Analog Circuit Design Volume Three

Chapter 408

Instrumentation amplifiers maximize output swing on low voltage supplies

Glen Brisebois

Abstract

New instrumentation amplifiers that maximize output swing on low voltage supplies are described.

Keywords

Instrumentation amplifier

output swing

LTC6800

LT1789-10

Introduction

Instrumentation amplifiers suffer from a chronic output swing problem, even when the input common mode range and output voltage swing specifications are not violated. This is because the first stage of an instrumentation amplifier has internal output voltages that can clip at unspecified levels. The clipping itself is invisible to the user, but it affects the output swing adversely, usually causing a gain reduction and thus an invalid result. The new ...