So I'm guessing that no opamps exist out there with the ability of accepting inputs beyond the limits of its power sources?

I think the answer to my question already lies within the datasheet that you've just posted:

The absolute maximum input voltage is 300 mV beyond either supply rail at room temperature. Voltages greatly exceeding this absolute maximum rating, as in Figure 54, can cause excessive current to flow in or out of the input pins possibly affecting reliability.

 

I suspect that most of us, whether engineers or hobbyists (or both), have a fairly short list of "preferred" op amps that we tend to use again and again in our designs, selected for specific characteristics that make them good performers in one application or another. I've listed my stable of preferred parts below, arranged in roughly descending order of usage, and summarized their important (to me, anyway) characteristics.

What parts do you use, and why? I'd be especially interested in hearing about any that might be good additions to the list, or might be superior substitutes for one or more parts I currently use.

My list, including links to data sheets:

LMC6482: General-purpose dual/quad CMOS op amp with rail-to-rail inputs and output and EXTREMELY low input bias current (0.02 pA typ). Input offset voltage is 3 mV max with 1 uV/C stability. Operates on single supplies as low as 3 volts. Input voltage noise density is 37 nV/rt-Hz, so not suited to low-noise applications. Low input current makes it useful for interfacing high-impedance signal sources such as piezoelectric sensors. Key features: RRIO and low Ib.

TL071/2/4: General-purpose single/dual/quad JFET input op amp for routine work. Somewhat faster than a 741 (3 MHz GBW, 13 V/us SR). Inputs and output are not rail-to-rail, therefore limited usefulness in single-supply applications. Unsuitable for precision applications due to low open-loop voltage gain, high input offset voltage and offset voltage drift, and noise. Minimum supply voltage +/- 5V. Key feature: very low cost.

LT1490A: Bipolar dual micropower op amp with rail-to-rail inputs and output. 50 uA maximum supply current per amplifier. Operates on supply voltages from +/- 1.5V to +/- 22V. Has a unique input stage with an input common-mode range up to +44V relative to V-, regardless of supply voltage. Input noise and offset voltage drift make it somewhat unsuitable for precision work. Key features: RRIO and low power.

LT1793: JFET input op amp with good input specs: 250 uV Vos, 4 pA Ib, low input voltage noise (6 nV/rt-Hz typ.), low input current noise (0.8 fA/rt-Hz typ.), and low 1/f noise corner frequency make it good for interfacing with high-impedance sensors such as piezoelectric accelerometers. Inputs and outputs are not rail-to-rail and minimum total supply voltage is 10V, therefore limited usefulness in single-supply applications. Key features: low noise and high input impedance.

OP177G: Bipolar precision op amp with very low Vos (20 uV typ.) and Vos drift (0.7 uV/C typ.) Low noise (en = 10 nV/rt-Hz) and low 1/f noise corner frequency (2 Hz). Inputs and output are not rail-to-rail, therefore limited usefulness in single-supply applications. Somewhat slow (GBW = 600 kHz). Good for processing thermocouple signals. Key features: low input offset and offset drift.

NE5532: Bipolar dual low-noise op amp optimized for high-quality audio work. Input noise is 5 nV/rt-Hz. Fast (10 MHz, 9 V/us). Inputs and output are not rail-to-rail, therefore limited usefulness in single-supply applications. Minimum supply voltage is +/- 5 volts. High input bias current (800 nA max), low open-loop voltage gain (2200 min) and low input resistance (30 k min) make it unsuitable for precision applications. Key feature: low noise.

LM6171: Bipolar VERY high-speed op amp for applications working with MHz signals. GBW is 100 MHz, slew rate is 3600 V/us. Inputs and output are not rail-to-rail, therefore limited usefulness in single-supply applications. Minimum supply voltage is +/- 3 volts. High input bias current (3 uA max) makes it unsuitable for precision applications. Key feature: high speed.

MAX44246: Bipolar single/dual/quad precision chopper-stabilized op amp with 5 uV max. Vos and 20 nV/C max Vos drift. Low noise (en = 9 nV/rt-Hz typ.) and ZERO 1/f noise. Fairly fast (GBW = 5 MHz, SR = 3.8 V/us). Output is rail-to-rail, inputs can range from V- to (V+ - 1.5) volts. Not available in DIP package. Key features: extremely low Vos and Vos drift, and complete absence of 1/f noise.

