Optimization methodology for a 460-MHz-GBW and 80-dB-SNR low-power current-mode amplifier

Biomedical circuits and systems are a forthcoming field in more than Moore integrated circuits. Majority of published works are interested in voltage-mode sensor instrumentation. In voltage-mode operation, design trade-off is known and design optimization tools available. In contrast, current-mode sensor instrumentation have proved low-power and high-speed signal processing. This work addresses a single-objective optimization of a current-mode instrumentation amplifier (IA), including multi-constraints: area, power consumption, gain, speed, noise, and linearity. Post-layout simulation results have proved optimal IA assessments in CMOS 180 nm, achieving power consumption of 1.5 mW, gain of 40 dB using minimal transistor area. Optimized current-mode IA has gain-bandwidth product (GBW) of 459.8 MHz, SNR of 80 dB and THD of-47 dB. Proposed optimization achieves voltage-mode competitive performance, overcoming in low-power and high-speed due to current-mode assets.