Chapter 6

Differential and Multistage Amplifiers

The most widely used circuit building block in analog integrated
circuits.

 Differential pair circuits are one of the most

widely used circuit building blocks. The input
stage of every op amp is a differential amplifier
Basic Characteristics
Two matched transistors with emitters
shorted together and connected to a current
source
Devices must always be in active mode
Amplifies the difference between the two
input voltages, but there is also a common
mode amplification in the non-ideal case
Lets first understand how this circuit works.

 Assume the inputs are shorted together to a common voltage,

vCM, called the common mode voltage
equal currents flow through Q1 and Q2
emitter voltages equal and at vCM-0.7 in order for the
devices to be in active mode
collector currents are equal and so collector voltages are
also equal for equal load resistors
difference between collector voltages = 0
What happens when we vary vCM?
As long as devices in active mode, equal currents flow
through Q1 and Q2
Note: current through Q1 and Q2 always add up to I,
current through the current source
So, collector voltages do not change and difference is still
zero.
Differential pair circuits thus reject common mode signals

Q2 base grounded and Q1 base at +1 V

All current flows through Q1
No current flows through Q2
Emitter voltage at 0.3V and Q2s EBJ not FB
vC1 = VCC-IRC
vC2 = VCC

Q2 base grounded and Q1 base at -1 V

All current flows through Q2
No current flows through Q1
Emitter voltage at -0.7V and Q1s EBJ not FB
vC2 = VCC-aIRC
vC1 = VCC

 Apply a small signal vi

Causes a small positive DI to flow in Q1
Requires small negative DI in Q2
since IE1+IE2 = I
Can be used as a linear amplifier for small
signals (DI is a function of vi)
Differential pair responds to differences in the
input voltage
Can entirely steer current from one side of
the diff pair to the other with a relatively
small voltage
Lets now take a quantitative look at the largesignal operation of the differential pair

Large-Signal Operation

First look at the emitter currents when the emitters are tied together

v B 1 VE
VT

IS
IS
i E1 e
iE 2 e

Some manipulations can lead to the following equations

iE1

iE1 iE 2

and there is the constraint:

i E1
e
iE 2

v B 2 VE
VT

iE 2

iE 1 i E 2

1
1 e

v B 2 v B1
VT

vB1 vB 2
VT

1
1 e

vB1 vB 2
VT

iE1 iE 2 I

Given the exponential relationship, small differences in vB1,2 can cause all of the current to flow through
E1
vB 2 vB1
E2
one side
vB1 vB 2
VT
V

1 e

1 e

 Notice vB1-vB2 ~= 4VT enough to switch all of current from one side to the other
For small-signal analysis, we are interested in the region we can approximate to be
linear
small-signal condition: vB1-vB2 < VT/2

Small-Signal Operation

Look at the small-signal operation: small

differential signal vd is applied

vB1 vB 2 vd

iC1

1 e
multiply top
and bottom
by

vd
2VT

Ie

iC1
e

vd
2VT

vd
VT

vd
2VT

vd
2VT

expand the exponential and keep the first

two terms

iC1

I 1 vd 2VT
I I vd

1 vd 2VT 1 vd 2VT 2 2VT 2

iC 2

I I vd

2 2VT 2

I vd
ic
2VT 2

ic g m vd 2

gm

I C I 2

VT
VT

Differential Voltage Gain

For small differential input signals, vd << 2VT, the collector currents are

vd
iC1 I C g m
2
vC1 VCC

vd
I C RC g m RC
2

iC 2

vd
IC gm
2

vC 2 VCC

vd
I C RC g m RC
2

We can now find the differential gain to be

vc1 vc 2
Ad
g m RC
vd

Differential Half Circuit

We can break apart the differential pair circuit into two half circuits which
then looks like two common emitter circuits driven by +vd/2 and vd/2

We can then analyze the small-signal operation with the half

circuit, but must remember
parameters r,gm, and ro are biased at I/2
input signal to the differential half circuit is vd/2
voltage gain of the differential amplifier (output taken
differentially) is equal to the voltage gain of the half circuit
vc1
gmv
vd/2

vc1
Ad
g m RC ro
vd 2

RC

Common-Mode Gain

When we drive the differential pair with a common-mode signal,

vCM, the incremental resistance of the bias current effects circuit
operation and results in some gain (assumed to be 0 when R
was infinite)

vC1 vCM

RC
RC
vCM
2 R re
2R

vC 2 vCM

RC
2R

If the output is taken differentially, the output is zero since both sides move
together. However, if taken of the single circuit, the common-mode gain is finite

Acm

RC
2R

If we look at the differential gain of the circuit, we get

Ad g m RC

Then, the common rejection ratio (CMRR) will be

CMRR

Ad
1
gm R
Acm 2

which is often expressed in dB

CMRR 20 log10

Ad
Acm

CM and Differential Gain Equation

Input signals to a differential pair usually consists of two

components: common mode (vCM) and differential(vd)

vCM

v1 v2

vd v1 v2

Thus, the differential output signal will be in general

v1 v2
vo Ad v1 v2 Acm
2

The BJT Differential Pair

Connection to RC not
essential to the operation

Essential that Q1
and Q2 never enter
saturation

Use CD

Implemented by a
transistor circuit

Different Modes of Operation

Common voltage
I/2
vE = vCM-VBE
vC1 = VCC ( ) I RC
vC2 = VCC ( ) I RC
vC1 vC2 = ?
Vary vCM (what happens?)
Rejects common-mode

Differential pair with a common-mode input

Different Modes of Operation

vB1 = +1
Q1
Q2
vE = 0.3
Keeps Q2 off
vC1 = VCC - I RC
vC2 = VCC

Differential pair with a large differential input

Different Modes of Operation

Differential pair with a large differential input o opposite polarity

To that of (b)

Different Modes of Operation

Differential pair with a small differential input