Low Power CMOS Op-Amp Design (AC23-27-0)

SynopsisThe Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp) is a very versatile building block in analog signal processing. It can be configured to perform many mathematical functions such as 'addition', 'subtraction', 'division' and 'multiplication' and other more exotic functions as active filters, oscillators, current-to-voltage converters etc. As such the knowledge of designing op-amps become crucial for any analog IC designer. However, the design of op-amps these days have been complicated with the inevitable push to reduce power consumption and voltage supplies. With that, many of the older, tried-and-tested, op-amp design techniques are no longer immediately applicable and new circuit topologies have emerged to meet these requirements.

This course starts with brief review of the commonly used analog IC building blocks. The participants are then introduced to the basic parts that make up a CMOS op-amp, stability and compensation, the issues relating to low-power design and the techniques to overcome them. Once equipped with these, the participants are taken through a live exercise of how a class-AB Rail-to-Rail Op-amp is designed.

Course Highlight

Participants will learn:

• essential fundamental concepts for those working with analog circuit design
• building blocks for CMOS op-amp design
• an intuitive approach to op-amp design without complex equations
• circuit design techniques and philosophies for low power circuits

What You Will Learn

• essential fundamental concepts for those working with analog circuit design
• building blocks for CMOS op-amp design
• an intuitive approach to op-amp design without complex equations
• circuit design techniques and philosophies for low power circuits

Who Should AttendThose who are involved in the design and development of analog and mixed signal IC systems.

PrerequisiteTechnical background in analog electronics at Bachelor's Degree levels with a good understanding of circuit analysis and semiconductor devices.

Course MethodologyThe students are first taught the theories in a classroom setting. "Rules-of-thumb" and approximations are given to aid in intuitively sizing transistors to meet specifications. The concepts are then reinforced through exercises and examples of how the theories are applied in practical op-amp design.

Course Duration2 days, 9am - 5pm

Course StructureDay 1

• Analog CMOS subcircuits - Current sources, Current Mirrors, Current and Voltage References
• CMOS Amplifier - Differential pair amplifier, Cascode amplifiers, output stages, stability and compensation
• Low power CMOS techniques - Low voltage Cascodes, rail-to-rail input and output design, class AB design, adaptive op-amps.

• Do-it-yourself Low Power Op-Amp design - a design exercise through circuit simulation