[comp.lsi] A Question On Biasing Circuits

shers@mit-caf.MIT.EDU (Alexander The Great Sherstinsky) (03/04/90)

Vi   C
----||----*-- Vo
          |
          /
          \ R
          /
          \
          |
          GND
         
I need help in finding the right circuit for my thesis.  Basically,
I am designing a highpass RC filter whose break point frequency is as
small as I can get.  C is fixed at 1pF, so the objective is to make R big.
Thus, what I need is a biasing network that will keep the node Vo 
at 2.5 V DC, while making the R huge.  The supply voltages are 0 V and 5 V,
which is why I want an approximately 2.5 V DC level.  It looks like what
I want is a voltage source with a huge source impedance (1 Gohm would 
be nice).  It doesn't have to be linear, the whole circuit doesn't have
to be linear.

Thanks for help,
Alex
-- 
+-------------------------------+------+-----------------+---------------------+
|Alexander The Great Sherstinsky|me    |shers@caf.mit.edu|To become as refined |
|Alexander Semyon Sherstinsky   |myself|shers@caf.mit.edu|a person as possible.|
|Alex Sherstinsky               |I     |shers@caf.mit.edu|*********************|

bph@buengc.BU.EDU (Blair P. Houghton) (03/05/90)

In article <4025@mit-caf.MIT.EDU> shers@mit-caf.UUCP
(Alexander The Great Sherstinsky) writes:
>Vi   C
>----||----*-- Vo
>          |
>          /
>          \ R
>          /
>          \
>          |
>          GND
[...and asks how to bias this highpass so that Vo is about Supply/2...]

That's the AC model.  The DC model can look like:

          Vdd
          |
          /
          \ 2R
          /
          \
Vi   C    |
----||----*-- Vo  (Now Vo == Vdd/2)
          |
          /
          \ 2R
          /
          \
          |
          GND

Which is the answer.

There's a problem if you use turned-off enhancement FET's
for the 2R values, in that process control is very spotty
(and of limited economic value) in CMOS, and the pullup's
off-impedance may be an order of magnitude different from
the pulldown's, and good luck predicting which way.

Now, if you've got an _analog_ CMOS line on which to
produce these chips, or a process engineer who doesn't
mind a few days of knob-twiddling...

				--Blair
				  "Them's the breaks."

shers@mit-caf.MIT.EDU (Alexander The Great Sherstinsky) (03/05/90)

In article <5450@buengc.BU.EDU> bph@buengc.bu.edu (Blair P. Houghton) writes:
#In article <4025@mit-caf.MIT.EDU> shers@mit-caf.UUCP
#(Alexander The Great Sherstinsky) writes:
#>Vi   C
#>----||----*-- Vo
#>          |
#>          /
#>          \ R
#>          /
#>          \
#>          |
#>          GND
#[...and asks how to bias this highpass so that Vo is about Supply/2...]
#
#That's the AC model.  The DC model can look like:
#
#          Vdd
#          |
#          /
#          \ 2R
#          /
#          \
#Vi   C    |
#----||----*-- Vo  (Now Vo == Vdd/2)
#          |
#          /
#          \ 2R
#          /
#          \
#          |
#          GND
#
#Which is the answer.
#
#There's a problem if you use turned-off enhancement FET's
#for the 2R values, in that process control is very spotty
#(and of limited economic value) in CMOS, and the pullup's
#off-impedance may be an order of magnitude different from
#the pulldown's, and good luck predicting which way.
#
#Now, if you've got an _analog_ CMOS line on which to
#produce these chips, or a process engineer who doesn't
#mind a few days of knob-twiddling...
#
#				--Blair
#				  "Them's the breaks."

Thanks.  But this is what my main question is:  How to achieve the
biasing point reliably at the mid point (or nearby) between the supply
rails and get a huge equivalent resistance (1Gohm) would be very nice.

Alex
-- 
+-------------------------------+------+-----------------+---------------------+
|Alexander The Great Sherstinsky|me    |shers@caf.mit.edu|To become as refined |
|Alexander Semyon Sherstinsky   |myself|shers@caf.mit.edu|a person as possible.|
|Alex Sherstinsky               |I     |shers@caf.mit.edu|*********************|

tornheim@venera.isi.edu (David Tornheim) (03/05/90)

In article <4025@mit-caf.MIT.EDU> shers@mit-caf.UUCP  writes:
>Vi   C
>----||----*-- Vo
>          |
>          /
>          \ R
>          /
>          \
>          |
>          GND
>         
>I need help in finding the right circuit for my thesis.  Basically,
>I am designing a highpass RC filter whose break point frequency is as
>small as I can get.  C is fixed at 1pF, so the objective is to make R big.
>Thus, what I need is a biasing network that will keep the node Vo 
>at 2.5 V DC, while making the R huge.  The supply voltages are 0 V and 5 V,
>which is why I want an approximately 2.5 V DC level.  It looks like what
>I want is a voltage source with a huge source impedance (1 Gohm would 
>be nice).  It doesn't have to be linear, the whole circuit doesn't have
>to be linear.

