Difference Amplifier range.

The following three conditions must be met:

(3)
Forms Heart of Precision within op amp input range

Current Source (4)

within SENSE pin voltage range = 2×(–VS) – 0.2 V to 2×(+VS) – 3 V
By Neil Zhao, Reem Malik, and Wenshuai Liao
Precision current sources provide a constant current in many (5)
applications, including industrial process control, instrumentation,
medical equipment, and consumer products. For example, current within AD8276 output voltage range = –VS + 0.2 V to +VS – 0.2 V
sources are used to provide excitation for resistance-temperature The SENSE pin can tolerate voltages almost twice as large as the
detectors (RTDs) in process-control systems; to measure unknown supplies, so the second limitation will be very loose. The wide
resistors, capacitors, and diodes in digital multimeters; and to drive 2.5-V to 36-V supply range makes the AD8276 ideal for many
4-mA to 20-mA current loops, which are widely used to transmit applications. The maximum gain error of A- and B-grades is
information over long distances. 0.05% and 0.02%, respectively, allowing current sources with up
Precision current sources have traditionally been built using op to 0.02% accuracy to be achieved.
amps, resistors, and other discrete components—with limitations
Configuration Variations
due to size, accuracy, and temperature drift. Now, high-precision,
For cost-sensitive applications that can tolerate a little more error,
low-power, low-cost integrated difference amplifiers,1 such as the
the circuit can be simplified by removing the feedback buffer, as
AD8276, can be used to achieve smaller, higher performance
shown in Figure 2.
current sources, as shown in Figure 1. The feedback buffer
uses amplifiers with low offset and low bias current, such With
as t he A D8538, A D8603, A D8605, A D8628, A D8655,
AD8661, AD8663, OP177, or OP1177, depending on the required (6)
current range. the output current is
+V

(7)
7
+VS SENSE
5
RF1 40kΩ where:
–IN RG1 40kΩ T1
2 OUT
VREF RG2 40kΩ 6 (8)
3 VOUT
+IN +5V
R1 and
REF 3
5 VLOAD
AD8276 1
1
–VS RF2 40kΩ AD8603 RLOAD
4 4 IO (9)
2

5V

Figure 1. Difference amp and op amp form precision

current source. 7
+VS SENSE
5
RF1 40kΩ
The output current can be calculated as follows: –IN RG1 40kΩ
2 OUT
VREF RG2 40kΩ 6
3 VOUT
+IN
R1
REF
AD8276 4 VLOAD
–VS RF2 40kΩ
(1) 4
IO
RLOAD

If R g1 = R g2 = R f1 = R f2, the equation can be reduced to: Figure 2. Simplified circuit eliminates feedback amplifier.

If the required output current is less than 15 mA—the output

(2)
capability of AD8276—then the boost transistor can be eliminated,
as shown in Figure 3. If both low current and reduced accuracy
The maximum output current is limited by the op amp input range, are acceptable, the simpler, lower-cost configuration of Figure 4
difference amp output range, and diff amp SENSE pin voltage can be employed.

Analog Dialogue 43-09 Back Burner, September (2009) www.analog.com/analogdialogue 1

 +V
The output current can be calculated as:

7
+VS SENSE
5
(10)
RF1 40kΩ
–IN RG1 40kΩ
2 OUT
RG2 40kΩ 6 VOUT
VREF
3 If ideally matched, RG1 = RG2 = R F1 = R F2 = 40 kΩ and R1 = R 2,
+IN +5V R1 the output current is:
REF 3
5 VLOAD
AD8276 1
1
–VS RF2 40kΩ AD8603
4 4 IO
RLOAD (11)
2

External resistors R1 and R 2 should have ultra-high-precision and

matching, or the output current will vary with the load, an error
that cannot be corrected with software.
Figure 3. Simplified circuit for low-current applications.
Peripheral Components
The input voltage, V REF, can be a DAC output, voltage reference,
+V or transducer output. If a programmable current source is needed,
precision 14- or 16-bit DACs, such as the AD5640, AD5660,
7 AD5643R, and AD5663R are recommended. For voltage
+VS SENSE
references, the precision ADR42x, ADR44x are recommended
5 for higher performance; the ADR36x is recommended for low
RF1 40kΩ power; the AD158x and ADR504x are recommended for low
–IN RG1 40kΩ
2 OUT cost; and the ADR82x integrated op amp and voltage reference is
VREF RG2 40kΩ 6 VOUT recommended for small size.
3
+IN R1
The reference can connect to either the inverting or the non-
inverting input of the AD8276. If using the non-inverting input,
REF
AD8276 1 VLOAD the common-mode voltage will be
–VS RF2 40kΩ
4 RLOAD REF LOAD
(12)
IO

and the output current will be

Figure 4. Simplified circuit for low-cost,

low-current applications. (13)

