Noise performance

of elementary transistor stages

Willy Sansen
KULeuven, ESAT-MICAS
Leuven, Belgium
[Link]@[Link]

Willy Sansen 10-05 041

SNR and SNDR

vOUT

SNR

0.1% SNDR 1 % distortion

0.1 % distortion

0
0 vIN

Willy Sansen 10-05 042

Table of contents

♦ Definitions of noise
♦ Noise of an amplifier
♦ Noise of a follower
♦ Noise of a cascode
♦ Noise of a current mirror
♦ Noise of a differential pair
♦ Capacitive noise matching

Willy Sansen 10-05 043

Noise versus time

vN

vN2 vN2 is the average noise power

Ref. Van der Ziel (Prentice Hall 1954, Wiley 1986), Ott (Wiley 1988)

Willy Sansen 10-05 044

Noise versus frequency

vN2 Noise density V2/Hz

1/f noise
VRMS/√Hz
dvN2 white noise

f
f1 df f2
Integrated noise f2
VRMS v12 = vN2 = ∫ dvN2 df = (f2- f1) dvN2
f1

Willy Sansen 10-05 045

Noise of a resistor is thermal noise

dvR2 = 4kT R df is white

dvR2
depends on T, not on IR
R
for R = 1 kΩ dvR2 = 4 nVRMS / Hz

at T = 300 K or 27oC

diR2
R dvR2 4kT
diR2 = = df is white
R2 R

Willy Sansen 10-05 046

 Integrated Noise of Resistor - 1

dvRs2
RS vout A

vin CL
f
BW

dvRs2 = 4kT RS df 1
BW =
∞ 2 2π RSCL
dvRs
2
vRs = ∫ 1 + (f/ BW) 2
0

Willy Sansen 10-05 047

Integrated Noise of Resistor - 2

A ∞
dvRs2
vRs2 = ∫ 1 + (f/ BW) 2
0
∞
dx
π
f
∫ 1+x 2
=
π
2
BW BWn = BW 0
2
vRs2 = 4kT RSBW π df
2
kT
vRs2 =
CL = 1pF vRs= 65 µVRMS CL

Willy Sansen 10-05 048

Noise density vs integrated noise

A
dvRs2 = 4kT RS df

∞
dvRs2 kT
f 2
vRs = ∫ 1 + (f/ BW) 2
=
CL
BW BWn 0

Noise density (V2/Hz) ~ RS (or 1/gm)

Integrated noise (VRMS) ~ 1/CL

Willy Sansen 10-05 049

A resistor also has 1/f noise

KFRR df
dvRf 2 dvRf2 = VR2 is 1/f
AR f
+
VR R
- KFRSi ≈ 2 10 -21 Scm2

KFRpoly ≈ 10 KFRSi

for R = 1 kΩ with 20 ‘s of 50 Ω/ and 1 µm wide and VR= 0.1 V

dvRf2 = 16 nVRMS / Hz at 1 Hz

Ref. Vandamme, ESSDERC ‘04

Willy Sansen 10-05 0410
Noise of a diode is shot noise

ID diD2 = 2q ID df is white
diD2
q = 1.6 10-19 C

depends on ID, not on T

for ID = 50 µA diD2 = 4 pARMS / Hz

Willy Sansen 10-05 0411

A diode also has 1/f noise

ID
KFD df
diDf2 = ID is 1/f
AD f
diDf 2

KFD ≈ 10 -21 Acm2

For a diode of AD = 5 x 2 µm = 10 µm2 and ID= 0.1 mA

diDf2 = 1 nARMS / Hz at 1 Hz

Willy Sansen 10-05 0412

Noise of a MOST

dvG2 RG
+ + +
vin vGS rDS diDS2 vout
gmvGS
- - -

dvG2 = 4kT RG df

2= 4kT 2
diDS df = 4kT gm df
RCH 3
Ref. Van der Ziel, Prentice Hall 1954, Wiley 1986.
Willy Sansen 10-05 0413
MOST: equivalent input noise : white

