Ricerc@Sapienza

We propose a novel class-AB second-generation Current Conveyor (CCII) based on the class-AB Flipped Voltage Follower (FVF) topology, and compare it with a class-A CCII based on the conventional FVF. The AB-FVF is capable of driving larger capacitive loads, showing faster settling. Furthermore, it can drive the Z output with currents larger than the biasing ones, improving power efficiency. A modification of a previously published FVF is also introduced to improve the compensation of the frequency response.

This paper presents a fully differential class-AB current mirror OTA that improves the common-mode behavior of a topology that presents very good differential-mode performance but poor common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR). The proposed solution requires a low-current auxiliary circuit driven by the input signal, to compensate the effect of the common-mode input component.

An improvement of a standard fully differential class-AB symmetrical operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) topology is proposed in this brief to enhance the common-mode behavior. Common-mode behavior could be critical in fully differential class-AB OTAs, where the total current is not fixed and differential to common-mode conversion could therefore be present. A signal proportional to the input commonmode component is generated through a simple low-current auxiliary amplifier and used to modulate a bias voltage, achieving cancellation of the output common-mode component.

A low-power class-AB Gm-C biquad stage has been designed using a voltage buffer based on error amplifiers and a push-pull current mirror. The class-AB architecture allows good power efficiency by lowering the required bias current. The biquad stage consumes 250 μA from a 1.2V supply, and achieves a resonance frequency of 2.2MHz with a Q of 2. The SFDR (spurious-free dynamic range) with a two-tone test is 48dB and the SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) is 44.4dB, with a 400mVpp differential input signal.

A 4th-order Butterworth class-AB current-mode low-pass filter is proposed, based on second-generation Current Conveyors (CCII). Class-AB operation allows high-power efficiency and driving large loads with small quiescent currents. The CCII topology uses the class-AB output buffer with error amplifiers: this topology is known to be sensitive to mismatch errors, which cause offsets in the error amplifiers, affecting the biasing current of the stage. This problem is solved via a control loop, which compensates the effect of mismatches.