Current sources are useful in many areas of electronics, such as voltage and current division, current transmitters, excitation of thermistors, RTDs, bridges, potentiometers, and circuit biasing. Current sources are either fixed- or ...
The Ćuk topology is ideal for generating a negative output voltage from a positive supply voltage. Negative voltages are needed in many systems to enable useful readout of signals from certain sensors. For this, a signal chain may need to be ...
Looking around at the ubiquitous proliferation of wireless smartphones, it’s easy to assume that the classic wired “landline” phone on a copper loop (thank you, Alexander Graham Bell and others) is a relic of ancient days. And ...
I’ve recently published Design Ideas (DIs) showing circuits for linear PWM programming of standard bucking-type regulators in applications requiring an output span that can swing below the regulator’s sense voltage (V SENSE or V S ). ...
Current mirrors are a commonly useful circuit function, and sometimes high precision is essential. The challenge of getting current mirrors to be precise has created a long list of tricks and techniques. The list includes matched transistors, ...
This project made me feel a kind of kinship with Diogenes, although I was searching for the item described in the title rather than for an honest man. Figure 1. “Diogenes Looking for an Honest Man,” a painting attributed to Johann ...
The Norton amplifier topology brings back the essence of analog design by using clever circuit techniques to deliver strong performance with minimal components. It is not about a brand name it’s about a timeless analog philosophy that ...
Abstract Robust systems often allow multiple power sources. When different power sources are used to power a device, switches need to be implemented to separate the power supplies from each other to avoid damage. This can be accomplished with ...
A homing sensor is a device used in certain machines to detect a fixed reference point, allowing the machine to determine its exact starting position. When powered on, the machine moves until it triggers the sensor, so it can accurately track ...
It’s just a fact of life. A BJT wired in common emitter, even after compensating for the effects of device and temperature variations, still isn’t a perfect current source. One of the flaws in the ointment is the Early effect of ...