Design of Current Conveyors and Their Applications in Universal Filters

E. Tlelo-Cuautle, D. Moro-Fras1, C. Snchez-Lpez2, M. Fakhfakh3

1

INAOE, Department of Electronics, Mxico

UAT-Mxico and IMSE-CSIC and University of Sevilla, Spain
3
University of Sfax, Tunis
etlelo@inaoep.mx, carlsan@ieee.org, mourad.fakhfakh@ieee.org
2

Abstract This paper shows the evolution of voltage

followers (VFs) to design positive- and negative-type first
(CCI), second (CCII) and third (CCIII) generation current
conveyors (CCs), through the addition of current mirrors
(CMs). Particularly, three dual-output CCIIs (DOCCIIs) are
designed to be electronically tuned by modifying their current
bias, thus named DOCCCIIs. The design of the VFs and later
of the CCs is performed by using standard CMOS technology
of 0.35m. Two DOCCCII-based universal filter topologies
working in voltage- and current-mode are presented.

II. VOLTAGE FOLLOWER BASED ON COMPLEMENTARY

DIFFERENTIAL PAIRS
The VF can be designed by two complementary
differential-pairs, as shown in Fig. 1.

Keywords Current conveyor, voltage follower, universal

filter, current tunability.

I. INTRODUCTION
Among the currently available active devices, the
current conveyor (CC) has shown its suitability in analog
signal processing applications [1]-[6]. Basically, its generic
construction consists of a voltage follower (VF)
interconnected or superimposed with either current
followers (CFs) or current mirrors (CMs) [4,7,8,9].
One VF is selected to show its evolution to design CCs.
Other VF topologies are used in Sect. IV, whose evolution
to design CCs is quite similar. The illustrative VF consists
of two complementary differential pairs, as shown in Fig. 1.
According to [8], it does not allow the superimposing of a
CF, but it can be evolved to design first (CCI), second
(CCII) and third (CCIII) generation CCs [7], as shown in the
following sections. Additionally, every CC topology can be
augmented to design multiple outputs CCs, as the ones
described in [5,10]. Particularly, there has been a growing
interest in using CCs to design universal filters [11,12],
because they can provide wide electronic tunable range on
its x-terminal parasitic resistance (Rx), through varying the
bias current.
In Sect. II we show a VF which is evolved to design
CCs in Sect. III, where we pay special attention in the
design of CMOS compatible dual-output CCIIs (DOCCIIs).
In Sect. IV the DOCCIIs are designed to be current
controlled, i.e. DOCCCIIs. The usefulness of the DOCCCIIs
is highlighted in Sect. V by designing two tunable universal
filters, one working in voltage-mode and the other in
current-mode. Ideal responses simulated in MATLAB are
compared with HSPICE results showing a good agreement.

Fig. 1 VF already synthesized in [9].

Transistors M1-M4 perform the voltage tracking to

accomplish Vx= Vy+RxIx, where in the ideal case =1,
Rx=0 and the current at port Y becomes zero. Iref is used to
bias the two complementary differential-pairs through M5M8 and MX. The drains of M1 and M2 are biased with Ib.
However, to design CCs, the current sources of M1 and M2
are replaced by CMs [4,9], as shown in the following
sections.
III. EVOLVING THE VF TO DESIGN CCs
The behavior of the CCI is modeled by (1), where ,
and model the tracking errors and Rx is the parasitic
resistance at port X. The sign of the current Iz=Ix
indicates positive-type (CCI+) or negative-type (CCI-)
[10]. For instance, the design of the CCI+ must
accomplish: Vx= Vy+RxIx, Iy= Ix and Iz= Ix. In the
ideal case Rx=0 and ===1. In this manner, from Fig.
1, the current sources (Ib) can be implemented by CMs, as
shown in Fig. 2. MOSFETs M9-M12 are mirroring Ix, so
that the connection of the drains of M11-M12 to the gates
of M1-M2, accomplishes: Vx=Vy+RxIx and Iy=Ix.
The addition of M13-M14, create a new port Z to
accomplish Iz= Ix.
This CCI is simulated using standard CMOS technology
of 0.35m. Table I lists the electrical characteristics with
VDD=-VSS=1.5V and Iref=40A. The sizes are: L=1m,

and WM1,M3=100m, WM5,M7=21.36m, WM9,M11,M13=5m,

WM2,M4=30m, WM6,M8,MX=25m and WM10,M12,M14=2m.

iy 0
v =
x
iz 0

Rx

0 v y
0 ix
0 vz

(1)

Fig. 3 Evolution of the VF in Fig. 1 to design a DOCCII.

