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EE603 – CMOS IC DESIGN

Topic 5 – CMOS Inverter

Faizah Amir

Lesson Learning Outcome

1) To explain the Switch Models of CMOS inverter

2) To explain the properties of static CMOS Inverter:

a. CMOS Voltage Transfer Characteristic (VTC)
b. Switching Threshold
c. Noise Margin

3) To explain the performance of static CMOS Inverter in

terms of:
a. Process Variation
b. Supply Voltage Scaling

4) To explain the dynamic behaviour of CMOS inverter

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Inverter Switch Models

When Vin is high and equal to VDD, the NMOS transistor is ON, while the
PMOS is OFF. A direct path exists between Vout and the ground node,
resulting in a steady-state value of 0V.
When the input voltage is low (0 V), NMOS transistor is OFF, while PMOS
transistors in ON. A direct path exists between VDD and Vout, resulting in a
steady-state value of VDD.

CMOS Properties
1. High noise margins : output high level = VDD
output low level = 0V
2. Ratioless gate – gates will work correctly for any ratio of
PMOS size to NMOS size , so the transistors can be minimum
size.
3. Low output impedance (output resistance in kΩ range) which
makes it less sensitive to noise and disturbances.
4. Extremely high input resistance (MOS transistor gate is a
virtually perfect insulator and draws no dc input current.) ⇒
large fan-out.
5. Low static power consumption because no direct path exists
between the supply and ground rails under steady-state
operating conditions .

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NMOS & PMOS Operation in CMOS

NMOS & PMOS I-V Curve

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NMOS & PMOS I-V Curve

Combining the VI characteristics
of the n-device and p-device

IDSp = -IDSn
VGSn = Vin ; VGSp = Vin - VDD
VDSn = Vout ; VDSp = Vout - VDD

For a DC operating points to be valid, the

currents through NMOS and PMOS
devices must be equal.
The DC points are located at the
intersection of corresponding load lines,
as marked with dots on the graph.

CMOS Inverter VTC

CMOS Inverter VTC is produced from both

NMOS and PMOS IV curve.

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CMOS Inverter VTC

Ideally, VTC
appears as an
inverted step-
Logic ‘1’ output function.

We can see
the precise
switching
Logic ‘0’ output
between ON
and OFF.

CMOS Inverter Ideal VTC

CMOS Inverter VTC

In real
devices, a
gradual
transition
region exists.

We cannot
see the precise
switching
between ON
and OFF.

VTC for real CMOS Inverter

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CMOS INVERTER
Switching Threshold
VM , The switching
Vout = Vin threshold is defined as the
point where the intersection
of the VTC curve and the
line given by Vout = Vin.

The switching threshold

voltage presents the
midpoint of the switching
characteristics.

VM A good inverter must

have the value VM = VDD/2

At switching threshold,
Vin= Vout= VM

CMOS INVERTER
Input Low Voltage, VIL
Noise Margin – VIL is at point ‘a’ on the plot where
the slope dVin/dVout = -1
– Vin such that Vin< VIL= logic 0
●a
Input High Voltage, VIH
– VIH is at point ‘b’ on the plot where
the slope dVin/dVout = -1
– Vin such that Vin> VIH= logic 1

Noise Margin
– measure of how stable inputs are
with respect to signal interference
●b – NMH= VOH -VIH
– NML= VIL-VOL
– large NMH and NML is desired for
noise immunity :
Typical inverter transfer characteristics
NMH = VDD –VIH
NML = VIL - 0

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NOISE MARGIN

NOISE MARGIN

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CMOS INVERTER
Effect of Transistor Size on VTC
When designing static CMOS circuits, it is advisable to
balance the driving strengths of the transistors by
making the width of the PMOS two or three times
than the width of NMOS .

Ideally :

CMOS INVERTER
Effect of Transistor Size on VTC

If :

Effect on switching threshold:

VM= VDD/2, exactly in the middle.

Effect on noise margin:

VIH and VILboth are close to VM and
noise margin is good.

