An amplifier circuit including an input amplifier, an output amplifier and a diode device is provided. The output amplifier is coupled to the input amplifier and outputting an output voltage. The diode device is coupled between an output end and an input end of the output amplifier. When a voltage difference between the output end and the input end of the output amplifier is greater than a barrier voltage of the diode device, the diode device is turned on, and an overshoot of the output voltage is reduced. The diode device includes a variable resistor to increase the barrier voltage of the diode device.

A rail-to-rail sense amplifier includes a PMOS differential pair and an NMOS differential pair that are arranged in parallel with regard to a biasing network for driving a class AB output stage. The sense amplifier includes a first current differential amplifier and a second current differential amplifier for increasing the output swing while reducing power consumption.

A two-stage circuit includes a differential-to-single-ended first stage with a differential pair of transistors. The first stage includes a current mirror including a diode-connected transistor having an RC circuit coupled to a drain of the diode-connected transistor. The current mirror is configured to mirror a power supply noise current conducted by the RC circuit through a first stage output terminal to a gate of an output transistor in a second stage of the two-stage circuit.

An amplifier circuit including an input amplifier, an output amplifier and a diode device is provided. The output amplifier is coupled to the input amplifier and outputting an output voltage. The diode device is coupled between an output end and an input end of the output amplifier. When a voltage difference between the output end and the input end of the output amplifier is greater than a barrier voltage of the diode device, the diode device is turned on, and an overshoot of the output voltage is reduced. The diode device includes a variable resistor to increase the barrier voltage of the diode device.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor amplifier circuit includes: a first amplifier circuit including first and second P-type transistors; a second amplifier circuit including first and second N-type transistors; and first to seventh current mirror circuits. The first and second current mirror circuits are connected to drains of the first and second P-type transistors. The third and fourth current mirror circuits are connected to drains of the first and second N-type transistors. The sixth current mirror circuit is connected to the first, fourth and fifth current mirror circuits. The seventh current mirror circuit is connected to the second, third and fifth current mirror circuits.

A parallel resonant circuit with excellent distortion and saturation characteristics is provided at low power consumption. A first power-supply voltage is applied to the parallel resonant circuit. In the parallel resonant circuit, a variable resistor includes one or more parallel-connected branches. Each of the branches includes a series circuit of a resistor and a MOS switch. A second power supply supplies power of control signals applied to respective gates of the MOS switches, and supplies back gate voltages to the MOS switches. A power-supply voltage of the second power supply is higher than the first power-supply voltage.

In an embodiment, an amplifier circuit includes a second stage that includes a first switch circuit including first and second terminals, a plurality of resistive elements coupled between the first and second terminals of the first switch circuit, and a plurality of switches configured to control an equivalent resistance between the first and second terminals of the first switch circuit. During play mode, the second stage has a gain between the input of the second stage and the output of the second stage of a first value. During a transition from mute mode to play mode, the amplifier circuit is configured to progressively increase the gain of the second stage from a second value to the first value. During a transition from play mode to mute mode, the amplifier circuit is configured to progressively decrease the gain of the second stage from the first value to the second value.