dvieq2 RG
+ +
+
vin vGS rDS vout
gmvGS
- - -

2= 2/3
dvieq 4kT (Reff ) df Reff = + RG
gm

Hi Freq.: diieq2 = (CGS ω)2 dvieq2 is correlated

Willy Sansen 10-05 0414

Poly Gate resistance rG in a MOST

Willy Sansen 10-05 0415

Substrate resistances rB in a MOST

Ref. Chang, Kluwer 1991

Willy Sansen 10-05 0416
 Noise by the Bulk resistance

dvrG2 RG RB dvrB2
+ + +
+
vinG vGS rDS vBS
vinB=0
- - - -
gmvGS gmbvBS
dvieq2 RG
dvieq2 = 4kT (Reff) df
+
+ rDS
vin vGS Reff = 2/3 + RG+ RB (n-1)2
gm
- -
gmvGS (n-1) = CD/Cox = gmb/gm
Willy Sansen 10-05 0417
Noise by the Source resistance

dvieq2 RG
+ Noise of RS
+
rDS
vGS = noise RG
vin -
gmvGS
RS

- dvieq2 = 4kT (Reff) df

2/3
Reff = + RG + RS + RB (n-1)2
gm
Willy Sansen 10-05 0418
Noise by Source resistor R

iout vin
iout =
2 R
diout
diM2
diM2 = 4kT 2/3 gm df dioutM2 =
vin (gmR)2
diM2
diR2 = 4kT df dioutR2 = diR2
R
R diR2 4kT 2/3 4kT
diout 2= ( + 1 ) df ≈ df
R gmR R

gm R >> 1 dvin2 = 4kT R df

Willy Sansen 10-05 0419

MOST: equivalent input noise : Exercise

dvieq2
+ +
+
vin vGS rDS vout
gmvGS
- - -

2≈ 2/3 dvieq2 ≈ ?
dvieq 4kT ( ) df
gm
for IDS = 65 µA

Willy Sansen 10-05 0420

MOST: equivalent input noise : 1/f noise

dvieqf2 RG
+ +
+
vin vGS rDS vout
gmvGS
- - -

KFF df pMOST KFF ≈ 10-32 C2/cm2

dvieqf2 =
WL Cox2 f nMOST KFF ≈ 4 10-31 C2/cm2

pJFET KFF ≈ 10-33 C2/cm2

W & L in cm; Cox in F/cm2

Willy Sansen 10-05 0421

Noise vs current : corner frequency
1
dvieq2 1/f noise ~
WL
1 L
IDSlo white noise ~ ~
gm W
IDShi

fclo fchi f

Corner frequency ~ gm

Willy Sansen 10-05 0422

Noise vs current : exercise fc

dvieq2 1/f noise

1
IDSlo white noise ~
gm
IDShi

fclo fchi f

Ex. : fc ? For IDS = 65 µA;

K’n = 60 µA/V2 and L = 1 µm (0.35 µm process)
fc ≈ 370 kHz

Willy Sansen 10-05 0423

Noise seen at the Bulk

dvieq2 dvieqb2

gmb
n-1 =
gm

2 2/3 2/3 gm
dvieq = 4kT ( ) df dvieqb2 = 4kT ( ) df
gm gmb 2

KFF df KFF gm2 df

dvieqf2 = dvieqfb2 =
WL Cox2 f WL Cox2 gmb2 f
Willy Sansen 10-05 0424
Noise of a Bipolar transistor

dvB2 rB C
+ +vBE +
vin diB2 rπ ro diC2 vout
gmvBE
- - -
E
dvB2 = 4kT rB df
KFB IB df
diB2 = 2q IB df diBf2 =
AEB f
diC2 = 2q IC df
KFB ≈ 10-21 Acm2
Ref. Van der Ziel (Prentice Hall 1954)
Willy Sansen 10-05 0425
Bipolar trans.: equivalent input noise

dvieq2 RB
+ + vBE
+
vin diieq2 rπ ro vout
gmvBE
- - -

2= 1/2
dvieq 4kT (Reff ) df Reff = + RB + RE
gm

diieq2 = diB2 = 2q IB df

Willy Sansen 10-05 0426

Table of contents

♦ Definitions of noise
♦ Noise of an amplifier
♦ Noise of a follower
♦ Noise of a cascode
♦ Noise of a current mirror
♦ Noise of a differential pair
♦ Capacitive noise matching

