Billed as the first operational amplifier (op amp) to offer both zero-drift and zero-crossover technology, the OPA388 maintains high precision across the entire input range for a variety of industrial applications, including test and measurement, medical and safety equipment, and high-resolution data-acquisition systems.
Developed by Texas Instruments, the OPA388 realizes ultra-high input linearity and precision. The zero-drift technology eliminates temperature drift and flicker noise to attain high dc precision and dynamic error correction, while zero-crossover topology eliminates offset errors caused by common-mode limitations to realize linear output and true rail-to-rail input operation.
The OPA388 zero-crossover topology eliminates the input offset transition region of traditional complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) op amps, assuring maximum linearity and minimal distortion across the entire common-mode input range. Zero-drift technology delivers a low maximum offset voltage of 5 µV, a typical offset voltage drift of 0.005 μV/°C and a maximum input bias current of 700 pA over the extended industrial temperature range of -40°C to 125°C. This eliminates the need for costly over-temperature calibration and increases DC precision.
With a 10-MHz gain-bandwidth product (GBW), the OPA388 enables high gain configurations and makes it possible to acquire a wide range of signal types and frequencies to support equipment ranging from precision weigh scales to heart-rate monitors. Ultra-low total harmonic distortion of -132 dBc and voltage noise of 7 nV/√Hz help produce a high-resolution signal chain for specialized applications such as programmable logic controllers, precision field transmitters and motion-control equipment.
The merging of zero-drift and zero-crossover technology reduces signal-chain complexity and external component count, allowing designers to minimize board space and bill of materials (BOM) cost.
Texas Instruments offers a range of support tools for designers using the OPA388, including a reference design that demonstrates how to use the precision op amp to eliminate crossover nonlinearity in digital-to-analog converters. The reference design uses the DAC8830 precision data converter and REF5050 voltage reference, which combine to create an accurate dc calibration system for high-precision applications for wireless infrastructure and test and measurement.
The OPA388 is priced at US$0.98 in 1,000-unit quantities and comes in a 4.9-mm-by-3.9-mm small-outline integrated circuit (SOIC) package.
To learn more about TI’s amplifier portfolio, view the OPA388 op amp data sheet, download a PSPICE or TINA-TI software model to simulate the OPA388, and get help with designs in the TI E2E Community Precision Amplifiers forum.