ in-

2IBn 2IBp

Willy Sansen 10-05 1131

Replica biasing with one transistor

RL RL
vIN
vOUT
+
-
VREF RS

Willy Sansen 10-05 1132

Replica biasing with differential pair

gmn gmn
in+ in- in+ in-

180o
2IBn 2IBn
IREF

Willy Sansen 10-05 1133

Current regulator rail-to-rail amplifier

VDD

2IBn
nn
1:
np
S + - + -
Cc

2IBp

4IB VSS

Replica biasing block Input stage

Willy Sansen 10-05 1134

I-regulator rtr amplifier

E.Peeters etal,
CICC 1997

Willy Sansen 10-05 1135

Total amplifier schematic

E.Peeters etal, CICC 1997

Willy Sansen 10-05 1136

Output stage

Willy Sansen 10-05 1137

Current-regulator rtr amp. : performance

gm gmtot

pMOST nMOST
gmn gmp
VINCM
VDD- 1.1 V 1.1 V
VSS = 0 VDD /2 VDD ≈ 3 V

n - mismatch : ∆gm/gm ≈ 4%

Willy Sansen 10-05 1138

Current-regulator rtr amp. : towards 1.5 V

gm

pMOST nMOST
gmtot
gmn gmp
0 VINCM
VDD- 1.1 V 1.1 V
VSS = 0 VDD ≈ 1.5 V

n - mismatch : ∆gm/gm ≈ 4%

Willy Sansen 10-05 1139

GBW error

4%

Willy Sansen 10-05 1140

Input offset voltage

Willy Sansen 10-05 1141

Rail-to-rail Opamp with Current regulator

VDD = 1.5 V

ITOT = 0.2 mA

∆gm/gm = 4 %

GBW = 4.3 MHz

CL = 15 pF

E.Peeters etal, CICC 1997

Willy Sansen 10-05 1142

Table of contents

ƒ Why rail-to-rail ?
ƒ 3 x Current mirror rtr amplifiers
ƒ Zener diode rtr amplifiers
ƒ Current regulator rtr amplifier on 1.5 V
ƒ Supply regulating rtr amplifier on 1.3 V
ƒ Other rail-to-rail amplifiers

Willy Sansen 10-05 1143

 Internal VDD Regulator

Weak inversion :
gm nn
IBn + IBp = ct
np
pMOST nMOST
gmtot
gmtot/2 Minimum VDD ?
gmn gmp VINCM
0 Minimum VGS+VDSsat ?
VSS = 0 VDD /2 VDD ≈ 1.3 V Independent of ∆VT’s !

n - mismatch and gmtot dip : ∆gm/gm ≈ 15 %

Willy Sansen 10-05 1144

Regulating VDD : total schematic
VDDext
VDD ≈ 1.3 V

IBp ?
iout+
gmn iout- Cc
gmp
+ - VOUT

iout+
IBn ? iout-

VSS = 0
Willy Sansen 10-05 1145
Replica biasing block

VDD
VDDext
IBp

VDD VDD S

VSS VSS
IB IBn VSS

Ferri, .. JSSC Oct.97, 1563-1567

Willy Sansen 10-05 1146

Internal VDD regulator

2 : 1 MP
VDD VDDext

VDSsatp
MR
IBp
VGSp
MA
VGSn

IBn VDSsatn
VSS
2 : 1

Willy Sansen 10-05 1147

Total amplifier schematic
Vext

Ferri, .. JSSC Oct.97, 1563-1567

Willy Sansen 10-05 1148

Internal supply voltage

V
Willy Sansen 10-05 1149
GBW error

GBW
(MHz)

VIN,CM (V)

Willy Sansen 10-05 1150

Rail-to-rail amp. with VDD regulator : Specs

VDDmin = 1.3 V
GBW = 1.3 MHz in CL = 15 pF
gm1 = 200 µS
IDSn1 = 10 µA
W/Lin = 830
ITOT = 354 µA
Vin,eq = 25 nVRMS/√Hz
Vin,offset = 0.8 mV (3σ = 0.2 mV)

Ferri, .. JSSC Oct.97, 1563-1567

Willy Sansen 10-05 1151

Rtr Opamp with VDD-regulator

Willy Sansen 10-05 1152

Rail-to-rail with VDD regulator : min VDD

VDDmin = 2 (VGS + VDSsat)

= 2 (VGS - VT + VT + VGS - VT)
= 2 [VT + 2(VGS - VT)]
= 2 [0.6 + 2(0.15)] = 1.8 V

= 2 [0.3 + 2(0.10)] = 1.0 V !!!!

Willy Sansen 10-05 1153

Table of contents

ƒ Why rail-to-rail ?
ƒ 3 x Current mirror rtr amplifiers
ƒ Zener diode rtr amplifiers
ƒ Current regulator rtr amplifier on 1.5 V
ƒ Supply regulating rtr amplifier on 1.3 V
ƒ Other rail-to-rail amplifiers

Willy Sansen 10-05 1154

Rail-to-rail opamp with current summation
3.3 V
2.3 mW
(2.2 V min.)

Gm ± 10%
THD :
-55 dB

40 MHz
9 mW
0.5 µm CMOS

Redman-White, JSSC May 97, 701-712

Willy Sansen 10-05 1155

Opamp with voltage multiplier
Vddx - Vdd ≈ 1 V 1.8 - 3.3 V
0.75 mA
6.5 MHz

On 3 V :
2.8 Vptpt
THD :

= Vdd/2
-90 dB /10kΩ
-81 dB/32 Ω

0.5 µm CMOS
Duisters, .., JSSC
July 98,pp.947-955

Willy Sansen 10-05 1156

Rail-to-rail opamp with differential signal proc.