Willy Sansen 10-05 0427

 Noise of an amplifier with active load

dvB2 dv22 If dvB2 is negligible :

VB M2
vout
+ diout2 = gm12 dv12 + gm22 dv22
dvieq2 dv12 gm2
CL dvieq2 = dv12 + dv22( g )2
vin M1 m1

gm2
dvieq2 = dv12 (1 + g )
m1

Small gm2 : small (W/L)2 or large (VGS - VT )2

Willy Sansen 10-05 0428

 1/f Noise of amplifier with active load
If dvB2 is negligible :
dvB2 dv2f2 gm2
M2
VB dvif 2= dv1f2 + dv2f2(
gm1 ) 2

vout gm2 dv2f

+ dvif = dv1f [1 + (
2 2 ) 2 ( ) 2]
gm1 dv
dv1f2 1f
CL L1
vin KF2 K’2
dvif2 = dv1f2 [1 + ( )2]
M1 KF1 K’1 L2
dvif2 has minimum at
KF1 K’1
L1opt = L2 ≈ 10 L2 then dvif2 = 2 dv1f2
KF2 K’2
Willy Sansen 10-05 0429
Noise figure of an amplifier
dvS2 RS dvieq2
+
A +
Rin = ∞
vin vout
diieq2
- -

NS + NA NA
NF = =1+
NS NS
1
dvieq2 + RS2 diieq2 Voltage drive NF ~
NF = 1 + RS
4kT RS df
Current drive NF ~ RS
Willy Sansen 10-05 0430
Resistive noise matching
NA
NF NS

β = 100
rB = 100 Ω

dvieq2
Rsopt =
diieq2

gm = 3.8 mS
Rsopt
RS

Willy Sansen 10-05 0431

Table of contents

♦ Definitions of noise
♦ Noise of an amplifier
♦ Noise of a follower
♦ Noise of a cascode
♦ Noise of a current mirror
♦ Noise of a differential pair
♦ Capacitive noise matching

Willy Sansen 10-05 0432

Noise of an emitter follower

dvieq2 dvie2 di 2 iCE

ie

RS dvA2
diT2
A vOUT
dvS2

vIN diA2
RT IT CL

1 2 diT2+ diA2
dvieq 2= dvie 2+ dvA2 + (RS - ) diie2 +
gm gm2
Willy Sansen 10-05 0433
Table of contents

♦ Definitions of noise
♦ Noise of an amplifier
♦ Noise of a follower
♦ Noise of a cascode
♦ Noise of a current mirror
♦ Noise of a differential pair
♦ Capacitive noise matching

Willy Sansen 10-05 0434

Noise of a cascode amplifier

IB

dv22
vout
+ M2

dvieq2 dv12
vin M1

2= 2+ 2
1 2
dvieq dv1 dv2 ≈ dv1
(gm1 ro1) 2

Willy Sansen 10-05 0435

Input referred noise of a cascode

vout vout
RL = gmrDSRS
iS
gmrDS vout
+ gmRS vin
iN = RS
iS
vin
vout
iS 1 = rDS
RS gm iN

gmrDSRS RL
gmrDS >> 1

Willy Sansen 10-05 0436

Noise gains in a cascode

A vout RL
RL =
vin RS
gmrDS vout iN
+ vout
iN = gmrDS
vin
vin iS
iSeq 1
iS =
RS
iN gmRS

rDS RL

Cascode noise iN is only negligible if RS is large !!!

