Microchip Technology Expands Analog Portfolio with Low Voltage, Low Cost Operational Amplifiers

1-MHz operational amplifier (op amp) family offers rail-to-rail input/output with supply voltage down to 1.8 volts

Extending its leadership in the design of low-voltage devices, Microchip Technology (Nasdaq: MCHP) today introduced a family of 1MHz op amps that reduce supply voltage demand, making them ideal for extending battery life and other low-voltage applications. The MCP6001, MCP6002 and MCP6004 devices, which offer rail-to-rail input/output and have 90 degree phasemargin into a 60-picofarad (pf), 10-kilo-ohm (kohm) load, provide exceptional stability in a low-cost operational amplifier.

Low-voltage operation reduces the need for voltage doubler circuitry, and low quiescent current (Iq) of 100 microamps (µA) further lessens demand on the battery. The rail-to-rail input/output and 90-degree phase margin features minimizes design consideration and the need for stabilizing components, thus reducing component cost and board-space.

Microchip designed the new devices with low-voltage and low-current features resulting in typical power usage of 180 microwatts (µW) making these op amps ideal for use in sensors, instrumentation devices, consumer products, battery-operated applications and devices powered by a single communication loop (phones, security and building safety electronics).

To support the MCP600X family, Microchip offers the FilterLab^TM Active Filter Design Tool, which simplifies active filter design for embedded systems designers using op amps for analog filter purposes. Available at no cost from Microchip's Web site (www.microchip.com), the FilterLab software provides full schematic diagrams of the filter circuit with component values and displays the frequency response.

Pricing in 1,000-unit quantities is $0.25 each for the single MCP6001, $0.30 for the dual MCP6002 and $0.35 for the quad MCP6004. Samples and volume quantities are available today. The MCP6001 is available in SOT-23 and SC-70 packages. The MCP6002 is available in PDIP, SOIC and MSOP packages. The MCP6004 is available in PDIP, SOIC and TSSOP packages. For more information, contact any Microchip sales representative or authorized worldwide distributor.