Basics of Transconductance

Capacitance Filters
Dr. Paul Hasler

Operational Amplifiers
OP Amp:
Vout = Av (V+ - V- )

Balanced Op Amp:
Vout+ = Av (V+ - V- )
Vout- = Av (V- - V+)

VV+

VVout
V+

Av is frequency dependent

Vout +
Vout -

Transconductance Amplifiers
OTA:
I = Gm (V+ - V- )

VV+

Balanced OTA:
I+ = Gm (V+ - V- )
I- = Gm (V- - V+)
VV+

I+
I-

Most op-amps can be used as OTAs, most OTAs can be used as op-amps.
(depends which application is being optimized)

Major Issues for OTAs

Major Issues for OTAs:
Linearity
Offsets
Output Resistance (depends upon application)

How to Build OTAs

Basic transistor differential amplifer,
Wide-output-range differential amplifier
Build with cascodes or folded cascode or differential approaches.

Analysis of Diff-Pair

Differential Pair Currents

3

Iout-

2.5

Iout+

Output current (nA)

1.5

0.5

0
-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0.1

Differential input voltage (V)

0.2

0.3

0.4

Basic Differential Amplifier

Transfer Functions

Wide-Output Range Differential Amplifier

Simple differential amplifer
"Vmin" effect

Wide-output range amplifier

Simplest Gm-C Filter

If an ideal op-amp, then Vin = Vout
I
Vout

Vin

By KCL: Gm(Vin - Vout ) = C1

dVout(t)
dt

Defining = C1 / Gm

C1

GND

Vin = Vout +

dVout(t)
dt

We can set Gm and build C sufficiently big enough (slow down the amplifier),
or set by C (smallest size to get enough SNR), and change Gm.
Also, should mention the high-pass version as well.

Tuning Frequency using

Bias Current
Bias Current

Transconductance

Cutoff Frequency

1mA

1/250

600MHz

1A

1/25k

6MHz

1nA

1/25M

6kHz

1pA

1/25G

6Hz

C = 1pF, W/L of input transistors = 30, Ith ~ 10A.

This approach is the most power-efficient approach for any filter.
All electronically tunable: Advantage: we can electronically change the corner
Disadvantage: we need a method to set this frequency (tuning)

A Low-Pass Filter
C (dVout/dt) = I
= Ibias tanh((Vin - Vout)/(2 UT) )
= (( Ibias )/(2 UT) ) (Vin - Vout)

(dVout/dt) + Vout = Vin

= C UT / Ibias
Time-constant changes
with bias

Linear Range
This is not linear.
Small-signal analysis:
How small is small?

C (dVout/dt) = Ibias tanh((Vin - Vout)/(2 UT) )

Another First-Order
Low-Pass Filter
10nS

Vout

Vin

1nS
GND

GND

C
GND

Second-Order Behavior
Vout
1
= 1 + (/Q) s + 2 s2
Vin
Gain = Q
at = 1/,

Second-Order Behavior
Vout
1
= 1 + (/Q) s + 2 s2
Vin
Gain = Q
at = 1/,
High Q =
very narrow band
(width 1/Q)

Basic Second-Order Sections

Gm2

Vout

Vin
Gm1

Gm1
C1

GND

C1

GND

Vin
1k

Diff2 Based Second-Order Filter

Vin

V1
V1

Vout
1
=
1 + (/Q) s + 2 s2
Vin

+
-

Vout
V2

= (1 2)1/2

Q = (2/1)1/2

Diff2 Responses

Diff2 Second-Order Section

I

Vout

Vin
Gm1

We will see this circuit again for

sample and hold elements

Gm2
C1

GND

Issue of feedback with an output

buffer for an op-amp.

C1

GND

Tow-Thomas
Second-Order Section
Vout
I

GND

GND

Vin

I
Gm1

Gm2

C1

GND

C1

GND

Bandpass Second-Order Section

Gm1

GND
Vin

Vout

C
Gm2
GND

Another Second-Order Section

Vout

C1

Gm1

GND

Gm2

V1

Vin

CL
Gm3

Cw

GND
GND

GND

Even Bigger Gm-C Filter

Gm1

GND
GND

Vin

Vout

Gm1
Gm2

GND

Gm2
GND

Filter Design Problem

Design example(s):
Design a Chebyshev filter with the following specs:
From our MATLAB functions, we get the
following s and Qs:

We get the following filter:

Tpb

-1dB ( 0.5088)

Tsb

-25dB

fpb

100kHz

fsb

150kHz

Filter Design Example

1

10
10

Magnitude

10

-1

10
10

-1

-2

10

10

-2

10

10

10
Frequency (Hz)

10

10

-3

10

10

10

10

10

10

From MATLAB code: N = 5

Q = 5.5561e+000, tau = 1.6009e-006
Q = 1.3987e+000, tau = 2.4290e-006
tau = 5.4974e-006

10