Willy Sansen 10-05 0437

Noise of a folded cascode

If dvB2 is negligible :
IB1

dvB2 dv3 2
M3
dv22
M2 +
dvieq2 dv12 M1
vout
vin IB2 CL

Small gm3 :
1 (gm3) 2 (W/L)3
dvieq2 = dv12 + dv22 + dv3
2
(gm1 ro1) 2 (gm1) 2 (VGS-VT)3
Willy Sansen 10-05 0438
Noise of a cascode with linear M1
VDS1
IB α1 = α1 < 0.5
VGS1 - VT
dv22 vout
IDS1 = β1 VDS1(VGS1 - VT)
+ M2

dvieq2 2 1
dv1 VDS1 Ron1 =
β1 (VGS1 - VT)
M1 linear
vin
Av = α1 gm2 ro2

4kT 2/3
2
dvieq = (Ron1 + ) df
2 g
α1 m2

Willy Sansen 10-05 0439

Small-signal model of a cascode with linear M1
dv22 vout
+ +
IDS1 = β1 VDS1(VGS1 - VT)
v2 ro2
CL 1
gm2v2 Ron1 =
- β1 (VGS1 - VT)
dvieq2 dv12
Ron1 4kT Ron1
+ dv12 =
vin gm1vin α 12
- -
4kT 2/3
dv22 =
gm2
vout / dv1 = α1 gm2 ro2
4kT 2/3
vout / dv2 = gm2 ro2 2
dvieq = (Ron1 + ) df
gm2
α 12
Willy Sansen 10-05 0440
Table of contents

♦ Definitions of noise
♦ Noise of an amplifier
♦ Noise of a follower
♦ Noise of a cascode
♦ Noise of a current mirror
♦ Noise of a differential pair
♦ Capacitive noise matching

Willy Sansen 10-05 0441

 Noise of a current mirror

diin2 iin iout

diout2

2 2 2 4kT g df
di1 di2 = m2
3
1:B
M1 M2 Small gm :
(W/L)
diout2 = di22 + B2 (diin2 + di12 ) (VGS-VT)

Willy Sansen 10-05 0442

Noise of a current mirror with series R

diin2 iin iout

diout2 = di22+ diR22 +
diout2 (R1)2
(di12+ diR12)
(R2)2
di12 di22 Small gm :
M1 M2 (W/L)
diR12 R1 R2 diR22 (VGS-VT)
R

Willy Sansen 10-05 0443

 Noise of a current mirror with series R

diout2
M 2
8kT
4kT( 4 )gm2df diout = df
3 R2
R R
4
4kTgm2
diout2 = 3 df
M (gm2R2)2

1/gm R1=R2

Bilotti, JSSC Dec 75, 516-524

Willy Sansen 10-05 0444

Current mirror with series R

Iout Iout Same Iout & same VG :

diout2 dioutR2 dioutR2 = diout2

+ Small gm :
M1 M2
VG (W/L)
R
(VGS-VT)
-
(VGS-VT) (VGS-VT) VG

(W/L) (W/L)
Willy Sansen 10-05 0445
Noise in bipolar current mirror

iin Noise added by M3 :

iout
dioutM32 = 2qIC3 df

Noise added by R :
M3

dioutR2 = 4kT/R df
M1 M2
R
1:B Both are divided by β32
to be added to the output
and are thus negligible !
Willy Sansen 10-05 0446
Low-noise current mirror with series R

Iout Same Iout & different VG :

1 3
Iout Iout 8kT 2Iout df
1 MOST: diout 2=
4 4 3 VGS-VT
diout12 diout22
2 MOSTs: VG2 >VG1

M2 + diout2 = diout12 + diout22 =

+ M1 VG2
VG1 R >VG1 8kT 2Iout df 1 9 VG1-VT
( + )
- - 3 VG1-VT 4 16 VG2-VG1
Large R or VG2

Willy Sansen 10-05 0447

Table of contents

♦ Definitions of noise
♦ Noise of an amplifier
♦ Noise of a follower
♦ Noise of a cascode
♦ Noise of a current mirror
♦ Noise of a differential pair
♦ Capacitive noise matching

