Yearly archives: 2015

Last time we looked at low pass filters, this time high-pass; it’s opposite day. We also take a brief look at capacitor types, as they are critically important to filter design. High Pass High-pass filters are encountered a little less frequently than the basic first-order low-pass, but they do have […]

Cooking with Op-Amps, part 9: High-Pass Filters!

25 Dec, 2015 in Expertise by lj

Last time around, we embraced failure in wilfully destabilizing an op-amp. This time, we look at filters. We use a filter when only some frequencies of input signal are desired. The subject of filters is huge, and there’s no way to cover it exhaustively in a blog post. We can, […]

Cooking with Op-Amps, part 8: Low Pass Filters!

23 Dec, 2015 in Expertise by lj

Last time we looked at configuring an op-amp with negative feedback, but with enough reactive (phase shifting) components to make it unstable. The trouble with the amplifier of choice is that it’s a very low-bandwidth part, intended for use amplifying slow or nearly DC signals. The size of components required […]

Cooking with Op-Amps, part 7: Test it!

17 Dec, 2015 in Expertise by lj

Last time around we explored setting gain in inverting and non-inverting configurations, and how phase affects performance. This time, we embrace failure, in theory. We learn more when things go wrong, and an unstable amplifier could be classed as having gone wrong. Instead of waiting like lambs for the (ahem) […]

Cooking with Op-Amps, part 6: Make it Fail!

17 Dec, 2015 in Expertise by lj

Last time around it was all about the basics of gain and closing the feedback loop. Building on that, we go into adjusting the gain, look at the phase relationship between inputs and output, and explore why it matters. Setting Gain There are two very basic configurations for stable feedback […]

Cooking with Op-Amps, part 5: Feedback, Gain, & Phase.

26 Nov, 2015 in Expertise by lj

So far we’ve covered input impedance, output impedance, offset voltage, and talked a little noise; so what’s left? It gets more interesting as complexity increases; this time around it’s about gain, and a first look at using feedback to close the control loop. This is one of those weird areas […]

Cooking with Op-Amps, part 4: Gain Bandwidth Product.

10 Nov, 2015 in Expertise by lj

Previously we looked at the inputs, what they look like inside the amplifier, and the differences between ideal and real behaviour. This time we look at what comes out the front end of the amplifier. When hooking up a source (power supply / battery / amplifier) to a load (appliance […]