LM248DR

LM248DR Application Field and Working Principle

The LM248DR is part of a wide range of operational amplifiers (Op-Amps) that are specifically tailored for use in instrumentation applications. It is well suited for low-voltage electrical engineering applications, high-speed ADC (analog-to-digital converter) operations and high-resolution DA (digital-to-analog) operations. LM248DR op-amps are very power efficient and can be used in a wide range of applications, such as operational amplifiers, buffers, instrumentation amplifiers, noise cancellers, and voltage followers.

The LM248DR has two important operating parameters, which are the gain-bandwidth product (BW) and the slew rate (SR). The BW specifies the lower frequency at which the amplifier can accurately amplify signals and is usually about 5 MHz; the SR specifies how fast the amplifier can respond to input signals and is usually about 10V/μs for the LM248DR.

Working Principle

The LM248DR’s working principle is based on the differential-pair structure of two transistors, which are connected to form an inverter and are operated in an open-loop configuration. An input signal, or a voltage difference, is applied on the same transistors, resulting in an output signal being produced. The output signal is inverted and is then amplified by an internal amplifier. The differential-pair structure of the design allows the amplifier to reject any external noise as well as internal noise.

The main advantage of the LM248DR over other op-amp designs is its excellent noise immunity. As mentioned above, the differential-pair structure of the amplifier ensures that the input and output signals are inverted, thus reducing the chances of any interference caused by external noise. Moreover, the package of the LM248DR also offers protection against electrostatic charges and provides electromagnetic shielding, reducing the chances of noise interference.

Applications

A common application of the LM248DR is in the development and testing of analog-to-digital conversion systems. The LM248DR offers a high gain bandwidth product, which is beneficial for this purpose. The amplifier can accurately and quickly capture small signals, such as those generated by individual press cycles of an analog switch or tiny vibrations in a piezoelectric pressure sensor.

This amplifier is also widely used in digital-to-analog conversion systems. Its great noise immunity is ideal when dealing with fast changing signals, such as those generated by a DAC system. The amplifier ensures that any noises that might be present in a digital signal can be effectively rejected while still accurately amplifying the input signal.

In addition to its usages in ADC and DAC systems, the LM248DR is commonly used for instrumentation applications in general, such as buffering and noise rejection. Its input and output stages are designed to reduce the chances of interference from external noise sources and provide a remarkably clean and stable signal. This makes the LM248DR an ideal choice for a wide range of applications, such as signal processing, signal conditioning, and data acquisition.