The operational amplifier is arguably the most useful single device in analog electronic circuitry. When you apply them in the circuits, you must know their basics and functions. As for the function ...

The sketch below shows a single op-amp configured as a variable gain differential amplifier that uses only one variable resistance as a gain adjustment and which maintains, if not a superb value, at ...

The ordinary modern IC op amp is fully applicable to most standard amplifier configurations. Error sources are small and may be of no concern, or one can easily ...

If you’ve ever wondered why an op amp has the little plus and minus symbols on it, its because at the heart of it, the device is a differential amplifier. The problem is that — ideally, at least — it ...

In the last Circuit VR we looked at some basic op amp circuits in a simulator, including the non-inverting amplifier. Sometimes you want an amplifier that inverts the signal. That is a 5V input ...

In our quest to describe the instrumentation amplifier, we began by exploring electromagnetic interference (EMI) and what to do about it. We then examined the basis of instrumentation amplifiers, ...

The source that drives high-resolution analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) sees a high-frequency ac load and a dc load of a few hundred ohms or more. Thus, a high-performance op amp with high input ...

Differential amplifier chips are designed to amplify the difference between two input signals. They can amplify a small difference between two signal levels and ignore any common level shared between ...

A differential amplifier has two inputs, one inverting and one non-inverting. Modern diff amps usually sit on a single chip. Inside the microchip or pair of discrete transistors, the positive and ...

Amplifier and comparator chips are board-level components for amplifying voltage, current, or power. There are several basic types of amplifier and comparator chips. Differential amplifier chips are ...

Q. Why buy an expensive comparator when an op amp is just as good? A. Because it isn't. My advice to anyone tempted to use an operational amplifier (op amp) as a comparator is the same as Mr. Punch's ...

Separating signal from noise is an ever-present challenge. How can you focus on what really matters and ignore what doesn’t? We’re not gurus, so we can’t give you a universal answer. But what we can ...