For best operational performance of the device,
use good PCB layout practices:
- For the lowest offset voltage, avoid temperature gradients
that create thermoelectric (Seebeck) effects in the thermocouple junctions
formed from connecting dissimilar conductors. Also:
- Use low thermoelectric-coefficient conditions
(avoid dissimilar metals).
- Thermally isolate components from power supplies or
other heat sources.
- Shield operational amplifier and input circuitry
from air currents, such as cooling fans.
- Noise can propagate into analog circuitry through
the power pins of the op amp and the circuit as a
whole. Bypass capacitors reduce the coupled noise by
providing low-impedance power sources local to the
analog circuitry.
- Connect low-ESR, 0.1µF ceramic bypass capacitors
between each supply pin and ground, placed as
close as possible to the device. A single bypass
capacitor from V+ to ground is applicable for
single-supply applications.
- Separate grounding for analog and digital
portions of circuitry is one of the simplest and
most effective methods of noise suppression. One or
more layers on multilayer PCBs are usually devoted
to ground planes. A ground plane helps distribute
heat and reduces EMI noise pickup. Physically
separate digital and analog grounds paying attention
to the flow of the ground current. For more detailed
information, see the The PCB is a component of op
amp design analog application
journal.
- To reduce parasitic coupling, run the input
traces as far away as possible from the supply or
output traces. If these traces cannot be separated,
cross the sensitive trace perpendicular as opposed
to in parallel with the noisy trace.
- Place the external components
as close as possible to the device. As Figure 7-9 shows, keep the feedback resistor (R3) and gain resistor (R4) close to
the inverting input to minimize parasitic capacitance.
- Keep the length of input traces as short as
possible. Short traces to the inverting input help to minimize parasitic capacitance on
the inverting input. Always remember that the input traces are the most sensitive part
of the circuit.
- For best performance, clean
the PCB following board assembly.
- Any precision integrated
circuit can experience performance shifts due to moisture ingress into the
plastic package. Following any aqueous PCB cleaning process, bake the PCB
assembly to remove moisture introduced into the device packaging during the
cleaning process. A low-temperature, post-cleaning bake at 85°C for 30
minutes is sufficient for most circumstances.