A variable gain amplifier includes an input transistor, an auxiliary transistor, an active inductor and an input current replica circuit. The input transistor is arranged for receiving an input signal to generate an output signal at an output terminal. The auxiliary transistor is coupled to the output terminal of the input transistor, wherein a current of the output terminal flows into the input transistor and the auxiliary transistor. The active inductor is coupled to the output terminal of the input transistor. The input current replica circuit is coupled to the output terminal of the input transistor, wherein a current flowing through a portion of the input current replica circuit is equal to the current flowing through the input transistor, and both a current of the active inductor and the current of the portion of the input current replica circuit flow into the output terminal of the input transistor.

An operational amplifier circuit includes: a first differential amplifier section containing a P-type differential pair of P-type transistors; a second differential amplifier section containing an N-type differential pair of N-type transistors; an intermediate stage connected with outputs of the first and second differential amplifier sections and containing a first current mirror circuit of P-type transistors, and a second current mirror circuit of N-type transistors; and an output stage configured to amplify an output of the intermediate stage in power. The first differential amplifier section includes a first current source and a first capacitance between sources of the P-type transistors of the P-type differential pair and a positive side power supply voltage. The second differential amplifier section includes a second current source and a second capacitance between sources of the N-type transistors of the N-type differential pair and a negative side power supply voltage.

Bias current is supplied to a first differential pair and a second differential pair from a first transistor being a single current source. Bias current is supplied to a third differential pair and a fourth differential pair from a second transistor being a single current source. An input voltage is at a power supply potential, and an input voltage is at a ground potential. When the second differential pair and the third differential pair are turned OFF, the bias current supplied from the first transistor flows to an output stage via the first differential pair, and the bias current supplied from the second transistor flows to the output stage via the fourth differential pair. Therefore, when the second differential pair and the third differential pair are turned OFF, a circuit current is kept constant, and a fluctuation in a frequency characteristic can be restrained.

The transmission delay time of a receiver for receiving a differential signal is reduced. A first amplifier circuit is provided in an input stage of the receiver, and a second amplifier circuit is provided in an output stage of the receiver. The first amplifier circuit is a differential input, differential output amplifier circuit. The second amplifier circuit is a differential input, single-ended output amplifier circuit. A first power supply voltage and a second power supply voltage are input as a high-level power supply voltage and a low-level power supply voltage to the first amplifier circuit and the second amplifier circuit, respectively. The withstand voltage of transistors of a differential pair of the first amplifier circuit is higher than the withstand voltage of another transistor included in the first amplifier circuit and a transistor included in the second amplifier circuit.

A differential amplifier has an inherent offset voltage. In many circuit applications, such as with a voltage to current converter circuit, it is important to nullify that offset voltage. A calibration circuit is provided to configured the differential amplifier to operate as a comparator with a common voltage applied to both inputs. The logic state of the output of the amplifier indicates whether the offset voltage is positive or negative. In response thereto, a trim current with a progressively increasing magnitude is injected into the amplifier and the amplifier output is monitored to detect a change in logic state. The magnitude of the trim current at the point where the logic state changes is the magnitude of trim current needed to nullify the voltage offset.

A class AB amplifier may include an input stage, a first folded cascode stage, a second folded cascode stage, and a class AB output stage. In some embodiments, the class AB output stage may provide differential output signals. The common-mode voltage of the differential output signals may be controlled via a correction signal coupled to a selected folded cascode stage. The correction signal may control the common-mode voltage of the differential output signals by altering bias currents within the selected folded cascode stage. The other cascode stage may include bias currents controlled by relatively fixed bias voltages.

The overdrive amplifier may include: a differential input circuit arranged by connecting, in a folded-cascode style, input transistors supplied with an input signal at gates, and feedback input transistors accepting the feedback of an output signal at respective gates; a current mirror load having mirror input current paths connected to current paths of the feedback input transistors, and mirror output current paths connected to current paths of the input transistors; an output circuit accepting the input of output control signals from the mirror output current paths of the current mirror load; and an overdrive circuit which causes bias currents of directions which boost an output of the output circuit, depending on the output control signals, to pass through the current mirror load based on the output control signals in an overdrive period.

An operational amplifying circuit are provided. The operational amplifying circuit includes a control circuit, pull-up and pull-down transistors, first and second bias circuits, and a bias voltage generating circuit. The control circuit includes first and second input terminals, and is configured to change, when an input voltage transitions to a first level, a voltage level of a pull-up node and a pull-down node to a second level different from the first level. The pull-up transistor provides a power supply voltage to the output terminal. The pull-down transistor connects the output terminal to a ground voltage. The first bias circuit provides a first bias current to the control circuit. The bias voltage generating circuit generates a bias voltage when the voltage level of at least one of the pull-up and pull-down nodes reaches a threshold voltage level, and the second bias circuit provides a second bias current to the control circuit.

An output stage of a buffer or an amplifier connected to a switched capacitive load can operate in two phases to perform precharging and fine settling. The precharging and fine settling phases can be synchronized to the switching phases of the switched capacitive load connected to the amplifier. During the precharging phase, the output stage can be disconnected from the prior stages of the amplifier, and the output node of the amplifier can be connected to the switched capacitive load to precharge the capacitive load with the voltage already stored in the output stage. During the fine settling phase, the output stage can be reconnected to the prior stages of the amplifier, and the amplifier nodes can settle and get ready for sampling, which can occur at the end of the fine settling phase.

Bias current is supplied to a first differential pair and a second differential pair from a first transistor being a single current source. Bias current is supplied to a third differential pair and a fourth differential pair from a second transistor being a single current source. An input voltage is at a power supply potential, and an input voltage is at a ground potential. When the second differential pair and the third differential pair are turned OFF, the bias current supplied from the first transistor flows to an output stage via the first differential pair, and the bias current supplied from the second transistor flows to the output stage via the fourth differential pair. Therefore, when the second differential pair and the third differential pair are turned OFF, a circuit current is kept constant, and a fluctuation in a frequency characteristic can be restrained.