EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Electronics => Beginners => Topic started by: G-son on September 25, 2022, 06:38:18 pm
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Got some op amps coming and intend to putting some circuits together on the breadboard to give myself a refresher course in electronics - it's been over 20 years since school. So no intended actual use for the circuits right now, other than waking up some long lost memories and having some fun seeing the circuits do what they're supposed to do (or trying to figure out why they don't).
I have no problem finding the most basic example circuits; voltage followers, inverting and non-inverting amplifiers and so on, even integrators and derivators, but once we get beyond those I'm not finding very many good and interesting examples that could be fun to give a try. Anybody know a good source for a collection of examples? (I tried searching the forum, but couldn't limit the search to just the right kind of topics, just got an information overload.)
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National Semiconductor (now Ti snla140) has a rather long Appl. note Nr 31 (Op Amp Circuit Collection) that gives a long lost of OP-amp circuits.
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TI App Report SBOA092A Oct 2001 "HANDBOOK OF OPERATIONAL AMPLIFIER
APPLICATIONS": http://www.talkingelectronics.com/PDF/opamphandbook.pdf (http://www.talkingelectronics.com/PDF/opamphandbook.pdf)
Cheatsheet: https://www.reddit.com/r/cheatsheets/comments/35a6dm/op_amp_cheat_sheet_xpost_rengineeringstudents/ (https://www.reddit.com/r/cheatsheets/comments/35a6dm/op_amp_cheat_sheet_xpost_rengineeringstudents/)
Also Google for "op amp cookbook pdf".
Especially "Radio Shack - Engineer's Mini-Notebook - Op Amp IC Circuits"
You can make a simple yet very useful constant current load: http://www.kerrywong.com/2013/03/08/constant-current-dummy-load-in-an-hdd-cooler/ (http://www.kerrywong.com/2013/03/08/constant-current-dummy-load-in-an-hdd-cooler/)
PWM genarator: https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/239781/weird-op-amp-voltage-increase-when-using-ac-dc-power-supply (https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/239781/weird-op-amp-voltage-increase-when-using-ac-dc-power-supply)
Function generator: http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/Function-generator-circuit.php (http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/Function-generator-circuit.php)
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Lots of good reading there. Excellent! Diving right into it!
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Really good links those, especially "talking electronics" and the AN-31 note, thanks. Really useful for generating ideas about how do build up further circuits.
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https://web.mit.edu/6.101/www/reference/op_amps_everyone.pdf
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I have built many Op Amp based devices over the years. Audio mixers, preamps, distribution amplifiers, control circuits, filters, etc. I often started with a refresher dive into the "IC op-amp Cookbook" by Walter G. Jung which I have read cover-to-cover at least twice. It may have been published a long time ago, but the circuits in it still work, even with more modern ICs.
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/ic-op-amp-cookbook-by-walter-g-jung-1974-05-03/19020865/item/27539684/?mkwid=%7cdc&pcrid=77447014569095&pkw=&pmt=be&slid=&product=27539684&plc=&pgrid=1239149857881917&ptaid=pla-4581046490479305&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping+%7c+Everything+Else&utm_term=&utm_content=%7cdc%7cpcrid%7c77447014569095%7cpkw%7c%7cpmt%7cbe%7cproduct%7c27539684%7cslid%7c%7cpgrid%7c1239149857881917%7cptaid%7cpla-4581046490479305%7c&msclkid=f65a4197922514fd6d0522a72f0f4a3f#idiq=27539684&edition=20287496 (https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/ic-op-amp-cookbook-by-walter-g-jung-1974-05-03/19020865/item/27539684/?mkwid=%7cdc&pcrid=77447014569095&pkw=&pmt=be&slid=&product=27539684&plc=&pgrid=1239149857881917&ptaid=pla-4581046490479305&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping+%7c+Everything+Else&utm_term=&utm_content=%7cdc%7cpcrid%7c77447014569095%7cpkw%7c%7cpmt%7cbe%7cproduct%7c27539684%7cslid%7c%7cpgrid%7c1239149857881917%7cptaid%7cpla-4581046490479305%7c&msclkid=f65a4197922514fd6d0522a72f0f4a3f#idiq=27539684&edition=20287496)
You don't say which op amp you have ordered, but there surely is at least a spec sheet on it, if not some application notes. Do a search for those on the Digi-Key, Mouser, or the manufacturer's site.
