Transistors and Operational Amplifiers Combined---Medium Scale Circuits

Abstract

With every single passing day, the complexity of electronic circuits is inching higher. This fact certainly holds for both the analog and digital circuits; though the latter may advance at a steeper slope. But advancement in complexity for both shares a common trait: they are all built by integrating ever more basic, small scale blocks. In the case of integrated operational amplifiers, they all contain without exception differential amplifiers, current sources, level shifters, protection circuits, output drivers, and so on. Eventually, the operational amplifiers are itself considered basic blocks and used extensively in building newer, and more sophisticated high level circuits. For instance, in the recent past, the application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) are speeding ahead in creating new market and demand. Not only are signal sensing and processing circuits included in the ASICs, the decision making blocks are also included. The latter even recruits digital circuits. Therefore mixed mode ICs are born. The trend in effect underscores the importance of building a solid base of medium scale analog circuits on which consolidated, or miniaturized, large-scale systems can be further implemented.