AD8571/AD8572/AD8574
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
R2
5 V PRECISION STRAIN GAGE CIRCUIT
R1
R3
The extremely low offset voltage of the AD8572 makes it an ideal
amplifier for any application requiring accuracy with high gains,
such as a weigh scale or strain gage. Figure 63 shows a configura-
tion for a single-supply, precision strain gage measurement system.
V2
V1
V
OUT
AD8571/
AD8572/
AD8574
R4
R4
R3
R2
R2
IF
=
, THEN V
=
(V1 – V2)
OUT
R1
R1
The REF192 provides a 2.5 V precision reference voltage for A2.
The A2 amplifier boosts this voltage to provide a 4.0 V reference
for the top of the strain gage resistor bridge. Q1 provides the
current drive for the 350 Ω bridge network. A1 is used to amplify
the output of the bridge with the full-scale output voltage equal to
Figure 64. Using the AD857x as a Difference Amplifier
In an ideal difference amplifier, the ratio of the resistors is set
equal to
R2 R4
R1 R3
AV
=
=
(19)
2 ×
R1 + R2
(17)
RB
Set the output voltage of the system to
OUT = AV (V1 − V2)
where RB is the resistance of the load cell.
V
(20)
Using the values given in Figure 63, the output voltage linearly
varies from 0 V with no strain to 4 V under full strain.
Due to finite component tolerance, the ratio between the four
resistors is not exactly equal, and any mismatch results in a
reduction of common-mode rejection from the system. Referring
to Figure 64, the exact common-mode rejection ratio can be
expressed as
2
5V
3
6
2.5V
REF192
4
1kΩ
Q1
2N2222
A2
OR
AD8572-B
EQUIVALENT
R1R4 + 2R2R4 + R2R3
12kΩ
20kΩ
CMRR =
(21)
4.0V
2R1R4 − 2R2R3
R2
R1
100Ω
17.4kΩ
In the 3-op amp instrumentation amplifier configuration shown
in Figure 65, the output difference amplifier is set to unity gain
with all four resistors equal in value. If the tolerance of the
resistors used in the circuit is given as δ, the worst-case CMRR
of the instrumentation amplifier is
40mV
V
A1
OUT
FULL-SCALE
350Ω
LOAD
CELL
0V TO 4V
AD8572-A
R4
R3
100Ω
17.4kΩ
NOTE:
1
USE 0.1% TOLERANCE RESISTORS.
CMRRMIN
=
(22)
2δ
Figure 63. 5 V Precision Strain Gage Amplifier
AD8574-A
V2
R
3 V INSTRUMENTATION AMPLIFIER
The high common-mode rejection, high open-loop gain,
and operation down to 3 V of the supply voltage make the
AD857x family an excellent op amp choice for discrete single-
supply instrumentation amplifiers. The common-mode
rejection ratio of the AD857x is greater than 120 dB, but the
CMRR of the system is also a function of the external resistor
tolerances. The gain of the difference amplifier shown in Figure 64
is given as
R
R
R
R
V
R
OUT
G
AD8574-C
R
R
TRIM
V1
AD8574-B
2R
(V1 – V2)
V
= 1 +
OUT
R
G
Figure 65. Discrete Instrumentation Amplifier Configuration
⎛
⎜
R4 ⎞⎛
R1 ⎞
R2
⎠
⎛ R2 ⎞
R1
VOUT = V1
1 +
− V 2
(18)
⎟⎜
⎟
⎜
⎝
⎟
⎠
Therefore, using 1% tolerance resistors results in a worst-case
system CMRR of 0.02, or 34 dB. To achieve high common-
mode rejection, either high precision resistors or an additional
trimming resistor, as shown in Figure 65, should be used. The
value of this trimming resistor should be equal to the value of R
multiplied by its tolerance. For example, using 10 kΩ resistors
with 1% tolerance would require a series trimming resistor
equal to 100 Ω.
R3 + R4
⎝
⎠⎝
Rev. E | Page 20 of 24