In Table II are shown the characteristics of the

DOCCII with VDD=-VSS=1.5V, Iref=50A, L=1m, and
WM1,M3=50m, WM2,M4=30m, WM9,M11,M13,M15,M17=7m,
WMX,M6,M8=6.3m,
and
WM5,M7=21.35m,
WM10,M12,M14,M16,M18=1.4m.
TABLE II.

Fig. 2 Evolution of the VF in Fig. 1 to design a CCI.

TABLE I.

ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CCI

Parameter
Voltage Gain (X/Y)
Current Gain (Y/X)
Current Gain (Z/X)
Rx
Ry
Rz
DC Transfer Voltage V(X/Y)
Transfer Current in DC I(Y/X)
Transfer Current in DC I(Z/X)
Bandwidth (X/Y)
Bandwidth (Y/X)
Bandwidth (Z/X)

Value
0.991
0.996
0.996
3 k
308.4 k
690.26 k
+ 600 mV
+ 50 A
+ 50 A
37.6 MHz
69.6 MHz
59 MHz

0
Rx

0 vy
0 ix
0 vz

Parameter

Value

Votage offset (Y X)

-825 V

Current offset (X - Z+)

635.58 nA

Current offset (X - Z-)

631.57 nA
, 2.88 k, 706.04 k, and
699.86 k
+ 600 mV

R in Y, X, Z+, and ZDC Transfer Curve (Y X)

DC Transfer Curve
(X (Z+/Z-))
Voltage Gain (Y - X)

The behavior of the CCII accomplishes (2), where

=0 and Iy=0, but Vx= Vy+RxIx and Iz= Ix remains
unchanged. The evolution of the VF from Fig. 1 follows
the same approach as for the CCI. Besides, now the
drains of M11-M12 are not connected to the gates of M1M2 to accomplish Iy=0, these drains create the output
port Z+ providing Iz= Ix, as shown in Fig. 3.
To design a dual-output CCII (DOCCII), M13 and
M14 are added to mirror Ix, and their drains are
connected to two complementary CMs denoted by M15M18 to generate the output port Z-, providing Iz-= -Ix.
More outputs can be created by simply mirroring Ix, and
the CC is named multiple-output CCII (MOCCII) [4,10].

iy 0
v =
x
iz 0

ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DOCCII

(2)

+ 50 A
990 mV/V

Current Gain (X - Z+)

0.997 A/A

Current Gain (X - Z-)

1.003 A/A

Bandwidth (Y - X)

39 MHz

Bandwidth (X Z+)

82 MHz

Bandwidth (X Z-)

79 MHz

The CCIII and other mixed-mode circuits [4,5,10,13]

can also be designed in a similar fashion.
IV. CURRENT CONTROLLED DOCCII
Other two VF topologies already generated in [9], and
different from Fig. 1, are used herein to design current
controlled DOCCIIs (DOCCCIIs) named topology A and B,
as shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. Another DOCCCII labeled C
is considered herein, it has the same topology as for the
DOCCCII B, but with the bulks of M1-M4 connected to
VDD or VSS. Besides, the DOCCCII C is only used in the
current-mode universal filter shown in Sect. V. The
frequency responses of the DOCCCIIs A and B are shown
in Table III, where Av and BWv are the voltage gain and
bandwidth; Aip/Ain and BWip/BWin are the current gains and
bandwidths, respectively. Further, in order to design tunable
filters, we adjust the value of Rx by modifying Iref (current
control). In this manner, the behavior of Rx when varying
Iref is shown in Fig. 6.

applying symbolic nodal analysis [5,10,13]. Afterwards,

one can see that Rx is a dominant parasitic element, useful
to tune the filter response. That way, by selecting the
center frequency to be 3 MHz, then: R1= 6.5k, R2= 1k,
R3= 5k, C1=8 pF, C2=4 pF and C4= 4pF. In Fig. 8 are
shown the ideal responses obtained by MatLab (dashed
lines), and real responses by HSPICE (solid lines).
The CCI can also be used to design the sinusoidal
oscillator shown in Fig. 9, whose characteristic equation
and the oscillation condition and frequency are derived
by applying symbolic nodal analysis [5,10,13] to get (3)
and (4). In this manner, C1>C4, C1=30 pF, C2= C4=20 pF,
and R1= R4= 11.2k, to have an ideal frequency of
oscillation of 1MHz. Simulating this oscillator in
HSPICE the frequency of oscillation is 1.05 MHz, as
shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 4 DOCCCII A.

