Capacitor charge 2026-10-24
For an ideal linear capacitor, the electric charge on the plate at positive electric potential difference is , where is its capacitance. The opposite plate carries . An initial charge supplies the integration constant in an op amp integrator.
Consider an op amp integrator with infinite input impedance, an internal controlled voltage where is the inverting-input voltage, and a series output impedance equal to a resistance . Assume no external output load. Writing for the output, Kirchhoff's current law gives
Eliminating and yields
The expression at is obtained by its limit. In particular, constant gain and give : a finite direct-current gain followed by an integrating regime. For the dominant-pole model and ,
If and , there are separated turnover frequencies near and . The gain magnitude is respectively constant, proportional to and proportional to . With the convention a continuous phase choice passes from through to . If and , capacitive feedthrough instead gives the ultimate limit . Specifying finite gain alone therefore does not specify a unique high-frequency response.
Input bias current 2026-10-18
An input bias current is a direct-current component drawn by an input terminal of a real operational amplifier. Through a source resistance it produces a voltage error, and through the feedback capacitor of an op amp integrator it can produce an output ramp. Its magnitude and sign depend on the amplifier technology and operating conditions.
Input offset voltage Created 2026-10-18 Updated 2026-11-05
The input offset voltage of an operational amplifier is the differential direct-current input voltage needed to make its output zero at a specified operating point. Its effect resembles a small unwanted input signal and can cause sustained output drift in an op amp integrator.
Op amp integrator Created 2026-10-18 Updated 2026-10-20
An op amp integrator places a resistor between the input source and the inverting input of an operational amplifier, and a feedback capacitor between that input and the output, with the non-inverting input grounded. For an ideal operational amplifier, Kirchhoff's current law gives , hence
The initial capacitor charge supplies the integration constant. A parallel feedback resistor replaces the transfer by : the direct-current gain becomes finite while integration is recovered when . This limits offset-driven saturation. [ref]
Use an ideal operational amplifier with its non-inverting terminal grounded, an input resistor and a feedback capacitor , as in the upper circuit. Stable unsaturated negative feedback holds the inverting terminal at virtual ground, while the input current into the amplifier itself vanishes.
Applying Kirchhoff's current law at the inverting node gives
Thus the circuit is an inverting op amp integrator, with its integration constant set by the initial capacitor charge. A constant input makes the output ramp until a real amplifier reaches a supply rail. A practical low-frequency design usually adds a large feedback resistor to limit drift; the ideal integral relation applies where the feedback capacitor dominates.
Use an ideal inverting summing amplifier, grounding the non-inverting input and connecting the two sources through resistances and . A feedback resistance gives the desired weights. Operational-amplifier negative feedback makes the inverting node a virtual ground, and negligible input current lets Kirchhoff's current law give
Figure 1.
An inverting summing amplifier with input resistances and feedback resistance
. Details.
Replacing the feedback resistor by a capacitor makes a weighted op amp integrator:
The initial capacitor charge determines the integration constant. A nonzero DC weighted input produces a ramp; a real operational amplifier eventually reaches its output-voltage limit. A parallel feedback resistance can limit drift while preserving integration over an appropriate frequency range.
Figure 1.
An inverting amplifier followed by an integrator, with an optional offset-correction branch
. Details.
Use the following arrangement: an inverting operational amplifier with input resistor and feedback resistor , followed by an op amp integrator with input resistor and feedback capacitor . Ground both non-inverting inputs. Each ideal operational amplifier has infinite input impedance, so its inputs draw no electric current; negative feedback makes the inverting input a virtual ground.
Kirchhoff's current law at the first summing junction gives . At the second summing junction it gives . Consequently the two inversions cancel:
The initial output voltage records the initial capacitor charge. A reset switch across sets it to zero. The formula holds while both stages remain within their supply rails; a persistent input voltage otherwise produces amplifier saturation.
Write , with constant unwanted offset . Add an adjustable reference voltage through another resistor to the first inverting summing junction, as the dashed branch in the circuit figure shows. Kirchhoff's current law now gives
Choose the reference polarity and magnitude so that
A potentiometer between positive and negative reference supplies permits either sign. The first stage then has zero output voltage when , and the op amp integrator integrates only :
Merely placing a large resistor across the integrating capacitor limits drift but also changes the transfer function; cancellation at the summing junction preserves ideal integration of the desired signal.
An ideal operational amplifier has infinite input impedance and open-loop gain, zero output impedance and no offsets or response limits. Its input currents vanish. Stable operational-amplifier negative feedback, a finite output and unsaturated linear operation then imply a virtual short, . Real amplifiers have finite frequency-dependent gain, input bias currents, offset voltage, output loading, finite bandwidth, slew rate and supply-rail limits. Equal input voltages cannot be assumed in an open-loop or saturated circuit.
Here the noninverting input is grounded. In the ideal-feedback limit the inverting node is a virtual ground, so the resistor current charges the feedback capacitor:
The initial capacitor charge fixes the integration constant. This is an op amp integrator, with .
A tiny direct-current input, input bias current or offset can drive the output towards saturation. A parallel feedback resistor provides a direct-current return path, giving ; choose over the intended integration band. A reset switch sets initial charge; low-offset components and suitable signal amplitude reduce drift and saturation. The useful band must also remain below the amplifier's bandwidth and slew-rate limits.
For the stipulated finite but constant real gain , infinite input impedance and negligible output impedance, write the inverting-node voltage as . With phasors proportional to ,
Therefore
The low-frequency gain is . The corner is ; above it the amplitude falls as and the phase approaches . phase and describe the same low-frequency inversion. This finite-gain circuit is a low-pass response with an integrating high-frequency regime, not an ideal integrator down to zero frequency. A genuinely frequency-dependent would introduce additional high-frequency limitations beyond this specified model.
Figure 1.
Finite-gain integrator response
. Details.
Let be the inverting-input potential. The non-inverting input is grounded, so the ideal operational amplifier rules give and no input current. Kirchhoff's current law at that node therefore gives
Integrating from an initial time ,
This op amp integrator performs inverted time integration; the initial voltage across the capacitor supplies the integration constant. For zero initial conditions its transfer function is . In sinusoidal steady state, with the convention ,
For example, a cosine input produces a negative sine output after its constant component is set. The additional inversion makes the phase modulo , rather than the of non-inverting integration.
Summing amplifier 2026-10-25
An inverting operational amplifier can combine currents from several input resistors at one virtual ground. Kirchhoff's current law and negligible amplifier input current give the displayed weighted sum. Replacing the feedback resistance by a capacitor gives a weighted op amp integrator. The formulas assume stable negative feedback and operation within the amplifier's linear output range.