Project Report on Design of a DIFFERENTIAL

AMPLIFIER with ACTIVE LOAD in LTSPICE

Submitted By: Sampriti Haldar (Sec-A Roll No-51

Enrollment No- 12022002003073)
Sahil Mishra (Sec-A Roll No-44 Enrollment No-
12022002003065)
Project Topic: Design of a DIFFERENTIAL AMPLIFIER with
ACTIVE LOAD in LTSPICE
Subject Name: VLSI DESIGN_3rd Year_5th Semester
Subject Code: PCCECE593
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering
Approved by
INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT
SALTLAKE CAMPUS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
It is my privilege to express my sincerest regards to my
project coordinator, Dr Prof Amitava Bhattacharya, prof. Dr.
Mihir Sen and Prof Indranil Basu for their valuable inputs,
guidance, encouragement, whole-hearted cooperation and
constructive criticism throughout the duration of my
project. Their useful suggestions for this whole work and co-
operative behavior are sincerely acknowledged. We deeply
express our sincere thanks to our Head of Department Dr
Prof. Maloy Gangopadhyay for encouraging and allowing me
to present the project on the topic “Design of a
DIFFERENTIAL AMPLIFIER with ACTIVE LOAD in LTSPICE” at
our department premises for the partial fulfillment of the
requirements. I take this opportunity to thank all our
lecturers who have directly or indirectly helped my project.
We pay our respects and love to our parents and all other
family members and friends for their love and
encouragement throughout our career. Last but not the
least we express our thanks to my friends for their
cooperation and support.
Abstract
This project explores the design and simulation of a differential
amplifier with an active load, implemented in LTSpice. Differential
amplifiers are crucial in analog circuits, widely used for their ability
to amplify the difference between two input signals while rejecting
common-mode noise and interference. To achieve higher gain and
improved linearity, an active load, typically implemented as a
current mirror, is used instead of passive resistors.
The design focuses on achieving specific parameters, including a
target differential gain, common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR),
bandwidth, and output swing. The LTSpice simulation environment
is employed to construct the circuit, select appropriate transistors,
set bias currents, and run DC, AC, and transient analyses. Key
parameters such as differential gain, bandwidth, and CMRR are
measured and compared to the theoretical design goals.
The results indicate that the use of an active load significantly
enhances the amplifier's performance, providing a high output
impedance that contributes to increased gain. The high CMRR
achieved confirms the circuit's effectiveness in rejecting noise,
while the bandwidth and linearity are examined to verify the
amplifier's functionality for small-signal applications. This report
provides a comprehensive understanding of differential amplifier
design with active loads and demonstrates the application of
LTSpice for circuit analysis, offering insights into potential
improvements for optimized performance.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Objectives
3. Theory of Differential Amplifiers
4. Design Specifications
5. Circuit Design in LTSpice
6. Simulation and Results
7. Analysis of Results
8. Conclusion
9. References

1. Introduction
Differential amplifiers are essential in analog circuits due to their
ability to amplify the voltage difference between two input signals while
rejecting common-mode noise. This makes them invaluable in
applications like audio processing, sensor interfacing, and as input stages
in operational amplifiers. The amplifier’s performance is determined by
its gain, bandwidth, linearity, and common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR),
which indicates its efficiency in suppressing noise.
Traditional differential amplifiers use passive resistive loads, but
these limit achievable gain and efficiency, particularly in integrated
circuits where space and power are constrained. Active loads, typically
implemented using current mirrors, overcome these limitations by
providing high output impedance, allowing for higher gain and improved
linearity in a compact form.This project focuses on designing and
simulating a differential amplifier with an active load in LTSpice.
LTSpice, a powerful circuit simulation tool, will be used to construct the
circuit, select appropriate components, and perform DC, AC, and
transient analyses. The goal is to achieve specific performance metrics
like differential gain, bandwidth, and CMRR, demonstrating the
effectiveness of active loads. This design showcases the advantages of
active loads in optimizing differential amplifier performance for modern
electronic applications.
2. Objectives
• Design a differential amplifier with specific gain, bandwidth, and input-
output characteristics.
• Implement the design in LTSpice and verify the functionality through
simulations.
• Analyze the performance of the amplifier under various conditions.

3. Theory of Differential Amplifiers

• Basic Concepts: Discuss the operation of differential amplifiers,
focusing on how they amplify the difference between two input signals
and reject common-mode signals.
• Active Load: Explain the use of active loads (such as current mirrors)
instead of passive resistors. Active loads increase the output resistance
and hence the gain.

