A low-voltage complementary metal-oxide semiconductor adapter circuit suitable for input rail-to-rail operation

In this article, a low-voltage complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) input signal adapter (ISA) suitable for input rail-to-rail operation of various types of analogue basic building blocks is presented. The adapter acts as a pre-stage with infinite input resistance and linear transfer characteristics. Its input signal is translated into the region fitting the operating range of the following stage. The generality of the proposed method is proven through the application of the ISA in different types of analogue basic building blocks designed in 0.5m CMOS technology. They are the following: below-negative-rail-to-above-positive-rail voltage-controlled transconductor, quasi rail-to-rail voltage-controlled resistor (VCR), rail-to-rail operational amplifier (OA) and quasi rail-to-rail second generation current conveyor. The proposed negative resistance quasi rail-to-rail VCR and rail-to-rail OA have been used in a Sallen and Key band-pass filter. All of these analogue basic building blocks and their applications in the form of the Sallen and Key band-pass filter operate from a single supply of 1.5V. Simulation results confirm the predictions of the analysis performed.