Fig. 5 DOCCCII B.

Fig. 7 CCI based Notch filter.

TABLE III.

RESPONSES OF THE DOCCCIIS.

Av (V/V)
Aip (A/A)
Ain (A/A)
BWv (MHz)
BWip (MHz)
BWin (MHz)

DOCCCII A
0.993
1.028
1.082
91.4
60.5
46.7

DOCCCII B
0.978
1.015
1.047
67
141
97.4

10

Rx

X: DOCCCII A.
O: DOCCCII B.
*: DOCCCII C.

10

Fig. 8 CCI based notch filter responses at 3 and 4 MHz.

s 2 (C1 C 4 )C 2 R3 R4 + s (C 4 R4 C 2 R3 ) + 1

10

50

100

150

200
Iref

250

300

350

400

0 =

1
(C1 C4 )C2 R3 R4

1
1
=
C4 R3 C2 R4

(3)
(4)

Fig. 6 Behavior of Rx by varying Iref in A.

V. APPLICATIONS
A. Application of the CCI
A current-mode tunable notch filter is shown in Fig.
7. The symbolic transfer function can be derived by

B. Application of the DOCCII

The DOCCII can be used to realize the simulated
inductance shown in Fig. 11, whose behavioral equation is
evaluated by applying symbolic analysis [10]. Afterwards, it
is used to design the low-pass filter (LPF) shown in Fig. 12.

Fig. 9 CCI based oscillator.

Fig. 13 Frequency response: real response, and

ideal.

Fig. 10 CCI based oscillator time response.

For a cut-off frequency of 3MHz: Rs=17k, RL=1k,

C1=C3=C5=30pF, and L2=L4=295.211H. In this case, L2
and L4 are evaluated using (5), so that: R1=R2=10k,
when
C3=30pF,
R4=29.26k,
and
RX=2.88k
Ibias=85A=Iref in Fig. 3. As a result, Fig. 13 shows the
frequency response of the LPF.
Leq =R1R2RXC3/R4

Fig. 14 Voltage mode DOCCCII-based universal filter.

Vo =
0 =

(5)

s 2 C1C 2Vin1 + sC 2 gx1Vin 2 + gx1 gx 2Vin 3

s 2 C1C 2 + sC 2 gx1 + gx1 gx 2
gx1 gx 2 1 2
C1 C 2

Rx =

(6)

1 2
02 C 2

(7)

D. Current-mode universal filter using DOCCCII

Fig. 11 DOCCCII based floating simulated inductance.

The current-mode filter taken from [15] is shown in Fig.

15. The symbolic transfer function is given by (8). Including
the current tracking errors, the frequency is evaluated by (9),
where p and n denote the errors from X to Zp and X to Zn
terminals. From (8), the transfer function of each filter is
derived by setting: I1=Iin and I2=I3=0 for LP; I2=Iin and
I1=I3=0 for BP; -I1=I2=I3=Iin for HP; and I2=I3=Iin and I1=0,
for Notch response.

Fig. 12 Fifth-order LPF.

C. Voltage-mode universal filter using DOCCCII

The voltage-mode filter taken from [14] is shown in Fig.
14. Its transfer function is derived by applying symbolic
nodal analysis [5,10,13]. From (6) we can obtain de transfer
function of each filter response by setting: V3=Vin and
V1=V2= 0 for low-pass (LP); V2=Vin and V1=V3= 0 for
band-pass (BP); V1=Vin and V2=V3=0 for high-pass (HP);
and V1=V3=Vin and V2=0, for Notch response.

Fig. 15 Current-mode DOCCCII-based universal filter.

Iout =

( s 2 Rx1 Rx2C1C2 + sRx2C2 + 1) I 3 ( sRx2C2 ) I 2 + I1

s 2 Rx1 Rx2C1C2 + sRx2C2 + 1

(8)

0 =

n1 p 2

(9)

Rx1 Rx 2 C1C 2

E. Universal filters: Simulation results

TABLE IV.

TUNING CURRENTS TO REACH 2MHZ.

-100

-150
3
10

10

10

10
Frequency (Hz)

10

10

10

Fig. 17 Ideal response of the CM filter with DOCCCII A and B.

