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External Compensation, Stability, and Performance

Nobody compensates an op amp just because it is there; they have a reason to compensate the op amp, and that reason is usually stability. They want the op amp to perform a function in a circuit where it is potentially unstable. Internally and noninternally compensated op amps are compensated externally because certain circuit configurations do cause oscillations. Several potentially unstable circuit configurations are analyzed in this section, and the reader can extend the external compensation techniques as required.
Other reasons for externally compensating op amps are noise reduction, flat amplitude response, and obtaining the highest bandwidth possible from an op amp. An op amp generates noise, and noise is generated by the system. The noise contains many frequency components, and when a high-pass filter is incorporated in the signal path, it reduces high frequency noise. Compensation can be employed to roll off the op amp’s high frequency, closed-loop response, thus causing the op amp to act as a noise filter. Internally compensated op amps are modeled with a second order equation, and this means that the outputvoltage can overshoot in response to a step input. When this overshoot (or peaking) is undesirable, external compensation can increase the phase margin to 90° where there is no peaking. An uncompensated op amp has the highest bandwidth possible. External compensation is required to stabilize uncompensated op amps, but the compensation can be tailored to the specific circuit, thus yielding the highest possible bandwidth consistent with the pulse response requirements.

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Main History About Op Amp