New op-amps

THE OP-AMP IS STILL ONE OF THE MOST widely used linear

IC's. The OP-41 op-amp from PMI (Precision Monolithics, Inc., P.O.
Box 58020, Santa Clara, CA 95052) is a new device that features a
cascode FET-input stage that has a CMRR (Common Anode
Rejection /Patio) of greater than 100 dB. The OP-41 also has
improved linearity, and stabilized bias current with changing
common-mode voltage.
The OP-41 consumes only 750 A and it has a power-supply
rejection ratio of 25 V/V. Those factors make the OP-41 ideal for
use in battery-powered systems. Slew rate is symmetrical, and,
despite the device's low current drain, is a respectable 1.3 V/s.
Offset voltage has been reduced to less than 500 V so external
nulling is un necessary in many applications.

Other features include a maximum bias current of five pA, and a

guaranteed gain of 1 million into a 2K load. Linearity is good in both
high and low gain configurations. As a voltage follower, the CMRR
effects dominate linearity, and, in high-gain service, open-loop gain
dominates linearity.
Further, the OP-41 recovers rapidly from signal overload.
Following saturation at the positive supply, the output recovers in
only 6 s, and recovery from a negative overdrive takes only 100
ns.
The superior performance characteristics of the OP-41 make it an
excellent output amplifier for a CMOS DAC (Digital to analog
Converter). The OP-41's low, stable bias current would make it an
excellent choice as a photodiode amplifier in medical applications.
At unity gain, the output can drive 250 pF without oscillating.
The OP-41'S superior characteristics and a pin out that is identical to
the industry standard 741 make it simple for the designer to up
grade an existing low power bipolar JFET design.
An 11-page data sheet contains performance curves for various
characteristics including bias current vs. temperature, bias current
vs. common-mode voltage, supply current vs. supply voltage, and
power supply rejection vs. frequency. Also included in the data sheet
are circuits for testing and measuring performance characteristics.
In addition, several applications diagrams, including a high Q notch
filter, a current to voltage converter, and an amplifier for piezoelectric
transducers, are included. But perhaps the most interesting and
useful application is the low current ammeter shown here in Fig. 1.
The circuit can measure current as low as a few pA and. as high as
100 A in six switch ranges.
Unlike many low current ammeters, the one shown here does not
require high-value precision resistors. As you can see, the desired
range is selected from a tap on a voltage divider made up of six 1%
(or better) 511 ohm resistors. The ammeter's accuracy is1% or
better over most of its range; accuracy depends on the decade
resistors (R6-R11) and on the OP-41'S input bias current.
Any good ammeter should cause very little voltage drop across its
input terminals. The voltage drop across the input of the OP-41 is
less than 500 V, so that makes it effective as a low
current metering device.
The circuit works as follows.