AD625 the I × R drops “inside the loop” and virtually eliminating this GND VDD VSS error source. Typically, IC instrumentation amplifiers are rated for a full ± 10 A+IN volt output swing into 2 kΩ. In some applications, however, the 0+VS need exists to drive more current into heavier loads. Figure 29 A1 shows how a high-current booster may be connected “inside the ENSENSE loop” of an instrumentation amplifier. By using an external AD7502 power boosting circuit, the power dissipated by the AD625 will AD625VOUT remain low, thereby, minimizing the errors induced by self- heating. The effects of nonlinearities, offset and gain inaccura- cies of the buffer are reduced by the loop gain of the AD625’s –VREFERENCE output amplifier. S–IN+VSVS 39kVREFVIN++VSENSESAD5891.2V0.01FRFRR3FB20kR5R+VGAD625X1MSBS2kDATAC1INPUTSRFRILSBOUT 1AD75241/2OUT 2R4VCS8-BIT DAC1/2IN–REFERENCEAD71210kAD712–VSWR5k–V Figure 29. AD625 /Instrumentation Amplifier with Output S Current Booster Figure 30. Software Controllable Offset REFERENCE TERMINAL The reference terminal may be used to offset the output by up An instrumentation amplifier can be turned into a voltage-to- to ± 10 V. This is useful when the load is “floating” or does not current converter by taking advantage of the sense and reference share a ground with the rest of the system. It also provides a terminals as shown in Figure 31. direct means of injecting a precise offset. However, it must be remembered that the total output swing is ± 10 volts, from VIN+SENSE ground, to be shared between signal and reference offset. RF+V The AD625 reference terminal must be presented with nearly X–RGAD625R1 zero impedance. Any significant resistance, including those RFIL caused by PC layouts or other connection techniques, will in- VAD711 crease the gain of the noninverting signal path, thereby, upset- IN– ting the common-mode rejection of the in-amp. Inadvertent thermocouple connections created in the sense and reference LOAD lines should also be avoided as they will directly affect the out- put offset voltage and output offset voltage drift. Figure 31. Voltage-to-Current Converter In the AD625 a reference source resistance will unbalance the By establishing a reference at the “low” side of a current setting CMR trim by the ratio of 10 kΩ/RREF. For example, if the refer- resistor, an output current may be defined as a function of input ence source impedance is 1 Ω, CMR will be reduced to 80 dB voltage, gain and the value of that resistor. Since only a small (10 kΩ/1 Ω = 80 dB). An operational amplifier may be used to current is demanded at the input of the buffer amplifier A1, the provide the low impedance reference point as shown in Figure forced current I 30. The input offset voltage characteristics of that amplifier will L will largely flow through the load. Offset and drift specifications of A2 must be added to the output offset and add directly to the output offset voltage performance of the drift specifications of the In-Amp. instrumentation amplifier. The circuit of Figure 30 also shows a CMOS DAC operating in INPUT AND OUTPUT OFFSET VOLTAGE the bipolar mode and connected to the reference terminal to Offset voltage specifications are often considered a figure of provide software controllable offset adjustments. The total offset merit for instrumentation amplifiers. While initial offset may be range is equal to ± (VREF/2 × R5/R4), however, to be symmetri- adjusted to zero, shifts in offset voltage due to temperature cal about 0 V R3 = 2 × R4. variations will cause errors. Intelligent systems can often correct The offset per bit is equal to the total offset range divided by 2N, for this factor with an autozero cycle, but this requires extra where N = number of bits of the DAC. The range of offset for circuitry. Figure 30 is ± 120 mV, and the offset is incremented in steps of 0.9375 mV/LSB. –10– REV. D