For a deeper understanding of the theory a good book is "Handbook of Integrated-Circuit Operational Amplifiers" by George B. Rutkowski. But Jung's book has more real life circuits in it.
As for interesting circuits, the one I remember most was a circuit that took the signal strength voltage from a microwave receiver (video/audio link for news feeds) and developed an audible signal that allowed the listener to track a moving transmitter. It created a tone where the frequency and the duration of the tone both changed with the signal strength. This made it easier for the listener to know when he was closer to the correct direction when the transmitter was on a helicopter, flying around. A short, low frequency tone meant you were about to lose it and a longer, high frequency tone meant you were right on.
There is almost no end to the applications of op amps in the analog world.
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I have a lot of fun with analog computing. If you are interested in 2d order ordinary differential equations (Mass Spring Damper or LC circuit), you can build up an analog computer like Dr. Vogels
http://www.analogmuseum.org/english/homebrew/vogel/ (http://www.analogmuseum.org/english/homebrew/vogel/)
A picture of my unmounted version is attached. It's hard to believe it's been 8 years since I took that photo...
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Search for "Design with Operational Amplifiers and Analog Integrated Circuits" by Sergio Franco.
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Art of Electronix by Horowitz and Hill
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For more advanced stuff, look at more general application notes. National Semiconductor and Linear Technology released a lot of them.
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You don't say which op amp you have ordered, but there surely is at least a spec sheet on it, if not some application notes.
...
There is almost no end to the applications of op amps in the analog world.
Most are LM358, and a few NE5532. Should get me started, I think. There's indeed some good info in the spec sheets (and spec sheets for other op amps).
The vast possibilities for op amps is why I want to brush up on using them. I've come across some problems from time to time that could have been solved using op amps and other basic electronics, but the step from realizing it can be done to figuring out how to actually do it has been a bit too large at the time. Maybe next time, if I've already tried out a suitable circuit on the breadboard then so I've got a feel for it already...
Thanks to all of you for all the great suggestions! I have a lot of reading to do now!
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there's also the blue book from national, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cyril-Mechkov/post/Opamp-with-both-positive-and-negative-feedback/attachment/5d53d5accfe4a7968dc04c51/AS%3A791733034053632%401565775273484/download/NationalSemiconductorLinearApplicationsHandbook1994_text.pdf (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cyril-Mechkov/post/Opamp-with-both-positive-and-negative-feedback/attachment/5d53d5accfe4a7968dc04c51/AS%3A791733034053632%401565775273484/download/NationalSemiconductorLinearApplicationsHandbook1994_text.pdf)
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Depending on where you ordered you components from, be aware of many reports of counterfeit parts. If you start getting unexpected results from your circuits, unless you bought from one of the major parts houses like DigiKey, Farnell's etc, at least consider this a possibility before you trash your circuit. My first thought is who would bother faking a LM358, but there have been reports of it happening, or at least people have claimed they got fake jellybean IC's.
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there's also the blue book from national, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cyril-Mechkov/post/Opamp-with-both-positive-and-negative-feedback/attachment/5d53d5accfe4a7968dc04c51/AS%3A791733034053632%401565775273484/download/NationalSemiconductorLinearApplicationsHandbook1994_text.pdf (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cyril-Mechkov/post/Opamp-with-both-positive-and-negative-feedback/attachment/5d53d5accfe4a7968dc04c51/AS%3A791733034053632%401565775273484/download/NationalSemiconductorLinearApplicationsHandbook1994_text.pdf)
Thanks for this link -- it's nice to have a compilation of all of the National app notes in one place.
After some sleuthing I found a trove of old National publications on the Internet Archive:
https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_national (https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_national)
Doing a metadata query, for instance, on "linear applications" will yield a couple of different editions of that publication.
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A treasure trove. www.analog.com/en/education/education-library/op-amp-applications-handbook.html (http://www.analog.com/en/education/education-library/op-amp-applications-handbook.html)
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All about opamps configurations in 4 pages: :)
http://www.philbrickarchive.org/1964-1_v12_no1_the_lightning_empiricist.htm (http://www.philbrickarchive.org/1964-1_v12_no1_the_lightning_empiricist.htm)
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41 Projects using 741 OP Amp - by M.C. Sharma, M. Sc. - 1982
https://pdfcookie.com/documents/41-projects-using-ic-741-op-amp-z3ld8d7y8gv4 (https://pdfcookie.com/documents/41-projects-using-ic-741-op-amp-z3ld8d7y8gv4)
Amplifier Applications Guide, Edited by Walt Kester, Analog Devices, 1992, ISBN-0-916550-10-9.
