Transcript lec12-elec
Current Mirrors
OUTLINE
Cascode Stage (cont’d)
supplementary remarks
Current Mirrors
Reading: Chapter 9.2
Review: Cascode Stage Rout
The impedance seen looking into the collector can be boosted
significantly by using a BJT for emitter degeneration, with a
relatively small reduction in headroom.
Rout [1 g m (rO 2 || r 1 )]rO1 rO 2 || r 1
Rout g m1rO1 rO 2 || r 1
Temperature and Supply-Voltage
Dependence of Bias Current
Circuits should be designed to operate properly over
a range of supply voltages and temperatures.
For the biasing scheme shown below, I1 depends on
the temperature as well as the supply voltage, since
VT and IS depend on temperature.
I1 I S e
VBE / VT
VBE
R2
VCC
R1 R2
Concept of a Current Mirror
Circuit designs to provide a supply- and
temperature-independent current exist, but require
many transistors to implement.
“golden current source”
A current mirror is used to replicate the current
from a “golden current source” to other locations.
Current Mirror Circuitry
Diode-connected QREF produces an output voltage VX
that forces Icopy1 to be equal to IREF, if Q1 is identical to
QREF.
Current mirror concept
Generation of required VBE
I copy1
I S ,1
I S , REF
Current Mirror Circuitry
I copy1
I REF
VT ln
VX VT ln
I
I
S
,
1
S
,
REF
I REF
Bad Current Mirror Example 1
If the collector and base of QREF are not shorted
together, there will not be a path for the base
currents to flow, so that Icopy is zero.
Bad Current Mirror Example 2
Although it provides a path for base currents to flow,
this biasing approach is no better than a resistive
voltage divider.
Multiple Copies of IREF
Multiple copies of IREF can be generated at different
locations by applying the current mirror concept to
multiple transistors.
I copy , j
IS, j
I S , REF
I REF
Current Scaling
By scaling the emitter area of Qj by a factor of n with
respect to the emitter area of QREF, Icopy,j is scaled by a
factor of n with respect to IREF.
This is equivalent to placing n unit-sized transistors in parallel.
I copy , j nI REF
Example: Scaled Currents
Fractional Scaling
I REF
A fraction of IREF can be created in Q1 by scaling up
the emitter area of QREF.
VX
3I S exp
VT
I copy
I copy
1
I REF
3
VX
I S exp
VT
Example: Different Mirroring Ratios
Using the concept of current scaling and fractional
scaling, Icopy1 = 0.05mA and Icopy2 = 0.5mA, derived
from a single 0.2mA reference current source (IREF).
Effect of Base Currents
I REF I C , REF
I C , REF
I copy
n
I copy
nI REF
1
1 n 1
I copy
n
I copy
Improved Mirroring Accuracy
Use QF (rather than IREF) to supply the base currents
of QREF and Q1, reduce the mirroring error by a factor
of .
I REF I B , F I C , REF
I copy I copy
IC ,F I E ,F
n
I C , REF
I copy
n
I B,F
I copy 1
2 1
n
I copy
nI REF
1
1 2 n 1
Different Mirroring Ratio Accuracy
I REF I B , F 4 I C , REF
IC ,F
I copy1
I copy2
4
I B,F
I copy1
I C , REF
15I copy1
2
I REF
15
4 2
I C , REF I copy1
I copy 2
10I REF
15
4 2
PNP Current Mirror
A PNP BJT current mirror can be used as a currentsource load for an NPN BJT amplifier stage.
Generation of IREF for a
PNP-BJT Current Mirror
Neglecting base currents, the currents flowing
through QM and QREF2 are the same.
Current Mirror with Discrete BJTs
If QREF and Q1 are discrete NPN BJTs, IREF and Icopy1
can differ dramatically, due to IS mismatch.