Impact of "operational transconductance amplifiers" design choices on sustainability

Abstract

This thesis investigates a comprehensive sustainability assessment framework for operational transconductance amplifiers (OTAs) by extending the traditional power, performance, and area (PPA) metrics to include environmental impact considerations in the form of embodied and operational footprints. Three OTA architectures—Folded Cascode OTA (FC-OTA), Local Positive Feedback based FC-OTA (LPFB FC-OTA), and Input Differential Pair for Bulk-Driven OTA (IDPBD-OTA)—were evaluated using a 180nm process technology in Cadence Virtuoso. The simulation results reveal that despite the IDPBD-OTA possessing a larger physical layout (and hence higher embodied footprint), its extremely low power consumption minimizes its operational footprint, rendering it the most sustainable option overall. The work emphasizes the need for an integrated evaluation of circuit performance and sustainability—an approach that could guide energy-efficient design practices in the semiconductor industry