LT1496: Bipolar quad op amp with extremely low supply current: 1 uA per amplifier. Output is rail-to rail, input voltage range at 25C goes from V- to (V- + 36V) regardless of supply voltage. Minimum total supply voltage is 2.1 volts. Very slow (GBW = 2.7 kHz), very noisy (en = 185 nV/rt-Hz), and very limited output drive (Isc = 700 uA). Key features: extremely low supply current, low minimum supply voltage.

I'm

I suspect that most of us, whether engineers or hobbyists (or both), have a fairly short list of "preferred" op amps that we tend to use again and again in our designs, selected for specific characteristics that make them good performers in one application or another. I've listed my stable of preferred parts below, arranged in roughly descending order of usage, and summarized their important (to me, anyway) characteristics.

What parts do you use, and why? I'd be especially interested in hearing about any that might be good additions to the list, or might be superior substitutes for one or more parts I currently use.

My list, including links to data sheets:

LMC6482: General-purpose dual/quad CMOS op amp with rail-to-rail inputs and output and EXTREMELY low input bias current (0.02 pA typ). Input offset voltage is 3 mV max with 1 uV/C stability. Operates on single supplies as low as 3 volts. Input voltage noise density is 37 nV/rt-Hz, so not suited to low-noise applications. Low input current makes it useful for interfacing high-impedance signal sources such as piezoelectric sensors. Key features: RRIO and low Ib.

TL071/2/4: General-purpose single/dual/quad JFET input op amp for routine work. Somewhat faster than a 741 (3 MHz GBW, 13 V/us SR). Inputs and output are not rail-to-rail, therefore limited usefulness in single-supply applications. Unsuitable for precision applications due to low open-loop voltage gain, high input offset voltage and offset voltage drift, and noise. Minimum supply voltage +/- 5V. Key feature: very low cost.

LT1490A: Bipolar dual micropower op amp with rail-to-rail inputs and output. 50 uA maximum supply current per amplifier. Operates on supply voltages from +/- 1.5V to +/- 22V. Has a unique input stage with an input common-mode range up to +44V relative to V-, regardless of supply voltage. Input noise and offset voltage drift make it somewhat unsuitable for precision work. Key features: RRIO and low power.

LT1793: JFET input op amp with good input specs: 250 uV Vos, 4 pA Ib, low input voltage noise (6 nV/rt-Hz typ.), low input current noise (0.8 fA/rt-Hz typ.), and low 1/f noise corner frequency make it good for interfacing with high-impedance sensors such as piezoelectric accelerometers. Inputs and outputs are not rail-to-rail and minimum total supply voltage is 10V, therefore limited usefulness in single-supply applications. Key features: low noise and high input impedance.

OP177G: Bipolar precision op amp with very low Vos (20 uV typ.) and Vos drift (0.7 uV/C typ.) Low noise (en = 10 nV/rt-Hz) and low 1/f noise corner frequency (2 Hz). Inputs and output are not rail-to-rail, therefore limited usefulness in single-supply applications. Somewhat slow (GBW = 600 kHz). Good for processing thermocouple signals. Key features: low input offset and offset drift.

NE5532: Bipolar dual low-noise op amp optimized for high-quality audio work. Input noise is 5 nV/rt-Hz. Fast (10 MHz, 9 V/us). Inputs and output are not rail-to-rail, therefore limited usefulness in single-supply applications. Minimum supply voltage is +/- 5 volts. High input bias current (800 nA max), low open-loop voltage gain (2200 min) and low input resistance (30 k min) make it unsuitable for precision applications. Key feature: low noise.

LM6171: Bipolar VERY high-speed op amp for applications working with MHz signals. GBW is 100 MHz, slew rate is 3600 V/us. Inputs and output are not rail-to-rail, therefore limited usefulness in single-supply applications. Minimum supply voltage is +/- 3 volts. High input bias current (3 uA max) makes it unsuitable for precision applications. Key feature: high speed.

