Cascaded vs Cascode: What We’re Building and Why

Quick Revision: Identifying Stages and Writing Gain Fast (Examples 1–4)

Two-Stage Thinking: When Input/Output Resistances Matter (Source Follower → Common Gate)

Design Example 1: Source Follower for ID = 8 mA and Av = 0.8

Design Example 2: Common Gate Design from Gain + Power Budget

Why We Cascade: Gain, Swing, Bandwidth, Stability, Noise + Why Bias Currents Matter

Cascading Stages: Two CS Stages and Adding a Source Follower for Low Rout

Cascode Core: Common Source Followed by Common Gate (Small-Signal Derivation)

Cascode Intuition: Effective gm and Why Rout Explodes

Headroom Tradeoff: Saturation Constraints + Body Effect Reminder

Multi-Cascode Stack: Adding More CG Devices vs Output Swing Collapse

Cascode with Current-Source Load: Why ro3 Limits Gain

Cascode Current Source Load: Making the Load High Enough to “Unlock” Cascode Gain

Wrap-Up: What Cascode Gives, What It Costs, and the Key Design Rule