• Key Parameters:
o Differential Gain (AdA_dAd): The gain for the difference between
inputs.
o Common-Mode Gain (AcmA_{cm}Acm): The gain for the
common signal between inputs.
o CMRR (Common-Mode Rejection Ratio): Ideally, the CMRR
should be very high to reject noise and interference.
o Input Resistance and Output Resistance: Describe how the
differential amplifier's input and output resistances affect its
performance.
4.Design Specifications
Specify the target design parameters:
• Differential gain (AdA_dAd)
• Common-mode gain (AcmA_{cm}Acm)
• CMRR target
• Power supply voltage (VCCV_{CC}VCC)
 • Input bias current
• Bandwidth requirements
• Output swing and linearity

5. Circuit Design in LTSpice

5.1 Schematic Design
• Components Selection:
o Transistors: NMOS or PMOS transistors for the input pair and
active load.
o Active Load Design: Using a current mirror as an active load to
achieve high output impedance.
o Current Source: Implementing a current source to bias the
differential pair.
o Voltage Source: Setting up the DC supply voltage for the circuit.

5.2 Steps in LTSpice

• Building the Schematic: Provide screenshots or diagrams showing how
to build the differential amplifier circuit in LTSpice.
• Biasing: Set up the DC operating point for the transistors, ensuring they
are in the active region.
• Setting up Simulation Parameters: Detail the settings used for DC, AC,
and transient simulations.

6. Simulation and Results

6.1 DC Analysis
Perform a DC operating point analysis to verify the bias currents and
voltages of the transistors.
Capture the DC operating points for all nodes and verify that they match
the design requirements.

6.2 AC Analysis
Conduct an AC sweep to analyze the frequency response.
Plot the gain and phase response of the amplifier.
Determine the 3-dB bandwidth and the differential gain.

6.3 Transient Analysis

• Perform a transient analysis to examine the time-domain response to a
differential input signal.
• Evaluate the amplifier's response to a small-signal sinusoidal input and
check for linearity and output swing.
6.4 Common-Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR)
• Simulate the CMRR by applying a common-mode input and measuring
the output response.

7. Analysis of Results
• Gain Analysis: Compare the measured differential gain with the target
specifications.

• Bandwidth: Evaluate the amplifier's bandwidth and how it meets

design goals.

• CMRR: Discuss the CMRR obtained and how it reflects the effectiveness
of the amplifier in rejecting noise.

• Linearity and Distortion: Analyze the linearity based on the transient

response. If there’s distortion, discuss possible reasons and
improvements.

ADVANTAGES
Designing a differential amplifier with an active load offers
several advantages. Active loads, such as current mirrors, provide a higher
output impedance than passive loads, significantly boosting the amplifier’s
gain and enhancing linearity. This design also improves the common-mode
rejection ratio (CMRR), making the amplifier more effective at filtering out
noise and interference, which is critical for precision applications.
Additionally, active loads are compact and efficient, ideal for integrated
circuits and portable devices where space and power are limited.

DISADVANTAGES
Active loads increase circuit complexity and can be more sensitive to power
supply variations, requiring careful biasing and stabilization. Additionally, the
output swing is somewhat limited due to voltage drops across the transistors
in the active load, which may restrict the amplifier’s range in some
applications.

APPLICATIONS
Operational Amplifier Input Stages: Differential amplifiers are
commonly used as the input stage in operational amplifiers (op-amps) to
ensure high gain, noise rejection, and low offset.

Sensor Interface Circuits: Differential amplifiers with high CMRR are used
to interface with sensors, especially in environments with significant
electrical noise, ensuring accurate signal measurement.

Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs): ADCs often include differential

amplifier stages with active loads to amplify small input signals before digital
conversion.

Audio Signal Processing: In audio applications, differential amplifiers are

used to minimize noise, enabling clear signal amplification in equipment like
microphones and amplifiers.

Data Transmission Lines: Differential amplifiers are used in systems that

transmit data over differential lines (e.g., Ethernet, USB) to amplify the signal
while rejecting interference.

Instrumentation Amplifiers: Used in medical and scientific instruments,

differential amplifiers with active loads provide the precision needed for
measuring small differential signals.
8. Conclusion
This project successfully designed and simulated a differential amplifier with
an active load in LTSpice, achieving higher gain, improved linearity, and
effective noise rejection. Using a current mirror as an active load enhanced
the amplifier’s output impedance, resulting in greater differential gain and
reduced power consumption compared to passive loads. Simulation results
confirmed that the amplifier met its targets for differential gain, bandwidth,
and a high common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR), demonstrating its
suitability for applications requiring precision and noise immunity. The study
highlights the advantages of active loads in differential amplifiers and
suggests potential optimizations for future designs.

9. References
For practical insights into real-world circuit implementations. List relevant
textbooks, research papers, datasheets, and LTSpice documentation used in
the project.

Sedra, A.S., & Smith, K.C. (2015). Microelectronic Circuits (7th ed.). Oxford
University Press.

• A foundational textbook covering differential amplifiers, active loads,

and circuit design principles in-depth.

Razavi, B. (2016). Design of Analog CMOS Integrated Circuits (2nd ed.).

McGraw-Hill Education.

• This book provides comprehensive insights into CMOS analog circuit

design, including differential amplifiers, current mirrors, and active
loads.

Analog Devices – Application Notes on Differential Amplifiers and Active Loads

• Application notes and tutorials provided by Analog Devices helped to

build the project.