The present invention relates to electrical circuits and, in the embodiment described, to an operational amplifier of the type comprising a folded cascode differential input stage wherein the bias or quiescent currents in the input stage are precisely controlled by a current mirror which senses the current in the output stage.

Folded cascode differential stages are useful for single-supply, low voltage, integrated circuit operational amplifiers for several reasons; which include the ability (i) to handle a wide common-mode input voltage range, (ii) to provide both voltage translation and differential to single-ended current conversion, and (iii) to operate over a wide range of supply voltages, together with being readily reduceable for incorporation into an integrated circuit.

In a prior art operational amplifier, the bias current levels are determined by a current source I_s connected to the input stage and a bias voltage VB connected to a differential to single-ended output stage. However, care must be taken in the generation of the current I_s because of the direct effect which variations in the current I_s have on the current I2 in the output stage. If the current I_s is too large, the current I2 may be reduced to zero. Conversely, if the current I_s is too low, the differential current in the input stage may not be large enough to be significant when compared to mismatch currents in the output stage. These conditions put upper and lower bounds on the current I_s relative to the current I2. Advantageously, the value of the current I_s should be equal to the desired value of the curent I2. The current source of the current I_s is typically a "Widlar" current source which includes resistors, thereby making it difficult to maintain a precise relationship between the currents I_s and I2.

A circuit in accordance with the present invention is characterised over the prior art by those features defined in the characterising part of claim 1. This configuration allows the current I2 to be set as an independent value, preferably based only on the bias voltage VB and on resistors in the output stage.

An embodiment of the present invention is described below, by way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figures 1a and 1b show circuit diagrams of prior art amplifiers; and
• Fiqure 2 shows a circuit diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the prior art amplifier circuit shown in Fiqure 1a, a differential input voltage ΔVin is applied to an input stage, generally designated 10, which includes a common emitter differential transistor pair Q1 and Q2 biased by a current Is from current source 11. A differential current ΔIin results from the differential input voltage and appears in the currents passing through the collectors of the transistors Q1 and Q2. The currents passing through the transistors Q1 and Q2 are applied to the folded cascode stage, generally designated 12. The cascode stage 12 comprises a pair of equal-valued resistors R1 and R2 and two transistors Q3 and Q4. The action of the folded cascode stage 12 causes a differential current ΔI2 to appear in the collector currents of the transistors Q3 and Q4. These currents are applied to a current mirror, generally designated 16, formed by transistors Q5 and Q6, the action of which causes a differential to single-ended conversion at the output node, forcing a current of 2ΔI2 to be passed on to the next stage of the amplifier (not shown).

As will be apparent, the bias current levels in the circuit of Fiqure 1a are determined by the current source 2Is and a bias voltage source, VB. The transistors Q1 and Q2 divide the current 2Is equally, such that a current Is flows through each of the transistors when the differential input voltage ΔVin is zero. The currents in the transistors Q3 and Q4, represented in Fiqure 1a as I2, are then determined by subtracting the collector currents (Is) of the input stage lo from the currents flowing in the resistors R1 and R2. The currents in the resistors R1 and R2 are established by the voltage source VB minus the base-emitter diode drops of the transistors Q3 and Q4 and are represented in Figure 1a as I1.

An important parameter affecting the operation of a differential stage of this type is the overall transconductance, that is the ratio of the output current (ΔIout) to the differential input voltage (ΔVin). Evaluation of the small-signal node equations for the circuit of Figure 1a gives a result for the overall transconductance (Gm) as: where: R1 = R2 re1 = re2 = dynamic emitter resistance of Q1 & Q2 re3 = re4 = dynamic emitter resistance of Q3 & Q4

The dynamic emitter resistance of a bipolar junction transistor is expressed as: where

k = Boltzman's constant (1.38E-23 Joules/degree K),

T = absolute temperature (degrees Kelvin),

q = the charge of an electron (1.6E-19 coulomb), and Ie is the emitter bias current of the transistor.

To maintain a constant overall transconductance over the amplifier's operating conditions, the dynamic emitter resistance (re's) of the transistors Q1 to Q4 must be controlled. Since the dynamic emitter resistances are established by the respective emitter bias current levels in each transistor, it is desirable that these currents are established in a predictable and repeatable fashion. It also follows, from the relationship for re in (2), that by making the emitter current of a transistor substantially proportional to absolute temperature, the variation in re over the operating temperature range of the device is minimized. This will then desensitize the overall transconductance Gm to temperature.

The circuit of Figure 1b shows a method of biasing the circuit such that the emitter currents are substantially proportional to absolute temperature so as to try to make the transconductance temperature independent. The transistors Q7 and Q8 and the resistors R3 and R4 form a "Widlar" current source for providing a current 2Is proportional to absolute temperature. The diode-connected transistor Q9 and the resistor R5 are used to generate the bias voltage VB. As long as the two currents Is in the differential amplifier stage 10 are maintained proportional to absolute temperature, it follows that the two currents I2 in the output stage 12 will also be proportional to absolute temperature. Use of a relatively low voltage for VB also improves the operation of the circuit at low voltages.

However, care must be taken in the generation of the current 2Is when the bias voltage VB is set to a diode drop below Vcc because of the direct effect which variations in the current Is have on the current I2. If the current Is is too large, the current I2 may be reduced to a very low value and the transconductance Gm will be affected. Conversely, if the current Is is too low, the differential current ΔI1 may not be large enough to be significant when compared to potential mismatch currents in the transistors Q3 and Q4. These conditions put upper and lower bounds on the current Is relative to the current I2. Advantageously, the value of the current Is is chosen to be equal to desired value of the current I2. While the "Widlar" current source of Figure 1b has the advantage of being able to generate small values for the current Is without using large resistor values, it makes it more difficult to maintain a precise relationship between the currents Is and I2.

An embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fiqure 2, which solves the problem by providing means to force the current 2Is to a valve equal to twice the value of the current I2, thereby allowing the current I2 to be set as an independent value based only on the bias voltage VB and on the value of the resistors R1 and R2. This is accomplished by summing the current I2 from the transistors Q5 and Q6 and generating a current of 2Is equal to the resultant summed current by means of a standard current mirror formed by the transistors Q10 and Q11. The advantage of this approach is that it allows the relationship between the currents Is and I2 to be maintained precisely by the current mirror, thereby allowing the current I2 to be established without concern for variations in the current Is. The resultant circuit also eliminates the need for resistors R3 and R4 of the circuit of Figure 1(b), resulting in a simpler overall circuit.

In the improved differential stage shown in Figure 2, the transistors Q10 and Q11 form a standard current mirror to generate the current Is from the sum of the two currents I2 as previously described. Since the current Is is equal to the current I2, the currents I1 flowing in the resistors R1 and R2 are together equal to 2I2. Thus, all the currents may be properly established by choosing appropriate values for the resistors R1 and R2, and the voltage bias source VB.

It will be apparent that other forms of transistor may be used, with the relationship of collector, or input terminal; emitter, or output terminal; and base, or common terminal of each transistor being maintained.