Operational Amplifier based

Charge Amplifiers
Thomas Kuehl
Senior Applications Engineer PA Linear

Another C V approach
R1 for DC Input Bias Path
T 30

C2 111p

Gain (dB)

Charge Amplifier

R1 10M

Capacitive
Sensor

Charge Amplifier
C1 = 1nF, C2 = 111pF, R1 = 10M

20

-3dB @ 143Hz

10
0
1

10

100

V2 15

C1 1n
Vo1
U1 OPA132

VG1
V1 15

Phase [deg]

RL 20k

10k

100k

10k

100k

60
50

1k
Frequency (Hz)

40
30
20
10
0
-10
1

* C2 111pF non-standard, 110pF ok

10

100

1k
Frequency (Hz)

f -3dB = 1 / (2 R1 C2)
Set : R1 10 | XC2 |

and

fGEN 10 (f -3dB)

Then: AV = 1 + (XC2 / XC1) where XC = 1 / (2 f C)

Charge amplifier implementation

with capacitive humidity sensor
Charge Amplifier

100Hz, 4-th order, low-pass filter

Absolute Value Circuit

(full-wave rectifier)

fexcite = 1kHz, Set Filter to 1/10 fexcite100Hz

R6 10k

C2 180p

R2 10k

R3 10k

R4 5k

R5 10k

C6 1.5u

R1 10M

C4 470n

D2 1N4148

Sensor

V-

V2 15

C1 180p

D1 1N4148
V-

V-

Vabs

V-

V-

R7 2.05k

R8 17.4k

V1 15

V+

+
VG1
f = 1kHz
V = 1Vpk

V+
U1 OPA132

U2 OPA132

Vabs
A
B
C
equation
Vabs
+1V -1V -1.65 Vabs = -A-2B
+1V
-1V 0V +0.65 Vabs = -A*
+1V
Op amp always in closed loop (D=0V)
*No current flow in D2

U3 OPA132

C3 150n

Vout
+

V+

R10 16.5k
+

+
+

R9 1.5k

V+

C5 68n

U4 OPA132

Filter Pro used to design filter

V+

U5 OPA132

Single input charge amp circuit

Output voltage for +/-20pF capacitance change

2.00

Vout[3]: 200p[F]

Voltage (V)

1.50

Vout[2]: 180p[F]

1.00

About 140mV Vout delta for a

+/-20pF change

The DC voltage is 2x the Vin

RMS value

The nominal DC level may be

an issue

Vout[1]: 160p[F]
500.00m

0.00
0

5m

10m

15m

20m
Time (s)

25m

30m

35m

Differential capacitance sensor

amplifier
INA154 Diff Amp, G=1, BW=3.1MHz
INA132 Diff Amp, G= 1, BW=300kHz, Power

Charge Amplifiers
R1 10M
C2 180p

Difference Amplifier

Synchronous Demodulator

C1 180p

(difference amplifier connected

as switched G =2V/V amplifier)

1kHz 10V p-p

Sine Wave

VG1

V-

U1 OPA132
-

V+

C5 470n

V+
+

C3 180p

R5 2.05k

V+

R2 10M

U5 INA132

T1 2N7000

V+

C7 1.5u

V3 5

R7 1.5k

R8 16.5k

VLP1
V1 15
V-

U6 OPA132

V-

V+

(add hystereses
to comparator)

V+

C6 150n

Ref

R3 2k

VLP1

R6 17.4k

Ref

U4 TLC339/5_1
VC4 180p

Sense

U3 INA154 R4 10k

U2 OPA132

V-

V-

Sense

Sensor

100 Hz 4-Pole Butterworth LPF

V-

V2 15
V+

Synchronous Demodulator:
Full-Wave Rectifies difference between Sensor Charge
Amplifier and Reference Charge Amplifier.
Differential Charge Amplifier Removes DC Level & Improves Sensitivity

C8 68n

V+

Vout
U7 OPA132

Differential Capacitance
Sense Amplifier
Output

Humidity Sensor Capacitance Min = 160pF (180pF-20pF) Vout = -350mV

Humidity Sensor Capacitance Nominal = 180pF (180pF-20pF) Vout = 0V
Humidity Sensor Capacitance Max = 200pF (180pF+20pF) Vout = +350mV
T 400m

Vout[3]: 200p[F]

Vout (V)

200m
Vout[2]: 180p[F]
0

-200m
Vout[1]: 160p[F]

-400m
0

5m

10m

15m
Time (s)

20m

25m

30m