Figure 5 shows a topology that can be used for high-current, high- If using the inverting input, the common-mode voltage will be
accuracy applications without the limitation of op amp input range.
(14)
+V

and the output current will be

7
+VS SENSE
5 (15)
RF1 40kΩ
–IN RG1 40kΩ
2 R1
OUT When using the inverting input, a buffer amplifier is required; the
VREF RG2 40kΩ 6
3
non-inverting input is thus recommended for simplicity.
VOUT
+IN
R2 Transistor Selection
REF
AD8276 1 VLOAD When selecting the boost transistor, make sure that VC is higher
–VS RF2 40kΩ than the power supply voltage and IC is higher than the desired
4 RLOAD output current. Low cost devices such as 2N3904, 2N4401, and
IO
2N3391 are recommended. For lower current, the transistor is
not needed.

Figure 5. Difference amp and matched resistors form Experimental Bench Results and Analysis
precision current source. The input voltage versus output current measured using the circuit

2 Analog Dialogue 43-09 Back Burner, September (2009)

of Figure 1 is shown in Figure 6. The AD8276 and AD8603 are References
powered by +5 V. The tolerance of R1 is 0.1%. The transistor is ( I nfor mation on all A DI components can be fou nd at
a 2N3904. The reference was swept from 0.05 V to 1.20 V with www.analog.com)
0.01-V steps. The input range is limited by the power supply and 1
the AD8603 input range. www.analog.com/en/amplifiers-and-comparators/current-sense-
amplifiers/products/index.html
The maximum error is 0.87%, and the average is 0.10%. The
current sense error is limited by the external resistors. Higher
accuracy resistors will produce higher accuracy current sources. Authors
Conclusion Neil Zhao [[email protected]] is a field
The AD8276 difference amplifier—with its low offset voltage, low applications engineer in ADI’s China Applications
offset voltage drift, low gain error, low gain drift, and integrated Support Team, where he has been working
resistors—can be used to implement accurate, stable current for one and a half years. He is responsible for
sources. Its wide power supply range (2.5 V to 36 V) allows it to technical support for core analog products across
accommodate a wide range of loads. Its space-saving 8-lead MSOP China. Neil graduated in January 2008 from
package and its low power dissipation make it ideal for battery Beihang University with a master’s degree in
powered and portable systems. Implementing a precision current communication and information systems. He
source with a difference amplifier can reduce PCB area, simplify has published articles in Analog Dialogue, EDN, Well Logging
layout, decrease system cost, and improve reliability. Technology, and Electronic Measurement Technology.
30 Reem Malik [[email protected]] is an
applications engineer in ADI’s Integrated Amplifier
25
Products (IAP) Group in Wilmington, MA. She
supports customers in the instrumentation,
industrial, and medical areas, and is responsible
20
for products such as difference amplifiers and
variable gain amplifiers. Reem holds BSEE and
IOUT (mA)

15 MSEE degrees, both from Worcester Polytechnic

Institute, earned in 2003 and 2008, respectively. She joined Analog
10 Devices in June 2008.
Wenshuai Liao [[email protected]]
5 IOUT
IDEAL (mA) is a marketing engineer in ADI’s Integrated
Amplifier Products (IAP) group located in Beijing,
0 China. After earning a master’s degree in optical
0 0.5 1.0 1.5
VREF (V)
engineering from Tsinghua University, Wenshuai
spent three years as a TD-SCDMA Node B RF
Figure 6. Test result using difference amp and engineer at Datang Telecommunications Group.
feedback amp. (See Figure 1) He joined ADI in 2002.

Difference Amplifiers
Common- Supply Supply Supply
Bandwidth CMRR Gain VOS TC Gain TC Temperature Price
Model Mode Voltage Voltage Current Package
(MHz typ) (dB) Range (µV/°C) (ppm/°C) Range (1000s)
Range (V) (VMIN ) (VMAX) (mA)
AD8270 –VS to +VS 10 98 1.5 +5 +36 2.5 1.5 1 –40 to +125 LFCSP $1.91
–VS –0.4 to
AD8271 15 80 1.5 +2.5 +36 2.6 2 2 –40 to +85 MSOP $1.25
+VS+0.4
AD8273 ±40 20 86 1.5 +5 +36 2.5 3 2 –40 to +125 SOIC $1.67
MSOP,
AD8274 ±3 10 86 1.5 +5 +36 2.6 3 0.5 –40 to +85 $1.05
SOIC
AD8275 –13 to +24 15 96 0.2 +3.3 +15 2.3 2.5 0.3 –40 to +85 MSOP $1.60
2(–VS)+0.2 MSOP,
AD8276 0.55 86 1 +2.5 +36 0.22 2 1 –40 to +125 $1.00
to 2(+VS)–3 SOIC

Analog Dialogue 43-09 Back Burner, September (2009) 3