Power Amps Perk Up Sensing Proficiency

Two new power amplifiers from Maxim Integrated operate over a wide voltage range to boost sensing accuracy.
May 27, 2015
2 min read

In the perpetual quest to meet the demands wrought by today’s mobile applications, Maxim Integrated’s developed two new sensor-focused power amplifiers: the low-power MAX44627 and highly integrated MAX34407. Both operate over a wide voltage range to help optimize applications from bridge sensors to smartphones.

Capable of offering true-zero output, the low-noise, low-drift MAX44267 dual-operational amplifier incorporates charge-pump circuitry with external capacitors. Input common-mode range extends from +13.5 V to –12 V. Operating from a single 4.5- to 15-V power supply, the amplifier features a low offset voltage of 50 μV (max), drift of 0.4 μV/°C (max), and 200 nVP-P noise from 0.1 to 10 Hz. An integrated EMI filter helps reduce sensitivity to motors and other high-frequency noise generators. The device, targeted at sensor transmitters and interfaces, is part of a family of signal-chain ICs that include amplifiers, multiplexers, and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). Applications include analog level shifting/conditioning, bridge sensors, PLC analog I/O modules, and pressure sensors.

The highly integrated MAX34407 optimizes code execution for maximum run time in mobile applications.

Maxim specifically designed its MAX34407 current and voltage monitor, which features a wide dynamic range, to deliver high-accuracy power-consumption measurements. Configured via a standard I2C/SMBus serial interface, the highly integrated device minimizes parts count and helps reduce printed-circuit-board space. A unidirectional current sensor offers precision high-side operation with a low full-scale sense voltage. Common-mode current ranges from 2.5 V to 15 V, and full-scale current-sense voltage is 100 mV. The accumulator optimizes code execution for maximum run time in mobile applications, suiting it for smartphones, tablets, and ultra-notebooks.

About the Author

Iliza Sokol

Associate Content Producer

Iliza joined the Penton Media group in 2013 after graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a BS in Advertising and Marketing Communications. Prior to joining the staff, she worked at NYLON Magazine and a ghostwriting firm based in New York.

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