IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,587,235
Granted Patent B2
US 10,587,235 · App. 15/912,477 · Granted Mar 10, 2020

Biased amplifier

Inventor: Sudheer Prasad (Bangalore, IN)
Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
H03F3/45502H03F3/45085H03F3/45089H03F3/45165H03F3/45264H03F3/45461H03F2200/12H03F2203/45342H03F2203/45354H03F2203/45392
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,587,235
App. No.
15/912,477
Granted
Mar 10, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one example an amplifier includes a bias circuit, an open-loop gain stage including a first PMOS having a gate coupled to a first node, a source coupled to a second node, a drain coupled to a third node, and a bulk coupled to the bias circuit, a second PMOS having a gate coupled to a ground node, a source coupled to the second node, a drain coupled to a fourth node, and a bulk coupled to the bias circuit, a first NMOS having a drain and a gate coupled to the third node and a source coupled to a fifth node, a second NMOS having a drain coupled to the fourth node, a gate coupled to the third node, and a source coupled to the fifth node, an adjustable resistor coupleable between the third and fourth nodes, and a buffer stage coupled to the open-loop gain stage.

Claims (55)

1. An amplifier, comprising:

a bias circuit configured to generate a bias voltage with respect to ground; and

an open-loop gain stage comprising:

a first p-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) (PMOS) having a gate terminal coupled to a first node, a source terminal coupled to a second node, a drain terminal coupled to a third node, and a bulk connection coupled to the bias circuit;

a second PMOS having a gate terminal coupled to a ground node, a source terminal coupled to the second node, a drain terminal coupled to a fourth node, and a bulk connection coupled to the bias circuit;

a first n-type MOSFET (NMOS) having a drain terminal and a gate terminal coupled to the third node and a source terminal coupled to a fifth node;

a second NMOS having a drain terminal coupled to the fourth node, a gate terminal coupled to the third node; and a source terminal coupled to the fifth node, wherein the gain stage is configured to couple to an adjustable resistor positioned between the third node and the fourth node; and

a buffer stage coupled to the open-loop gain stage at the fourth node and comprising a super source follower.

2. The amplifier of claim 1 , further comprising a first diode and a second diode coupled in opposing polarities between the first node and the ground node, wherein the first node is an input of the amplifier.

3. The amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the bias circuit comprises a third NMOS having a drain terminal and a gate terminal coupled to the buffer stage and a source terminal configured to couple to the fifth node via a first resistor, wherein the bias circuit is further configured to couple to a second resistor and a first capacitor, each positioned between a sixth node and the fifth node, and wherein the sixth node is coupled to the bulk connection of the first PMOS and the second PMOS.

4. The amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the buffer stage comprises:

a third PMOS having a gate terminal coupled to the fourth node, a source terminal coupled to a seventh node, and a drain terminal coupled to an eighth node;

a fourth NMOS having a gate terminal coupled to the bias circuit, a source terminal configured to couple to the fifth node via a third resistor, and a drain terminal coupled to the eighth node; and

a fifth NMOS having a gate terminal coupled to the eighth node, a drain terminal coupled to the seventh node, and a source terminal coupled to the fifth node, wherein the buffer stage is configured to couple to a second capacitor and a fourth resistor coupled in series between the eighth node and the fifth node, and wherein the seventh node is an output of the amplifier.

5. The amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the open-loop gain stage is further configured to couple to a fifth resistor between the source terminal of the first PMOS and the second node and a sixth resistor between the source terminal of the second PMOS and the second node.

