A linear amplifier is provided to have higher efficiency for an envelope tracking modulator. In one embodiment, a first stage amplifier circuit can be simply operated in a high gain mode or a high bandwidth mode for different applications, without using large chip area. In another embodiment, an output stage has a cascode structure whose dynamic range is controlled according to a voltage level of a supply voltage, to make a core device within the output stage have better protection and suitable dynamic range.

Provided is a differential amplifier circuit having a low current consumption and a small circuit area. The differential amplifier circuit is formed as a drain grounding circuit (source follower circuit), which includes two stages of output transistors that are connected to two stages of amplifier circuits in series, and is configured to control one of the two output transistors by output from the amplifier circuit in the first stage, and to control another of the two output transistors by output from the amplifier circuit in the second stage.

A power-efficient neutralized signal amplifier for use in ultra-low power narrowband receiver applications. A neutralized signal amplifier having: an impedance transformation element coupled to an amplifier input and having a differential output; a gain cell, having a differential input and a differential output, the differential input coupled to the differential output of the impedance transformation element and the differential output coupled to the amplifier output; and a neutralization element coupled to the gain cell differential output and cross-coupled to the differential output of the impedance transformation element, where the coupling of the neutralization element to the differential output of the impedance transformation element provides that the input impedance of the neutralized signal amplifier is substantially determined by reflected resistive parasitics of the impedance transformation element.

A power-efficient neutralized signal amplifier for use in ultra-low power narrowband receiver applications. A neutralized signal amplifier having: an impedance transformation element coupled to an amplifier input and having a differential output; a gain cell, having a differential input and a differential output, the differential input coupled to the differential output of the impedance transformation element and the differential output coupled to the amplifier output; and a neutralization element coupled to the gain cell differential output and cross-coupled to the differential output of the impedance transformation element, where the coupling of the neutralization element to the differential output of the impedance transformation element provides that the input impedance of the neutralized signal amplifier is substantially determined by reflected resistive parasitics of the impedance transformation element.

Provided is a differential amplifier circuit having a low current consumption and a small circuit area. The differential amplifier circuit is formed as a drain grounding circuit (source follower circuit), which includes two stages of output transistors that are connected to two stages of amplifier circuits in series, and is configured to control one of the two output transistors by output from the amplifier circuit in the first stage, and to control another of the two output transistors by output from the amplifier circuit in the second stage.

A unit amplification circuit includes a push-pull circuit having a transistor with a gate connected to an input terminal, a symmetrical circuit connected symmetrically to the push-pull circuit and configured to be turned off in a first operation mode and turned on in a second operation mode, and a path control circuit connected to a drain of the transistor and configured to connect the drain and an output terminal in the first operation mode and to disconnect the drain and the output terminal in the second operation mode.

Disclosed is a cascode configuration that moves the gate of the cascode substantially without delay relative to an output node by capacitively coupling the latter onto the cascode gates. The passive coupling eliminates the need for actively driving the gates of the cascode. In some embodiments, the only circuitry needed on the cascode gate may be a biasing circuit that limits the swing on the cascode gate between V.sub.max and 2V.sub.max, where V.sub.max is a transistor device rating.

A power-efficient neutralized signal amplifier for use in ultra-low power narrowband receiver applications. A neutralized signal amplifier having: an impedance transformation element coupled to an amplifier input and having a differential output; a gain cell, having a differential input and a differential output, the differential input coupled to the differential output of the impedance transformation element and the differential output coupled to the amplifier output; and a neutralization element coupled to the gain cell differential output and cross-coupled to the differential output of the impedance transformation element, where the coupling of the neutralization element to the differential output of the impedance transformation element provides that the input impedance of the neutralized signal amplifier is substantially determined by reflected resistive parasitics of the impedance transformation element.

Methods, systems, and devices for voltage drivers with configurable pull-up and pull-down amplifiers are described. For example, a driver may be configured with a pull-up (e.g., sourcing) amplifier and a pull-down (e.g., sinking) amplifier in a unity gain configuration, with outputs of such amplifiers being tied in an electrically parallel arrangement. The pull-down amplifier may be tied to a relatively low voltage to support a lower end of a sinking voltage regulation range, and the pull-up amplifier may be tied with a relatively higher voltage to support a lower end of a sourcing voltage regulation range that is higher than the lower end of the sinking voltage regulation range. Such an arrangement may implement various techniques to enable one of the pull-down amplifier or the pull-up amplifier, which also may disable the other of the pull-down amplifier or the pull-up amplifier.