MAX44246: Bipolar single/dual/quad precision chopper-stabilized op amp with 5 uV max. Vos and 20 nV/C max Vos drift. Low noise (en = 9 nV/rt-Hz typ.) and ZERO 1/f noise. Fairly fast (GBW = 5 MHz, SR = 3.8 V/us). Output is rail-to-rail, inputs can range from V- to (V+ - 1.5) volts. Not available in DIP package. Key features: extremely low Vos and Vos drift, and complete absence of 1/f noise.

LT1496: Bipolar quad op amp with extremely low supply current: 1 uA per amplifier. Output is rail-to rail, input voltage range at 25C goes from V- to (V- + 36V) regardless of supply voltage. Minimum total supply voltage is 2.1 volts. Very slow (GBW = 2.7 kHz), very noisy (en = 185 nV/rt-Hz), and very limited output drive (Isc = 700 uA). Key features: extremely low supply current, low minimum supply voltage.

I'm particularly fond of the op27/op37. We had piles of them in the UCLA plasma lab, and I never encountered a circuit where they didn't work impressively.

 

The earliest that I used might have been Beckman using + & - 300 V supplies, but in stock now some:
TL071 P, LF353 P, Burr-Brown 3104A/12C, LM747C- gold plated., TL082, TL084.

 

So I'm guessing that no opamps exist out there with the ability of accepting inputs beyond the limits of its power sources?

Not opamps in the traditional sense, but Burr-Brown (TI) makes integrated instrumentation amplifier chips that have huge common mode ranges. Analog Devices and Linear Tech also probably have some.

The parts cheat by having what are effectively resistor attenuator stages on both inputs, followed by a high gain low noise IA to make up the voltage loss.

ak

 

Jellybean: LM358, LM324
Jellybean audio: NE5532/34

ak

 

Sorry for reviving an old thread, but I wanted to see if there was any progress on the op amp datasheet guide. I've learned a lot in the last few years, but there's still an awful lot of what was proposed that would benefit me, and I'm sure I'm not alone. It feels rude to ask someone to do work on my behalf, but suffice it to say that if the guide gets made, I'll be very grateful!

 

Sorry for reviving an old thread, but I wanted to see if there was any progress on the op amp datasheet guide.

Sorry to say, I fell victim to sloth and lassitude and forgot all about it!

I've learned a lot in the last few years, but there's still an awful lot of what was proposed that would benefit me, and I'm sure I'm not alone. It feels rude to ask someone to do work on my behalf, but suffice it to say that if the guide gets made, I'll be very grateful!

Let me see what I can come up with. Might not be until sometime next month, as I'm about to hit the road on my cross-country driving vacation. Stay tuned...

 

I'll add one of my favorites:

LTC2050/LTC2050HV:

Excellent for high-precision DC work. 0.5µV and 10nV/°C input offset voltage, no 1/f, R-R output, works down to 2.7V and is available in a 5 or 6 lead SOT. Less than 1mA operating current and 0.5µA in shutdown.

 

I'll add one of my favorites: LTC2050/LTC2050HV:

Interesting part. Is it commutating, or just really well done (no internal schematic)? Also, the input common mode voltage range is not stated anywhere. It is called "exceptional", but I didn't see any numbers other than the absolute max limits.

ak

 

Interesting part. Is it commutating, or just really well done (no internal schematic)? Also, the input common mode voltage range is not stated anywhere. It is called "exceptional", but I didn't see any numbers other than the absolute max limits.

ak

Common mode input range is Vdd - 1V down to Vss. It's chopper stabilized.

And it is exceptional.

 

I haven't used it in a real circuit (only simulations), but the OPAx197 appears to be a general purpose amp with a good combination of specs, for about U$1.60.
It's a 10MHz GBW, 36V, Rail-Rail I/O amp with low input bias current (5pA typ.), offset voltage (100μV max.), noise (5.5nV/√Hz), power (1ma typ.), high slew-rate (20V/μs), and high output current rating (65mA).

 

My world is simple:

Dual supply - avoid
Single supply - LM358
Rail-to-rail - TLV272
​

I came close to a project that would have needed a very high impedance op-amp and I was looking at LMC6035 or LMC660 but never got the chance to play with either.