Devices and methods for improving reliability of scalable periphery amplifiers is described. Amplifier segments of the scalable periphery architecture can be rotated to distribute wear. Further, extra amplifier segments can be implemented on amplifier dies to extend the overall lifetime of amplifiers.

A distributed amplification device with p inputs, p outputs, p amplification paths comprises a redundant reservoir of n amplifiers including n-p back-up amplifiers, an input redundancy ring and an output redundancy ring formed by rotary switches, the input and output redundancy rings sharing the same technology. The internal amplification pathways associated with the n-p back-up amplifiers frame in an interlaced manner the internal amplification pathways associated with the p nominal amplifiers and the amplification paths of the routing configurations each pass through at least five rotary switches. The input and output redundancy rings are topologically and geometrically configured and the family of the routing configurations is chosen such that the electrical lengths of all the paths of one and the same routing configuration of the family are equal.

A fault tolerant voltage regulator may include a plurality of operational transconductance amplifiers. The plurality of operational transconductance amplifiers may be configured according to a unity-gain configuration. The plurality of operational transconductance amplifiers may be configured to couple in parallel to a load. The plurality of operational transconductance amplifiers may be configured to load share a load current associated with the load approximately equally among the plurality of operational transconductance amplifiers.

Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide an improved system that supervises the operation of a backup amplifier. The method comprises receiving an indication that a primary amplifier failed; determining a configuration of the primary amplifier; and configuring the backup amplifier to match the configuration of the primary amplifier.

A capacitive load, an inductive load, or a transmission line coupled to an output of a closed-loop amplifier circuit can cause undesirable oscillations in a feedback signal of the amplifier circuit. The oscillations in the feedback signal can cause the amplifier circuit to exhibit instability and unpredictable behavior. Techniques are described that allow an amplifier circuit to provide a stable response while driving a capacitive load.

A differential amplifier is provided. The differential amplifier includes a first load, a second load, a current source, a differential pair circuit, a first and a second switch circuit. The differential pair circuit includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, and a fourth transistor. The first switch circuit controls the first and the second transistors, and the second switch circuit controls the third and the fourth transistors. Through the control and selection of the first and second switch circuits, a differential pair is selected in the differential pair circuit to receive and process a first input signal and a second input signal for signal.