Idsn

Idsp

Ref.Lin, AICSP 1999, 153-162

Willy Sansen 10-05 1157

Maximum-current selecting circuits

Idsn

Idsp

Ref.Lin, AICSP 1999, 153-162

Willy Sansen 10-05 1158

Maximum-current selecting circuit

VDD

+ -

VSS Input stage

Willy Sansen 10-05 1159

Transconductance equalizer circuit

VGS3 + VGS2 = VGS1 + VGS4

K’pIpbias = K’nInbias
gmp = gmn
Ref.Lin, AICSP 1999, 153-162

Willy Sansen 10-05 1160

 Rail-to-rail opamp with max.-current selector

max.curr.selector gm equalizer max.curr.selector 1.9 MHz 20 pF

3 V/ 0.26 mA
Ref.Lin, AICSP 1999, 153-162

Willy Sansen 10-05 1161

Rail-to-rail opamp with max.-current selector

gm equalizer max.curr.selector 1.9 MHz 20 pF

3 V/ 0.26 mA
Ref.Lin, AICSP 1999, 153-162

Willy Sansen 10-05 1162

Rail-to-rail opamp on 1 Volt Supply

VDD = 1 V
IDS

VIN
IDSp IDSn

VIN
0 0.5 1V
0V

Ref.Duque-Carrillo, JSSC Jan.2000, 33-43

Willy Sansen 10-05 1163

Rail-to-rail opamp on 1 Volt

VDD = 1 V VDD = 1 V
IB

R
VIN VIN
R

0V IB 0V

Ref.Duque-Carrillo, JSSC Jan.2000, 33-43

Willy Sansen 10-05 1164

Rail-to-Rail opamp on 1 Volt

VDD = 1 V IB
IBmax
IB
VINn
VIN
R 0 0.5 1V
VIN VINn VINn
R 1V

VINp VINp
RIBmax
0.5
IB
0V VINp
0 VIN
Ref.Duque-Carrillo, JSSC Jan.2000, 33-43 0 0.5 1V

Willy Sansen 10-05 1165

RtR opamp : full opamp schematic

2 MHz
15 pF

1V
0.4 mA

Ioffset
< 1 µA

Ref.Duque-Carrillo, JSSC Jan.2000, 33-43 R Ioffset noise

Willy Sansen 10-05 1166

RtR opamp : current generator

IB

current summer

Ref.Duque-Carrillo, JSSC Jan.2000, 33-43

Willy Sansen 10-05 1167

Comparison rail-to-rail input amplifiers

Type Ref. ∆gm/gm GBW ITOT VDDmin

% MHzpF/mW µA V

3x Curr.mirr. JSSC-12-94 15 110 150 3

Electr. Zener JSSC-7-96 6 70 215 2.7
Curr.switch AICSP-5-94 8 1.1 500 3.3
Curr.regulat. CICC 97 4 210 200 1.5
Regulat. VDD JSSC-10-97 6 43 350 1.3
MOST translin. AICSP-6-94 8 4.2 800 2.5
Improv.CMRR JSSC-2-95 9 3 1400 5
Max. current AICSP-1-99 10 77 260 3
Resistive input JSSC-1-00 x 75 400 1

Willy Sansen 10-05 1168

Table of contents

ƒ Why rail-to-rail ?
ƒ 3 x Current mirror rtr amplifiers
ƒ Zener diode rtr amplifiers
ƒ Current regulator rtr amplifier on 1.5 V
ƒ Supply regulating rtr amplifier on 1.3 V
ƒ Other rail-to-rail amplifiers

Willy Sansen 10-05 1169

References
T. Duisters, etal, ”A -90 dB THD rail-to-rail input opamp using a new local charge pump in
CMOS", IEEE Journal Solid-State Circuits, Vol. SC-33, pp. 947-955, July 1998.

R. Duque-Carillo, etal, "A 1 V rail-to-rail operational amplifier in standard CMOS

technology", IEEE Journal Solid-State Circuits, Vol. SC-35, pp. 33-43, Jan. 2000.

G.Ferri, W.Sansen, ”A rail-to-rail constant-gm low-voltage CMOS operational

transconductance amplifier", IEEE Journal Solid-State Circuits, Vol. SC-32, pp. 1563-1567,
Oct.1997.

R. Hogervorst, etal, "A compact power-efficient 3V CMOS rail-to-rail input/output

operational amplifier for VLSI cell libraries", IEEE Journal Solid-State Circuits, Vol. SC-29,
pp. 1504-1512, Dec.1994.

R. Hogervorst, etal, ”Compact CMOS constant-gm rail-to-rail input stage with gm-control by
an electronic Zener diode", IEEE Journal Solid-State Circuits, Vol. SC-31, pp. 1035-1040,
July 1996.

R. Lin, etal, "A compact power-efficient 3V CMOS rail-to-rail input/output operational

amplifier for VLSI cell libraries", Analog Integrated Circuits and Signal Processing, Kluwer
Ac., pp. 153-162, Jan.1999.

Willy Sansen 10-05 1170

References
E. Peeters, etal, "A compact power-efficient 3V CMOS rail-to-rail input/output operational
amplifier for VLSI cell libraries", CICC 1997.

W. Wu, etal, ”Digital-compatible high-performance operational amplifier with rail-to-rail

input and output stages", IEEE Journal Solid-State Circuits, Vol. SC-29, pp. 63-66, Jan 1994.

Willy Sansen 10-05 1171