This book focuses primarily on amplifiers and their applications, with emphasis on single-supply and precision. The chapter on non-linear circuit applications was written by Barrie Gilbert. The book was written shortly after Analog Devices acquired Precision Monolithics (PMI) and includes contributions from applications engineers from PMI as well as Analog Devices.
The Amplifier Applications Guide book is available for download:
https://www.analog.com/en/education/education-library/amplifier-applications-guide.html (https://www.analog.com/en/education/education-library/amplifier-applications-guide.html)
Op Amp Applications Handbook, Edited by Walt Jung, Published by Newnes/Elsevier, 2005, ISBN-0-7506-7844-5 (Also published as Op Amp Applications, Analog Devices, 2002, ISBN-0-916550-26-5).
This may well be the ultimate op amp book. It is brimming with application circuits, handy design tips, historical perspectives, and in-depth looks at the latest techniques to simplify designs and improve their performance. But this is more than just the last word on applications. A brief but fascinating History section outlines the early development of the feedback amplifier, starting with H. S. Black’s invention of seventy years ago—and provides priceless insights into the application needs, technological developments, and creative personalities that drove the many generations of op-amp designs.
The Op Amp Applications book is available for download:
https://www.analog.com/en/education/education-library/op-amp-applications-handbook.html (https://www.analog.com/en/education/education-library/op-amp-applications-handbook.html)
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How about building an analog computer. Hours of fun. Build it one function at a time. An analog synth is an analog computer- go Kraftwerk.
Loads of cool things to try eg. chaos.
the-analog-thing.org/docs/dirhtml/rst/applications/roessler_attractor/aplaca_1/
eg archive.org/details/anacomp/100001/mode/1up
You can still get most of the parts albeit more modern ones. You can mix in digital IO. Analog is the future.
Here's some analog computer sex on stilts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_computer#/media/File:AKAT-1.JPG (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_computer#/media/File:AKAT-1.JPG)
https://www.analog.com/en/education/education-library/nonlinear-circuits-handbook.html (https://www.analog.com/en/education/education-library/nonlinear-circuits-handbook.html)
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How about building an analog computer.
"Applications Manual for Computing Amplifiers for Modeling, Measuring, Manipulating, and Much Else" George A. Philbrick Researches, 1966
Webpage ToC: https://www.analog.com/en/education/education-library/applications-manual-computing-amplifiers.html (https://www.analog.com/en/education/education-library/applications-manual-computing-amplifiers.html)
Full book PDF: https://www.analog.com/media/en/training-seminars/design-handbooks/Application-Manual-for-computing-amplifiers/application-manual-computing_amplifiers.pdf (https://www.analog.com/media/en/training-seminars/design-handbooks/Application-Manual-for-computing-amplifiers/application-manual-computing_amplifiers.pdf)
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I might be spending all my time reading these gold mines rather than making circuits. But that's probably a good thing anyway. ;D
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Start by plugging an opamp into the breadboard first.
Or else one could read for a lifetime about opamps and never build anything. :scared:
More opamp books, by Jerald G Graeme from former Burr-Brown, search for:
"Designing With Operational Amplifiers - Application Alternatives"
"Applications of Operational Amplifiers - Third Generation Techniques"
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Start by plugging an opamp into the breadboard first.
Or else one could read for a lifetime about opamps and never build anything. :scared:
Way ahead of you. :D Got a LM358 (starting cheap) along with a linear hall effect sensor on there now, in an attempt to DIY a current clamp. Currently running ½358 as 100x gain inverting amplifier and ½358 as a voltage follower to adjust a reference voltage to the same level as the sensor gives as zero point (2.5V).
So far promising results, good enough for connecting to a volt meter, but a bit too noisy for the oscilloscope - I'll probably try a low noise op amp for that later.
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Got a LM358 (starting cheap) along with a linear hall effect sensor on there now, in an attempt to DIY a current clamp. Currently running ½358 as 100x gain inverting amplifier and ½358 as a voltage follower to adjust a reference voltage to the same level as the sensor gives as zero point (2.5V).
Congrats! :-+