A 1.57mW 99dB&amp;#x2126; CMOS transimpedance amplifier for VHF micromechanical reference oscillators

CMOS-MEMS resonators have become a promising solution thanks to their miniaturization and on-chip integration capabilities. However, using a CMOS technology to fabricate microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices limits the electromechanical performance otherwise achieved by specific technologies, requiring a challenging readout circuitry. This paper presents a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) fabricated using a commercial 0.35-µm CMOS technology specifically oriented to drive and sense monolithically integrated CMOS-MEMS resonators up to 50 MHz with a tunable transimpedance gain ranging from 112 dB to 121 dB. The output voltage noise is as low as 225 nV/Hz1/2—input-referred current noise of 192 fA/Hz1/2—at 10 MHz, and the power consumption is kept below 1-mW. In addition, the TIA amplifier exhibits an open-loop gain independent of the parasitic input capacitance—mostly associated with the MEMS layout—representing an advantage in MEMS testing compared to other alternatives such as Pierce oscillator schemes. The work presented includes the characterization of three types of MEMS resonators that have been fabricated and experimentally characterized both in open-loop and self-sustained configurations using the integrated TIA amplifier. The experimental characterization includes an accurate extraction of the electromechanical parameters for the three fabricated structures that enables an accurate MEMS-CMOS circuitry co-design.

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“…Table 1 compares this TIA design to prior works [ 14 , 17 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]. As stated earlier, in addition to the gain insensitivity to

, a significant advantage of the proposed solution features a tunable-gain option.…”

Section: Transimpedance Amplifiermentioning

confidence: 99%

A Tunable-Gain Transimpedance Amplifier for CMOS-MEMS Resonators Characterization

et al. 2021

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“…At the transistor level, the trans-impedance structure has been used both for electrostatic resonators (e.g., [ 201 , 217 , 231 , 242 , 245 , 253 ]) or piezoelectric resonators (e.g., [ 239 ]). Many designs utilize a regulated cascode input stage to boost the current gain and reduce the input resistance of the trans-impedance at the input, in order to reduce the Q-loading on the resonator.…”

Section: Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Typically following the regulated cascode is a variable voltage gain amplifier in shunt-shunt feedback using a triode transistor to vary the gain such as in [ 253 ], and shown in Figure 29 [ 253 ] following a regulated cascode input stage using two triode transistors M 3 and M 4 . The voltage gain amplifier this case is composed of two inverters ( M 5 , M 6 and M 7 , M 8 ), with the second inverter in shunt-shunt feedback allowing for controllable gain through the biasing of transistor M f .…”

Section: Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Micromachined Resonators: A Review

et al. 2016

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This paper is a review of the remarkable progress that has been made during the past few decades in design, modeling, and fabrication of micromachined resonators. Although micro-resonators have come a long way since their early days of development, they are yet to fulfill the rightful vision of their pervasive use across a wide variety of applications. This is partially due to the complexities associated with the physics that limit their performance, the intricacies involved in the processes that are used in their manufacturing, and the trade-offs in using different transduction mechanisms for their implementation. This work is intended to offer a brief introduction to all such details with references to the most influential contributions in the field for those interested in a deeper understanding of the material.

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“…CMOS MEMS based resonator also offers the avenue of single chip integration, inheriting small form factor in area with high quality factor (Q > 40; 000) and less power consumption, which favorably penetrates the market of the timer circuit highlighting the compliance to Moore's law [2,3,4]. But, the high insertion loss of MEMS devices which results from their low Q and high motional resistance (up to several kΩ) [5], is the first major obstacle to overcome.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing a new high gain CMOS amplifier towards a 17.22 MHz MEMS based Si oscillator for a cost effective clock generator IC

Roy

Ramiah

Reza

2015

IEICE Electron. Express

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A novel sustaining amplifier is designed and characterized for a Si-based MEMS resonator, in implementing a reference oscillator in 180 nm CMOS process. A two port electrical model of the MEMS resonator is used to compute the insertion loss (−76 dB) and phase shift (95°). Total open loop transimpedance gain is achieved as 122 dBΩ with −70°phase shift, at the resonant frequency of 17.22 MHz. This amount of gain is investigated as capable to sustain MEMS resonator's oscillation, in the realization of a cost effective, miniaturized and low power CMOS reference oscillator which oversees on application in clock generation.

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A 1.57mW 99dBΩ CMOS transimpedance amplifier for VHF micromechanical reference oscillators

Cited by 17 publications

References 9 publications

A Tunable-Gain Transimpedance Amplifier for CMOS-MEMS Resonators Characterization

A Tunable-Gain Transimpedance Amplifier for CMOS-MEMS Resonators Characterization

Micromachined Resonators: A Review

Designing a new high gain CMOS amplifier towards a 17.22 MHz MEMS based Si oscillator for a cost effective clock generator IC

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