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CMOS INVERTER
Impact of process variation on VTC Curve
The “good” transistor has:
smaller oxide thickness
smaller length
higher width
smaller threshold voltage

The “bad” transistor has:

●● larger oxide thickness
●
larger length
lower width
larger threshold voltage

Conclusion:
The variations cause a small shift
in the switching threshold, but that
the operation of the gate is not
affected.
Process variations (mostly) cause a
shift in the switching threshold.

CMOS INVERTER
Impact of process variation on VTC Curve

Result from changing (W/L)p / (W/L)n ratio:

• Inverter threshold VM ≠ VDD/2
• Rise and fall delays are unequal
• Noise margins are not equal

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CMOS INVERTER
Impact of supply voltage scaling
• The inverter characteristic can still
be obtained although the supply
voltage is small (not even large
enough to turn the transistors on.)
• How does this happen?
Because of sub-threshold
operation of the transistors.
The sub-threshold currents are
sufficient to switch the gate
between low and high levels,
and provide enough gain to
produce acceptable VTCs.
• However, the very low value of the
switching currents will slow down
the operation of the transistor.

CMOS Inverter : Dynamic Behaviour

The Switch Model of Dynamic CMOS Inverter

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CMOS Inverter : Dynamic Behaviour

Parasitic Capacitances of CMOS inverter

Parasitic capacitances, influencing the transient behaviour of

the cascaded inverter pair.

CMOS Inverter : Dynamic Behaviour

Parasitic Capacitances – Miller Effect

The Miller effect— A capacitor that has identical but opposite

voltage swings at both its terminals can be replaced by a capacitor
to ground, whose value is two times the original value.

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CMOS Inverter : Dynamic Behaviour

Sources of parasitic capacitance:
i. Intrinsic MOS transistor capacitances
ii. Extrinsic MOS transistor (fan-out)
capacitances
iii. Wiring (interconnect) capacitance

Sources of Parasitic Capacitances

• MOS Intrinsic Capacitances

Structure capacitances
Channel capacitances
Diffusion capacitances

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Intrinsic Capacitances

MOS Structure Capacitance

Overlap Capacitance (linear):

CGSO = CGDO = Cox xd WL = Co WLD

Intrinsic Capacitances

Overlap Capacitance

In reality the gate overlaps

source and drain.
So, the parasitic overlap
capacitances:

CGS(overlap) = Cox W LD
CGD(overlap) = Cox W LD

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Intrinsic Capacitances

MOS Channel Capacitances

• The gate-to-channel capacitance depends upon the
• operating region and the terminal voltages

Intrinsic Capacitances

MOS Channel Capacitances

Average Channel Capacitance

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Intrinsic Capacitances

MOS Diffusion Capacitances

• The junction (or diffusion) capacitance is from the
reverse biased source-body and drain-body p-n
junctions.

Intrinsic Capacitances
Source Junction View

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Extrinsic Capacitance

Extrinsic (Fan-out) Capacitance

The extrinsic, or fanout, capacitance is the total gate
capacitance of the loading PMOS and NMOS transistors.
Cfanout = Cgate (NMOS) + Cgate (PMOS)
= (CGSOn + CGDOn + WnLnCox) +
(CGSOp + CGDOp + WpLpCox)
Simplification of the actual situation
• Assumes all the components of Cgate are between Vout and
GND (or VDD)
• Assumes the channel capacitances of the loading gates are
constant

MOS Capacitance Model

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Summary
1. When designing static CMOS circuits, the width of PMOS
must be made two or three times than the width of NMOS
in order to obtain symmetrical switching threshold, VM and
noise margin.
2. The variations of NMOS and PMOS in CMOS cause a small
shift in the switching threshold, but that the operation of the
gate is not affected.
3. The inverter characteristic can still be obtained although the
supply voltage is scaled down, as long as the minimum
supply voltage is higher than thermal voltage
4. Parasitic capacitances slower the switching speeds
=>Bigger capacitance means more charges are needed to change
voltage.

Past Years Questions

1. a) Sketch a complete CMOS inverter circuit diagram.
(2 marks)
2. Explain the CMOS inverter operation.
(2 marks)
3. Based of the Voltage Transfer Characteristics (VTC) curve
below, explain the transition region when both NMOS and
PMOS are in saturation. (5 marks)

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