Applications guide to instrumentation amplifiers

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Feb 24, 2005

Analog Devices has published a free "hands-on" applications guide to instrumentation amplifiers authored by senior design engineers Lewis Counts and Charles Kitchin.

Analog Devices has published a free "hands-on" applications guide: "A designer's guide to instrumentation amplifiers - Second edition", authored by senior design engineers Lewis Counts, Design Fellow and Vice President of the Linear Products group and Charles Kitchin, Hardware Applications Engineer.

Between them they have more than 60 years combined experience designing and managing the development of analogue integrated circuits.

The greatly expanded second edition of the amplifier guide contains tables, graphs and data presented in an easy-to-understand "cookbook" format.

It also provides the latest information about Analog Devices' amplifier products, including difference amplifiers.

Instrumentation amplifiers (in-amps) amplify weak signals in the presence of strong interference and noise.

They are commonly used in data acquisition, medical instrumentation, audio, high-speed signal conditioning, video and automotive applications.

With a large number of products to choose from, correctly identifying and matching the best in-amp for a particular application can be challenging.

Therefore, this in-amp guide helps engineers navigate the various options by covering: in-amp design basics; selecting between an in-amp and a difference amplifier; alternating current (AC) input coupling; input protection basics; reducing radio frequency interference (RFI) rectification errors; in-amp and difference amplifier applications circuits; matching in-amp circuits to analogue-to-digital convertors; understanding in-amp datasheet specifications; and extensive information on the latest Analog Devices amplifier products, including the AD8221 gain programmable, high performance in-amp that delivers the industry's highest common mode rejection (CMRR) over frequency.

"A designer's guide to instrumentation amplifiers" is available free on the Analog Devices website and in hard copy.

The online version contains weblinks to quickly connect readers to related sites of supporting information, such as product datasheets and application notes.