6. An integrated circuit comprising:

an input node;

an output node;

a gain stage coupled to the input node, wherein the gain stage includes:

a first transistor that includes a gate coupled to the input node, a source coupled to a second node, and a drain coupled to a third node;

a second transistor that includes a gate coupled to a ground node, a source coupled to the second node, and a drain coupled to a fourth node;

a third transistor that includes a gate coupled to the third node, a drain coupled to the third node, and a source coupled to the ground node; and

a fourth transistor that includes a gate coupled to the third node, a drain coupled to the fourth node, and a source coupled to the ground node;

a bias circuit coupled to a bulk connection of the first transistor and to a bulk connection of the second transistor; and

a buffer stage coupled to the fourth node of the gain stage, wherein the buffer stage includes:

a fifth transistor that includes a gate coupled to the fourth node, a source coupled to the output node, and a drain coupled to a seventh node; and

a sixth transistor that includes a gate coupled to the bias circuit, a source coupled to the ground node, and a drain coupled to the seventh node.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 6 , wherein the bias circuit includes a fifth node coupled to the gate of the sixth transistor of the buffer stage and a sixth node coupled to the bulk connection of the first transistor and to the bulk connection of the second transistor.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 7 , wherein the bias circuit includes a fifth transistor that includes a gate coupled to the fifth node, a source coupled to the ground node by a first resistor, and a drain coupled to the fifth node.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 8 , wherein the bias circuit further includes a second resistor and capacitor coupled in parallel between the ground node and the sixth node.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 6 , wherein the buffer stage further includes:

a seventh transistor that includes a gate coupled to the seventh node, a source coupled to the ground node, and a drain coupled to the output node.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 10 , wherein the buffer stage further includes a capacitor and a resistor coupled in series between the seventh node and the ground node.

12. The integrated circuit of claim 6 , wherein the gain stage further includes a first diode and a second diode coupled in opposing polarities between the input node and the ground node.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 6 , wherein the buffer stage is a source follower buffer stage.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 6 , wherein the gain stage further includes an impedance element coupled between the third node and the fourth node.

15. The integrated circuit of claim 14 , wherein the impedance element coupled between the third node and the fourth node is a variable impedance element.

16. An integrated circuit comprising:

a capacitive sensor; and

an amplifier circuit coupled to the capacitive sensor, wherein the amplifier circuit includes:

a gain stage that includes:

a first p-type transistor having a gate terminal coupled to an input node to which the capacitive sensor is coupled, a source terminal coupled to a second node by a first resistor, and a drain terminal coupled to a third node;

a second p-type transistor having a gate terminal coupled to a ground node, a source terminal coupled to the second node by a second resistor, and a drain terminal coupled to a fourth node;

a first n-type transistor having a gate terminal coupled to the third node, a source terminal coupled to the ground node, and a drain terminal coupled to the third node;

a second n-type transistor having a gate terminal coupled to the third node, a source terminal coupled to the ground node, and a drain terminal coupled to the fourth node; and

an impedance element coupled between the third node and the fourth node;

a buffer stage coupled to the fourth node; and

a bias circuit coupled to a bulk of the first p-type transistor and to a bulk of the second p-type transistor.

17. The integrated circuit of claim 16 , wherein the amplifier circuit further includes an output node and wherein the buffer stage includes:

a third p-type transistor that includes a gate terminal coupled to the fourth node, a source terminal coupled to the output node, and a drain terminal coupled to a fifth node; and

a third n-type transistor that includes a gate terminal coupled to the buffer stage, a source terminal coupled to the ground node, and a drain terminal coupled to the fifth node.

18. The integrated circuit of claim 17 , wherein the buffer stage further includes:

a fourth n-type transistor that includes a gate terminal coupled to the fifth node, a source terminal coupled to the ground node, and a drain terminal coupled to the output node.

19. The integrated circuit of claim 18 , wherein the buffer stage further includes a capacitor and a resistor coupled in series between the fifth node and the ground node.

20. The integrated circuit of claim 16 , wherein the gain stage further includes a first diode and a second diode coupled in opposing polarities between the input node and the ground node.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 5, 2018
From: PRASAD, SUDHEER
To: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 045501/0041 →
Priority Claims (1)
IN 201741036697 · Oct 16, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190115885A1 · Apr 18, 2019