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 ...

The operational amplifier, or op amp, is one of the most basic building blocks used in analog circuits. Ever since single-chip op amps were introduced in the 1960s, thousands of different types have ...

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 ...

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

Andy recommends favorite resources for basic op amp circuits and includes a portion of TI's AN-20. Test your knowledge with our op amp quiz; answer explanations are included. By 1969, a fledgling ...