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com Zero-Drift Amplifiers: Features and Benefits

Application Brief
Zero-Drift Amplifiers: Features and Benefits

Errol Leon, Richard Barthel, Tamara Alani

VDD

Introduction
VIN-
Zero-drift amplifiers employ a unique, self-correcting
technology which provides ultra-low input offset Q1 Q2

voltage (VOS) and near-zero input offset voltage drift

Amplification Stage
Q3 Q4
over time and temperature (dVOS/dT) suitable for

To Voltage
VIN+
general and precision applications. TI’s zero-drift
topology also delivers other advantages including no
1/f noise, low broadband noise, and low distortion –
simplifying development complexity and reducing
cost. This may be done 1 of 2 ways; chopper or auto-
VSS

zeroing. This tech note will explain the differences Figure 1. Simplified PMOS / NMOS Differential Pair
between standard continuous-time and zero-drift
amplifiers. The result of this input architecture exhibits some
degree of crossover distortion (for more information
Applications suitable for zero-drift amplifiers
on crossover distortion, see Zero-crossover
Zero-drift amplifiers are suitable for a wide variety of Amplifiers: Features and Benefits). However, the
general-purpose and precision applications that offset of the amplifier is corrected through internal
benefit from stability in the signal path. The excellent periodic calibration, so the magnitude of the offset
offset and drift performance of these amplifiers make transition and the crossover distortion is greatly
it especially useful early in the signal path, where high diminished. Figure 2 shows a comparison of the offset
gain configurations and interfacing with micro-volt between a standard CMOS rail-to-rail and a zero-drift
signals are common. Common applications that amplifier.
benefit from this technology include precision strain 200
gauge and weight scales, current shunt
Input Offset Voltage (µV)

measurement, thermocouple-, thermopile-, and 100

bridge-sensor interfaces.
0
Rail-to-rail zero-drift amplifiers Zero-Drift Amplifier

- 100
System performance can be optimized by using
standard continuous-time amplifiers plus a system- - 200
level auto-calibration mechanism. However, this Standard CMOS Rail-to-
Rail Amplifier
additional auto-calibration requires complicated - 300
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0
hardware and software which results in increased
Common Mode Voltage (V)
development time, cost and board space. The
alternative and more efficient solution is to use a zero- Figure 2. CMOS and Zero-drift Input Offset Voltage
drift amplifier, such as the OPA388. Comparison
A traditional rail-to-rail input CMOS architecture has How zero-drift works
two differential pairs; one PMOS transistor pair (blue)
and one NMOS transistor pair (red). Zero-drift Chopping zero-drift amplifiers' internal structure can
amplifiers with rail-to-rail input operation use the same have as many stages as continuous-time amplifiers –
complementary p-channel (blue) and n-channel (red) the main difference is that the input and output of the
input configuration shown below in Figure 1. first stage has a set of switches that inverts the input
signal every calibration cycle. Figure 3 shows the first
half cycle. In the first half cycle, both sets of switches
are configured to flip the input signal twice, but the

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offset flips once. This keeps the input signal in phase Figure 5 shows the 1/f and broadband voltage noise
but the offset error polarity is reversed. spectral density for a zero-drift (red) and continuous-
+IN
time (black) amplifier. Notice the zero-drift curve has
+ t no 1/f voltage noise.
VOS CC VOUT
t + 1000

Voltage Noise Spectral Density (nV/rtHz)

±IN GM1 -a

Figure 3. First Half-cycle of Internal Structure

100
Continuous-time Amplifier
Figure 4 shows the second half cycle. Here, both sets
of switches are configured to pass the signal and
10
offset error through unaltered. Effectively, the input
signal is never out of phase, remaining unchanged
from end to end. Since the offset error from the first Zero-Drift Amplfier
1
clock phase and second clock phase are opposite in 1 10 100 1k 10k 100k 1M
polarity, the error is averaged to zero. Frequency (Hz) C001

+IN Figure 6. Voltage Noise Comparison

+ +
VOS CC VOUT
t t Again, why zero-drift?
±IN GM1 -a
Zero-drift amplifiers provide ultra-low input offset
Figure 4. Second Half-cycle of Internal Structure voltage, near-zero input offset voltage drift over
temperature and time, and no 1/f voltage noise –
A synchronous notch filter is used at the same design factors which are crucial to general purpose
frequency of switching to attenuate any residual error. and precision applications.
This principle continues to be in effect throughout the
amplifier’s operation across its input, output and Additional Resources
environment. In essence, TI’s zero-drift technology Table 2 highlights some zero-drift amplifiers from TI.
delivers ultra-high performance and outstanding For a full list, see our parametric search tool results.
precision owing to this self-correcting mechanism.
Table 2. Zero-Drift Amplifiers From TI
Table 1 shows a comparison of VOS and dVOS/dT of a Vdrift VOS BW
continuous-time and zero-drift amplifier. Notice that Device I (mA)
(µV/C, Max) (µV, Max) Q (MHz)
the VOS and dVOS/dT are three orders of magnitude OPA2333P
smaller on the zero-drift amplifier. 0.05 10 0.017 0.35
1.8 V < Vs < 5.5 V

Table 1. Input Offset Voltage and Drift Comparison OPA2387

0.012 2 0.570 5.7
1.8 V < Vs < 5.5 V
Device VOS (µV) dVOS/dT (µV/°C)
OPA2388
OPA388 typ 0.25 0.005 0.05 5 1.9 10
2.5 V < Vs < 5.5 V
(Zero-drift) max 5 0.05
TLV2186
OPA2325 typ 40 2 1.0 0.25 0.09 0.75
4.5 V < Vs < 24 V
(Continuous-time) max 150 7.5
OPA2182
0.012 4 0.85 5
4.5 V < Vs < 36 V
Auto-zeroing requires a different topology but results OPA2189
0.015 3 1.3 14
in similar functionality. The auto-zeroing technique 4.5 V < Vs < 36 V
has less distortion at the output. Chopping results in INA333 0.1 25 0.05 0.15
lower broadband noise. 1.8 V < Vs < 5.5 V
INA188 0.2 55 1.4 0.6
Noise in zero-drift amplifiers 4 V < Vs < 36 V
In general, zero-drift amplifiers offer the lowest 1/f
noise (0.1Hz – 10Hz). 1/f noise (also referred to as Table 3. Related Documentation
flicker or pink noise) is the dominant noise source at SBOA181 Zero-crossover Amplifiers: Features and Benefits
low frequencies and can be detrimental in precision
DC applications. Zero-drift technology effectively Trademarks
cancels slow varying offset errors (such as All trademarks are the property of their respective
temperature drift and low frequency noise) using the owners.
periodic self-correcting mechanism.

2 Zero-Drift Amplifiers: Features and Benefits SBOA182C – FEBRUARY 2017 – REVISED JANUARY 2021
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