Analog Devices, Inc., the number one supplier of high-speed op amps, added to its portfolio of products for design engineers to choose from, with the release of the AD8014, a 400-MHz, low-power, high-performance op amp. The AD8014 is a revolutionary current-feedback operational amplifier that attains new levels of combined bandwidth, power, output drive and distortion. The proprietary circuit architecture enables the highest performance amplifier at the lowest power, at a cost of only $1.19 in 1,000-piece quantities.

The AD8014 is a very high-speed amplifier with 400-MHz -3dB bandwidth, 4000-V/ms slew rate and 24-ns settling time to 0.1%. This temperature-stable, easy-to-use amplifier with 60-ns overload recovery has extremely low voltage and current noise (3.5 nV/rtHz and 5 pA/rtHz, respectively), as well as low distortion (-70 dB THD @ 5 MHz). These features make the AD8014 well-suited for wide-band signal processing applications. With just 1 mA supply current, this multi-purpose op amp is also well-suited for any power-sensitive, high-speed system, including battery-operated equipment.

This is a really nice balance of specifications in a high-speed amplifier. The slew rate and settling time are superb while the offset and bias are extremely good for a current-feedback device. I do, however, have problems with amplifiers such as this which have bandwidth specified in one way and then have a completely different real-world performance. Distortion numbers should be looked at with an eye to your own application. This product will sell extremely well because of both performance and price. It will be seen in many consumer video products very quickly.