September 19, 2012 -- Texas Instruments, Inc. (TI) today introduced the world's first programmable differential amplifiers (PDAs). The 2.4-GHz LMH6881 single-channel PDA and 2.4-GHz LMH6882 dual-channel PDA provide optimized noise, distortion and bandwidth performance over a 6-dB to 26-dB gain range, simplifying the way engineers design with differential amplifiers. Designing systems with PDAs increases flexibility and significantly reduces design time, solution size and bill-of-materials (BoM) cost for a broad range of applications.

PDAs combine the best of fully differential amplifiers (FDAs) and digital variable-gain amplifiers (DVGAs). They allow engineers to easily modify their designs by changing gain without having to adjust external resistors, replace amplifiers, or reconfigure and optimize each gain stage. Compared to traditional DVGAs, TI's PDAs offer more consistent noise and distortion performance over the entire gain range. The programmable gain control in the LMH6881 and LMH6882 eliminates the need for gain-setting resistors and their associated mismatch errors, enabling more robust systems for applications, such as medical, test and measurement, military, wireless communications, and microwave backhaul.

Key features and benefits of the LMH6881 and LMH6882

TI also offers a variety of tools and support to speed development with the LMH6881 and LMH6882 PDAs.

Posted by: John Miklosz