Product details

Features Analog Gain Set, Differential to Single-ended conversion PGA/VGA VGA Number of channels 1 Vs (max) (V) 12 Vs (min) (V) 7 BW at Acl (MHz) 150 Acl, min spec gain (V/V) 10 Slew rate (typ) (V/µs) 1700 Iq per channel (typ) (mA) 34 Gain (max) (dB) 40 Rating Catalog Operating temperature range (°C) -40 to 85
Features Analog Gain Set, Differential to Single-ended conversion PGA/VGA VGA Number of channels 1 Vs (max) (V) 12 Vs (min) (V) 7 BW at Acl (MHz) 150 Acl, min spec gain (V/V) 10 Slew rate (typ) (V/µs) 1700 Iq per channel (typ) (mA) 34 Gain (max) (dB) 40 Rating Catalog Operating temperature range (°C) -40 to 85
SOIC (D) 14 51.9 mm² 8.65 x 6 VSSOP (DGS) 10 14.7 mm² 3 x 4.9
  • 150-MHz Small-Signal Bandwidth
  • 137-MHz, 5-VPP Bandwidth (G = +10 V/V)
  • 0.1-dB Gain Flatness to 28 MHz
  • 1700-V/µs Slew Rate
  • > 40-dB Gain Adjust Range
  • High Gain Accuracy: 20 dB ±0.4dB
  • High Output Current: 160 mA
  • APPLICATIONS
    • AGC Receivers With RSSI
    • Differential Line Receivers
    • Pulse Amplitude Compensation
    • Variable Attenuators

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners

  • 150-MHz Small-Signal Bandwidth
  • 137-MHz, 5-VPP Bandwidth (G = +10 V/V)
  • 0.1-dB Gain Flatness to 28 MHz
  • 1700-V/µs Slew Rate
  • > 40-dB Gain Adjust Range
  • High Gain Accuracy: 20 dB ±0.4dB
  • High Output Current: 160 mA
  • APPLICATIONS
    • AGC Receivers With RSSI
    • Differential Line Receivers
    • Pulse Amplitude Compensation
    • Variable Attenuators

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners

The VCA820 is a dc-coupled, wideband, linear in dB, continuously variable, voltage-controlled gain amplifier. The VCA820 provides a differential input to single-ended conversion with a high-impedance gain control input, used to vary the gain down 40 dB from the nominal maximum gain set by the gain resistor (RG) and feedback resistor (RF).

The VCA820 internal architecture consists of two input buffers and an output current feedback amplifier stage, integrated with a multiplier core to provide a complete variable gain amplifier (VGA) system that does not require external buffering. The maximum gain is set externally with two resistors, providing flexibility in designs. The maximum gain is intended to be set between +2 V/V and +100 V/V. Operating from ±5-V supplies, the gain control voltage for the VCA820 adjusts the gain linearly in dB as the control voltage varies from 0 V to +2 V. For example, set for a maximum gain of +10 V/V, the VCA820 provides 20 dB, at +2-V input, to –20 dB at 0-V input of gain control range. The VCA820 offers excellent gain linearity. For a 20-dB maximum gain, and a gain-control input voltage varying between 1 V and 2 V, the gain does not deviate by more than ±0.4dB (maximum at +25°C).

The VCA820 is a dc-coupled, wideband, linear in dB, continuously variable, voltage-controlled gain amplifier. The VCA820 provides a differential input to single-ended conversion with a high-impedance gain control input, used to vary the gain down 40 dB from the nominal maximum gain set by the gain resistor (RG) and feedback resistor (RF).

The VCA820 internal architecture consists of two input buffers and an output current feedback amplifier stage, integrated with a multiplier core to provide a complete variable gain amplifier (VGA) system that does not require external buffering. The maximum gain is set externally with two resistors, providing flexibility in designs. The maximum gain is intended to be set between +2 V/V and +100 V/V. Operating from ±5-V supplies, the gain control voltage for the VCA820 adjusts the gain linearly in dB as the control voltage varies from 0 V to +2 V. For example, set for a maximum gain of +10 V/V, the VCA820 provides 20 dB, at +2-V input, to –20 dB at 0-V input of gain control range. The VCA820 offers excellent gain linearity. For a 20-dB maximum gain, and a gain-control input voltage varying between 1 V and 2 V, the gain does not deviate by more than ±0.4dB (maximum at +25°C).

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Technical documentation

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Type Title Date
* Data sheet VCA820 Wideband, > 40-dB Adjust Range, Linear in dB Variable Gain Amplifier datasheet (Rev. D) PDF | HTML 09 Sep 2015
E-book The Signal e-book: A compendium of blog posts on op amp design topics 28 Mar 2017
Application note Implementating a Variable-Length Cat5e Cable Equalizer 25 Apr 2010
Application note Wireline Data Transmission and Reception 27 Jan 2010

Design & development

For additional terms or required resources, click any title below to view the detail page where available.

Evaluation board

DEM-VCA-MSOP-1A — DEM-VCA-MSOP-1A

User guide: PDF
Not available on TI.com
Evaluation board

DEM-VCA-SO-1B — DEM-VCA-SO-1B

User guide: PDF
Not available on TI.com
Simulation model

VCA820 PSpice Model (Rev. A)

SBOC288A.ZIP (46 KB) - PSpice Model
Simulation model

VCA820 TINA-TI Reference Design (Rev. B)

SBOC287B.TSC (39 KB) - TINA-TI Reference Design
Simulation model

VCA820 TINA-TI Spice Model (Rev. A)

SBOM314A.ZIP (10 KB) - TINA-TI Spice Model
Simulation tool

PSPICE-FOR-TI — PSpice® for TI design and simulation tool

PSpice® for TI is a design and simulation environment that helps evaluate functionality of analog circuits. This full-featured, design and simulation suite uses an analog analysis engine from Cadence®. Available at no cost, PSpice for TI includes one of the largest model libraries in the (...)
Simulation tool

TINA-TI — SPICE-based analog simulation program

TINA-TI provides all the conventional DC, transient and frequency domain analysis of SPICE and much more. TINA has extensive post-processing capability that allows you to format results the way you want them. Virtual instruments allow you to select input waveforms and probe circuit nodes voltages (...)
User guide: PDF
Package Pins Download
SOIC (D) 14 View options
VSSOP (DGS) 10 View options

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