Zero-drift amplifier from Analog Devices achieves industry’s lowest voltage noise

NORWOOD, USA: Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) has introduced the industry’s lowest-noise, zero-drift operational amplifier. The ADA4528 zero-drift op amp is designed for instrumentation and medical applications that require precision over time and temperature without system calibration.

The breakthrough design achieves an ultra-low integrated voltage noise of 99 nVp-p over 0.1 Hz - 10 Hz meaning that the ADA4528 delivers a 26 percent lower voltage noise at 40 percent less power consumption than the closest competing amplifiers. This improves system SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) and lowers the noise floor, enabling 24-bit resolution over 150 kHz in A/D converters while improving system accuracy.

The 5.3-nV/rtHz voltage noise density allows designers for the first time to use the zero-drift amplifier in broadband applications, such as piezoelectric transducers and precision data acquisition systems.

“This new precision amplifier is a flagship product in ADI's operational amplifier portfolio,” said Peter Real, vice president, Linear and Radio Frequency Products and Technology Group, Analog Devices. “ADI's unique, patented chopping technique allows the ADA4528 to achieve the high levels of accuracy required for low-frequency sensor measurements in systems such as data acquisition, weigh scale and precision medical instrumentation applications.”

The ADA4528 zero-drift amplifier offers low offset voltage of 2.5 µV max and the industry’s lowest guaranteed offset-voltage drift of 0.015 µV/˚C max. It has a 140 dB gain and a CMRR (common-mode rejection ratio) of 135 dB and a 130 dB PSRR (power-supply rejection ratio), making it well-suited for precision amplification of low-level signals in applications such as position and pressure sensors, strain gages, and medical instrumentation.

The ADA4528 is fully specified to operate from a 2.2-V to 5.5-V single-voltage supply over the extended industrial temperature range (−40°C to +125°C) and is available in an 8-lead MSOP (Mini Small Outline Package).