Willy Sansen 10-05 0448

Noise of differential pair

VDD dvieq2
IB + -
A vOUT
dv12 dv22 - +
- +
M1 M2
+ -
v A vOUT
+ OUT - - +

RL RL
VSS dvieq2 = 2 dv12

Willy Sansen 10-05 0449

Noise of differential pair with active load

VDD diout2 2di12+2di32

dvieq2 = =
IB gm12 gm12
gm3
- + dvieq2 = 2dv12 (1 + )
M1 di12 di22 M2 gm1

vOUT
Small gm3 :
CL
(W/L)3
M3 M4
VSS (VGS-VT)3
di32 di42
Willy Sansen 10-05 0450
Differential pair with source resistors
gmR >> 1
IB IB/2 IB/2
R R R R

2= 4kT 2= 4kT
diout 2 df diout 2( df + diB2 )
R R
dvin2 = 2 (4kT R df) diB2 = 4kT 2/3 gmB df

diB2 is negligible dvin2 = 2 (4kT R df) (1 + 2/3 gmBR)

Willy Sansen 10-05 0451
 Noise of an opamp
R2
dvR22 R1
dvR12 dvieq2 = Σ dvout2 ( )2
R1 R2
- vOUT R2
A dvout2 = dvR12 ( )2
+ R1
dvieq2
dvA2 dvout2 = dvR22
R2
dvout2 = dvA2 (1 + )2
R1
R1 R1
dvieq 2= dvR1 2+ dvR2 2( ) 2+ dvA2 (1 + ) 2 ≈ dvR12 + dvA2
R2 R2
Willy Sansen 10-05 0452
Table of contents

♦ Definitions of noise
♦ Noise of an amplifier
♦ Noise of a follower
♦ Noise of a cascode
♦ Noise of a differential pair
♦ Noise of a current mirror
♦ Capacitive noise matching

Ref.: [Link], [Link], Low-noise wide-band amplifiers, Kluwer AP, 1991

Willy Sansen 10-05 0453

Capacitive-source amplifier

Cf
Ca
Av =
IDS Cf

Ca Ca = 5 pF
iin Ca vin A Cf = 1 pF
vout

CGS = kW k≈ 2 fF/µm

Wopt ? IDSopt ? S/Nopt for Vin = 10 mVRMS ?

Willy Sansen 10-05 0454

Capacitive noise matching - 1

Cf vout Cf vout

IDS IDS

Ca dvi2 dvieq2 Ca

CGS CGS
vGS ≈ 0 vGS ≈ 0

vout Cf+Ca+CGS vout Ca No Miller

= =
vi Cf vieq Cf with CDG !!!

Willy Sansen 10-05 0455

Capacitive noise matching - 2

Cf
(Cf+Ca+CGS)2
dvieq2 = dvi2
Ca2
IDS
dvieq2 Ca 8kT 1
dvi2 = df
vin 3 gm
W
CGS gm = 2 K’n (VGS-VT)
L
(Cf + Ca + kW) 2 L 8kT 1
dvieq2 =
Ca2 W 3 2 K’n (VGS-VT)

Willy Sansen 10-05 0456

Capacitive noise matching - 3

dvieq2 Operating point Noise matching

where
gm CGS CGS = Cf + Ca

dvopt2
Cf + Ca
Wopt W Wopt =
k

(Cf + Ca + kW) 2 L 8kT 1

dvieq2 =
Ca2 W 3 2 K’n (VGS-VT)

Willy Sansen 10-05 0457

Capacitive noise matching - 4

dvieq2 Cf + Ca
Wopt =
k
CGSopt

2
IDSopt , gmopt
dvopt

2 8kT df
Wopt W dvopt =4
3 gmopt

1 gmopt S 10 mVRMS
π π fT =
BWn = BW = = Nopt
2 2 Av 4Av CGSopt dvopt2 BWn

Willy Sansen 10-05 0458

Table of contents

♦ Definitions of noise
♦ Noise of an amplifier
♦ Noise of a follower
♦ Noise of a cascode
♦ Noise of a current mirror
♦ Noise of a differential pair
♦ Capacitive noise matching

Willy Sansen 10-05 0459