You can use three discrete transistors to build an operational amplifier with an open-loop gain greater than 1 million (Figure 1). You bias the output at approximately one-half the supply voltage ...

When it comes to our analog designs, op-amps tend to be just another jellybean part. We tend to spec whatever does the job, and don’t give much of a thought as to the internals. And while it doesn’t ...

You can implement many fundamental building-block circuits such as a difference amplifier (DA) or instrumentation amplifier (IA) using discrete or integrated components. Design engineers often debate ...

Op amps excel at providing many useful and clever solutions to routine or complicated circuit functions. A summing circuit is a perfect example. A summing circuit is typically used in applications ...

My hands-on introduction to operational amplifiers was in 1969 while in the army as a junior scientist in the Atmospheric Science Laboratory at the White Sands Proving Grounds. We had taken a ...

Circuit simulations are great because you can experiment with circuits and make changes with almost no effort. In Circuit VR, we look at circuits using a simulator to do experiments without having to ...

Power operational amplifiers (POPs) are becoming increasingly common in control circuitry. Their primary advantages over conventional amplifiers are reduced part counts, increased reliability, and ...