Stabilize Your Transimpedance Amplifier

Abstract: Transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) are widely used to translate the current output of sensors like photodiode-to-voltagesignals, since several circuits and instruments can only accept voltage input. An operational amplifier with a feedback resistor fromoutput to the inverting input is the most straightforward implementation of such a TIA. However, even this simple TIA circuit requirescareful trade-offs among noise gain, offset voltage, bandwidth, and stability. Clearly stability in a TIA is essential for good, reliableperformance. This application note explains the empirical calculations for assessing stability and then shows how to fine-tune theselection of the feedback phase-compensation capacitor.