5

V oltage Gain (d B)

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25
3
10

10

10

10
Frequency (Hz)

10

10

Fig. 18 Voltage mode universal filter with DOCCCII A.

-5
V oltage Gain (d B)

Both universal filters were designed using the

DOCCCIIs A, B and C. HSPICE simulations were
performed with 0.35 m technology and VDD=-VSS=1.5V.
For the DOCCCII A Wp= 192.31 m and Wn= 100 m,
with L= 1 m. For the DOCCCII B Wp1=Wp5=Wp7= 21.36
m, Wp2= Wp9-Wp17= 48 m; Wn2=6.25 m, Wn4= 2.25
m, Wn6=Wn8=Wnx= 25 m and Wn10-Wn18= 11.11 m,
with L= 1 m. For a frequency response of 2 MHz, the
following values were obtained: Using the DOCCCII A, C=
200 pF and Rx= 419.63 (obtained with Iref = 66 A).
Using the DOCCCII B, C= 30 pF and Rx= 2.73 K
(obtained with Iref = 30 A).
The ideal responses of the voltage mode universal filter
are shown in Fig. 16, and for the current mode filter in Fig.
17. The LP response appears with a dash line, BP with a
dash-dot line, HP with a dot line and the Notch response is
in a solid line.
The simulated response of the voltage mode universal
filter by using the DOCCCII A is shown in Fig. 18, and
using the DOCCCII B in Fig. 19. For the current mode
universal filter, the frequency response with the DOCCCII
A is shown in Fig. 20, and using the DOCCCII B in Fig. 21.
As mentioned before, the DOCCCII C was used only to
design the current mode universal filter. The DOCCCII C
has p=1.028 A/A, n=1.083 A/A, BWp=48.8 MHz, and
BWn=34 MHz. The frequency response is shown in Fig. 22.
To tune the responses of the universal filters at 2MHz, Iref of
the three DOCCCIIs was adjusted as shown by Table IV.

Current Gain (d B)

-50

-10

-15

DOCCCII A
Iref (A)
48
72
115
72

Filter
LP (x)
BP (o)
HP (+)
Notch (*)

DOCCCII B
Iref (A)
20
33
55
33

DOCCII C
Iref (A)
39
50
65
50

-20

-25
3
10

10

10

10
Frequency (Hz)

10

10

10

Fig. 19 Voltage mode universal filter with DOCCCII B.

0
4

-20

-2

-60

Cu rrent G ain (dB)

V oltage Gain (d B)

-40

-80

-4

-6

-8

-100
-10

-120
-12

-140
3
10

-14
4

10

10

10
Frequency (Hz)

10

10

10

Fig. 16 Ideal response of the VM filter with DOCCCII A and B.

10

10

10

10
Frequency (Hz)

10

10

Fig. 20 Current mode universal filter with DOCCCII A.

REFERENCES

[1]

Current Gain (d B)

-5

-10

[2]

-15

[3]

-20
4

10

10

10
Frequency (Hz)

10

10

10

Fig. 21 Current mode universal filter with DOCCCII B.

4

[4]

Current Gain (d B)

-2

[5]

-4

-6

-8

-10

-12

[6]

-14
3

10

10

10

10
Frequency (Hz)

10

10

10

Fig. 22 Current mode universal filter with DOCCCII C.

V. CONCLUSION
It has been presented the evolution of VFs, the
illustrative example was based on complementary
differential-pairs, to generate CCs. The design of CCIs
and CCIIs was discussed in detail. The CCII was evolved
to design a DOCCII, and then to design a current
controlled DOCCII (DOCCCII).
Three DOCCCIIs was presented and tested by
implementing two universal filters consisting of only two
DOCCCIIs and two capacitors, one working in voltage
mode and the other in current mode. In this manner, we
highlighted the usefulness of the DOCCCIIs to tune the
filters frequency responses by adjusting Rx. Therefore, we
presented the filters tuning to accomplish the LP, HP, BP
and Notch responses. The tested filters were tuned to work
at 2 MHz, showing good agreements with ideal responses.

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work is partially supported by CONACyTMEXICO under the project number 131839, and by
Consejera de Innovacin, Ciencia y Empresa, Junta de
Andaluca-Spain, under the project number TIC-2532.
C. Snchez-Lpez thanks the support from the JAE-Doc
program of CSIC, co-founded by FSE.

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