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 unnecessary in many
applications.

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

guaranteed gain of1 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. Fol-

lowing 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.