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Abstract. An efficient technique to improve the slew rate 11. SLEW-RATE ENHANCEMENT TECHNIQUE
of one stage op-amps is introduced and verified. It
operates by enhancing the output current by almost an Fig. l a shows a conventional one-stage operational
order of magnitude without increasing the supply current amplifier that consists of a differential-input stage and
under static or small signal conditions. The technique is a three-mirror current differencing network (unity-
only requires the addition of two transistors to a
conventional one-stage operational amplifier.
gain mirrors are assumed) with slew-rate given by
SR=Ibias /Camp.Fig. lb shows a modified version of
this op-amp denoted onwards as a slew-rate
I. INTRODUCTION enhanced op-amp. In order to improve slew rate
matched transistors MR and MRP are added on the
Slew-rate is one of the most fundamental limitations input side of the P-mirror transistors. These
for large signal operation of analog systems [l].In transistors are biased (with VR) in order to operate in
class A amplifiers, i.e. one-stage and two-stage the triode region. They act as non-linear resistors that
operational amplifiers, slew-rate (SR) is determined generate a small drain-source voltage, VsdQ, when
by the bias current, Ibias, according to the well the drain current has the quiescent value IdQ=Ibias/2
known relation SR=Ibias/C,, [l] (where C,, is the and a large Vsd voltage when the drain current takes
compensation capacitance). Increasing the slew-rate in its maxi" value Idmax=Ibias. This is illustrated in
class A amplifiers is achieved at the expense of Fig. IC. which shows a plot of id vs. Vsd for a
augmenting Ibias, which as a consequence increases constant value VSG=VDD-VR (this plot is one of the
the static power dissipation. If both, the supply constant VSG curves for the output transistor
voltage requirements (which are determined by the characteristic). It can be seen that, as the current
overdrive voltages VDS,,=VGSVTH) and the gain- changes from Ibias/2 to the maximum value Ibias, the
bandwidth product, GB, are to be maintained source-drain voltage changes from a relatively small
constant, then, given that larger transistor sizes are value, VsdQ, to a value Vsdmax, which is much
required for larger quiescent currents, this causes the larger than VdsQ. The output current of the
high frequency (parasitic) poles' to be decreased and operational amplifier, (Iout=io-io') is determined by
the phase margin of the op-amp to be degraded. To the source-gate voltage of the P-output mirror
minimize this problem, class AB differential-input transistors. The source-gate voltage for these
stages can be used in one-stage op-amps [4]-[6] while transistors equals the sum of the source-gate voltage
class AB output stages are used in two-stage (Miller) of the input mirror transistor plus that of the source-
op-amps [3]. These allow for maximum output drain voltage of triode mode transistor MR (or MRP).
currents, Iomax, which can be much larger than the Because of this, when the current in the input mirror
differential-pair bias current. One-stage op-amps are transistor takes the maximum value Ibias (i.e., when
appropriate for applications where rail-rail input an abrupt change in the input differential voltage
swing is required [7]. The main problem of one-stage takes place), the output current becomes much greater
op-amps, that use class AB differential-input stages, than Ibias and thus charges or discharges the
is that this type of circuitry is relatively complex so compensation (or load) capacitor much faster than in
that it requires increased Silicon area, and/or a conventional OTA. The main advantage of this
BiCMOS technology, and/or increased voltage supply technique is that it is very simple since it requires
requirements. In this paper, we introduce a very only two additional transistors and it also allows
simple slew-rate and bandwidth enhancement flexibility in programming (with VR) the slew-rate of
technique for one-stage op-amps that does not the operational amplifier without changing its input
increase (siguficantly) the static power consumption. range or without increasing the supply requirements.
8
i i
Fig. 1 (a) Conventional cascode OTA (b) Slew-rate enhanced OTA (c) Output characteristics of MR,MRP
~QOUA
’ OuA
Fig. 2 Comparison of transient response of op-amps in voltage follower mode: (a) Load capacitor currents
(b) Output and input waveforms
9
400uA
. .
... ..
..
200uA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
OuA . ...- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
___.
-200uA . - ._ . . . . . . . . . .
-400uA
-3.OV . -2.ov -1 .ov 0.0v 1.ov 2.0v 3.0V
0 i(rout) 0 i(routp)
vio
Frequency
10