Another person replied with a configuration using a large resistor connected
to Vdd and another to Vss.  This, however, is not necessary.  Instead
one could connect a large resistor to a 2.5V voltage source (which has
a relatively low Thevenin resistance for the problem).  Creating a 2.5V voltage
source can be done using a voltage divider with resistors or
transistors (Gregorian & Temes p. 127).  Creating the large series
resistance to the 2.5V source is again the hard part.  I simulated
a few configurations below with two transistors (one of which will
be in the subthreshold region).  These are similar to using two
back to back diodes.  The simulations gave promising results.
Note:  The models used are from MOSIS and we do not measure
subthreshold currents nor try to model them.
The BSIM model and LEVEL=2 models gave answers different by an order
of magnitude.

Two other thought:
1) Use a MOSFET with drain connected to 2.5V and source connected to
   your output.  Then connect the gate to a very high frequency clock
   with a very low duty cycle.  (Variations on this theme are of
   course possible using two devices, one connected to Vdd and the
   other to Vss).
2) Use an amplifier with very high output impedance, connected so
   that it acts as a resistor.

-David Tornheim

--------------------------------------------------
High Output Impedance

VS 1 0 2.5V
RS 1 2 100
M1 2 3 3 3 CMOSN W=3UM L=2UM NRS=0 NRD=0
M2 4 3 3 3 CMOSN W=3UM L=2UM NRS=0 NRD=0
VO 4 0
*R1 4 0 1E20

.OPT NOMOD
.INCLUDE  M98T LEVEL=2 model
.INCLUDE  M98T LEVEL=4 model

*.OP
.DC VO 0V 5V 0.1V
.PRINT I(VO)

.ALTER
M1 3 2 2 2 CMOSP W=3UM L=2UM NRS=0 NRD=0
M2 3 4 4 4 CMOSP W=3UM L=2UM NRS=0 NRD=0
.ALTER
M1 3 2 2 2 CMOSN W=3UM L=2UM NRS=0 NRD=0
M2 3 4 4 4 CMOSN W=3UM L=2UM NRS=0 NRD=0
.ALTER
M1 3 2 2 0 CMOSN W=3UM L=2UM NRS=0 NRD=0
M2 3 4 4 0 CMOSN W=3UM L=2UM NRS=0 NRD=0
.ALTER
M1 3 2 2 2 PC1_NM1_DU1 W=3UM L=2UM NRS=0 NRD=0
M2 3 4 4 4 PC1_NM1_DU1 W=3UM L=2UM NRS=0 NRD=0
.END

shers@mit-caf.MIT.EDU (Alexander The Great Sherstinsky) (03/05/90)

In article <12205@venera.isi.edu> tornheim@venera.isi.edu.UUCP (David Tornheim) writes:
#In article <4025@mit-caf.MIT.EDU> shers@mit-caf.UUCP  writes:
#>Vi   C
#>----||----*-- Vo
#>          |
#>          /
#>          \ R
#>          /
#>          \
#>          |
#>          GND
#>         
#>I need help in finding the right circuit for my thesis.  Basically,
#>I am designing a highpass RC filter whose break point frequency is as
#>small as I can get.  C is fixed at 1pF, so the objective is to make R big.
#>Thus, what I need is a biasing network that will keep the node Vo 
#>at 2.5 V DC, while making the R huge.  The supply voltages are 0 V and 5 V,
#>which is why I want an approximately 2.5 V DC level.  It looks like what
#>I want is a voltage source with a huge source impedance (1 Gohm would 
#>be nice).  It doesn't have to be linear, the whole circuit doesn't have
#>to be linear.
#
#Another person replied with a configuration using a large resistor connected
#to Vdd and another to Vss.  This, however, is not necessary.  Instead
#one could connect a large resistor to a 2.5V voltage source (which has
#a relatively low Thevenin resistance for the problem).  Creating a 2.5V voltage
#source can be done using a voltage divider with resistors or
#transistors (Gregorian & Temes p. 127).  Creating the large series
#resistance to the 2.5V source is again the hard part.  I simulated
#a few configurations below with two transistors (one of which will
#be in the subthreshold region).  These are similar to using two
#back to back diodes.  The simulations gave promising results.
#Note:  The models used are from MOSIS and we do not measure
#subthreshold currents nor try to model them.
#The BSIM model and LEVEL=2 models gave answers different by an order
#of magnitude.
#
#Two other thought:
#1) Use a MOSFET with drain connected to 2.5V and source connected to
#   your output.  Then connect the gate to a very high frequency clock
#   with a very low duty cycle.  (Variations on this theme are of
#   course possible using two devices, one connected to Vdd and the
#   other to Vss).
#2) Use an amplifier with very high output impedance, connected so
#   that it acts as a resistor.
#
#-David Tornheim
#

Thanks for your response.  As you said, biasing mosfets in subthreshold
region is unreliable.  I have already tried all the configurations you
propose.  Whenever you get an acceptable resistance, you have no
certainty in whether or not your bias point will be at 2.5 V.  Also,
neither a separate 2.5 V rail nor that "super fast" clock are available.
The approach using an opamp seems to be too costly, but I haven't really
given it enough thought.

Thanks for all further help,
Alex
-- 
+-------------------------------+------+-----------------+---------------------+
|Alexander The Great Sherstinsky|me    |shers@caf.mit.edu|To become as refined |
|Alexander Semyon Sherstinsky   |myself|shers@caf.mit.edu|a person as possible.|
|Alex Sherstinsky               |I     |shers@caf.mit.edu|*********************|