Current-sensing solutions

Achieve accurate and fast current sensing in every system

Quickly and accurately measure current for system protection, telemetry and closed-loop control

Whether you need to detect an overcurrent fault, improve system efficiency, or provide closed-loop feedback, our large portfolio of current-sensing solutions enables industry-leading accuracy for a range of common-mode voltages and temperatures – without sacrificing system size, complexity or cost. Through decades of experience, we have developed leading-edge current-sensing technology that empowers engineers to achieve maximum system performance, power efficiency and reliability.

Why choose TI for your current-sensing system?

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Enable industry-leading performance

Our high-accuracy devices with zero-drift architecture enable precise measurements and low drift over time and temperature for better system performance, efficiency and control.

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Find the right solution for your system

From low-current sensing to high-voltage sensing, our extensive portfolio enables fast detection and accurate measurement for a wide range of current-sensing methods and applications.

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Simplify your design

We make system design simpler by engineering devices that solve common design challenges, such as reducing board space, system calibration requirements and eliminating external protection circuitry.

Flexible current-sensing solutions for your design

Transferring current-measurement data across the isolation barrier

Isolated current sensing is used both for high- and low-side current sensing. When the common voltage is higher than what a current-sense or difference amplifier can handle, an isolated method might be a good option. Safety standards might also require galvanic isolation between the system and the conductor measuring the current. Other use cases include when the microprocessor or controller has a different ground plane than the current sensor, or if a noisy ground plane (which will propagate to the rest of the system) makes accurate measurements difficult.

Learn more about these key isolated product categories:

Technical article
Simplifying high-voltage sensing with Hall-effect current sensors
This article outlines four crucial factors in high-voltage current-sensing circuit design. It evaluates shunt-based and Hall-effect technologies, highlighting accuracy, simplicity and cost tradeoffs.
Analog Design Journal
Design considerations for isolated current sensing
There are many decisions to consider when selecting an isolated amplifier, such as isolation specifications. This article covers these decisions in detail to help select an isolated amplifier for a specific system.
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Application brief
Accuracy Comparison of Isolated Shunt and Closed-Loop Current Sensing
This document compares the AMC3302 single-supply, isolated amplifier to a popular closed-loop current sensor.
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Featured products for isolated
NEW TMCS1123 ACTIVE ±1300V reinforced isolation, 80Arms 250kHz Hall-effect current sensor with AFR, reference and ALERT
AMC1300B-Q1 ACTIVE Automotive, ±250-mV input, precision current sensing reinforced isolated amplifier
AMC3302 ACTIVE ±50-mV input, precision current sensing reinforced isolated amplifier with integrated DC/DC

Measuring current in a power rail before a load or remainder of the circuit

In high-side current sensing, placing a shunt resistor between the bus voltage and the system load eliminates ground disturbances because the shunt resistor is no longer connected directly to ground. High-side current sensing also detects load short-to-ground conditions. We offer many devices with high-voltage capabilities and a high common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) that accurately measure current on high-voltage rails.

Learn more about these key high-side product categories:

Technical article
Bringing design simplicity, low drift and small size to integrated-shunt solutions
EZShunt™ Technology brings together low drift, small size and reduced system complexity to a current-sensing space that is proliferating with advancements across many market segments.
Application brief
Precision Current Measurements on High-Voltage Power-Supply Rails (Rev. F)
Learn more about the benefits of high-side current sensing and design challenges associated with this current-sensing method, with a specific focus on current-sense amplifiers.
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Application brief
Using An Op Amp for High-Side Current Sensing (Rev. A)
Learn more about the benefits of high-side current sensing and design challenges associated with this current-sensing method, with a specific focus on operational amplifiers.
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Featured products for high-side current sensing
NEW INA700 ACTIVE 40-V 16-Bit I²C output digital power monitor in WCSP with EZShunt™ Technology
NEW INA781 PREVIEW 85-V, 20-bit ultra-precise I²C-output digital power monitor with 400-µΩ EZShunt™ Technology
INA149 ACTIVE High Common Mode Voltage Difference Amplifier

Measuring current in the return path to ground

Low-side current sensing has a shunt resistor in between the load and ground. One advantage of low-side measurements is that the common-mode voltage is near zero. The disadvantage is that the voltage drop across the shunt resistor appears as a difference between the supply ground and the load or system ground. We offer a wide range of amplifiers that enable low-side sensing in high-accuracy and cost-sensitive applications.

Learn more about these key low-side product categories:

Technical article
Do I need more slew rate or bandwidth in my high-speed, low-side current shunt mea
This is the first article in a four-part series discussing how to increase system accuracy and efficiency with op amps built on our proprietary complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) precision process technology.
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Application brief
Low-Side Current Sense Circuit Integration
Learn more about low-side sensing and the differences between a discrete implementation using operational amplifiers and an integrated implementation using current-sense amplifiers.
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Circuit design
Single-supply, low-side, unidirectional current-sensing circuit
This single-supply low-side current-sensing solution accurately detects load current up to 1 A and converts it to a voltage between 50 mV and 4.9 V. It is possible to scale the input current and output voltage ranges as needed.
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Featured products for low-side current sensing
TLV9052 ACTIVE Dual, 5.5-V, 5-MHz, 15-V/μs slew rate, RRIO operational amplifier for cost-optimized applications
OPA2387 ACTIVE Ultra-high-precision zero-drift low-input-bias-current operational amplifier
INA180 ACTIVE 26V, 350kHz current sense amplifier

In-line current sensing for fast switching common-mode transient voltages (dv/dt)

In-line current sensing offers true phase-current measurements for optimizing the quality of inverter or motor feedback information for closed-loop control. In such applications, the common-mode voltage is a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal, which disrupts the output signal (unless PWM rejection circuitry is enabled) and leads to more strenuous requirements for the current-sense amplifier, which must have a very good DC and AC common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR). We offer devices with both enhanced PWM rejection and high CMRR.

Learn more about these key in-line product categories:

Application brief
High-Side Drive, High-Side Solenoid Monitor With PWM Rejection (Rev. D)
Measuring current in solenoid and valve applications provides the ability to detect changes in the operating characteristics of a solenoid.
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Application brief
Current Sensing in an H-Bridge (Rev. D)
Learn more about the design challenges associated with measuring current inline in H-bridge applications.
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Application brief
Low-Drift, Precision, In-Line Motor Current Measurements With PWM Rejection (Rev. D)
Learn more about the design challenges associated with measuring current inline in motor applications.
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Featured products for inline
INA241A ACTIVE -5-V to 110-V bidirectional ultraprecise current sense amplifier with enhanced PWM rejection
TMCS1101 ACTIVE ±600V basic isolation, 20Arms 80kHz Hall-effect current sensor with reference
AMC1300B-Q1 ACTIVE Automotive, ±250-mV input, precision current sensing reinforced isolated amplifier

Current sensing for fast alerts or out-of-range conditions

Overcurrent protection is the most basic form of current monitoring for fast detection of out-of-range or fault conditions. Our portfolio includes high-bandwidth and slew-rate devices, as well as integrated comparator/alert devices for fast throughput to enable this safety feature.

Learn more about these key overcurrent protection product categories:

More literature
Over-Current Detection Products Brochure
Learn more about how to implement an overcurrent or out-of-range condition using discrete current sense amplifiers (CSAs) and comparators, as well as integrated comparator CSAs.
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Video
Overcurrent Sensing Techniques
This training will identify and evaluate the common circuits and components used for overcurrent protection, and highlight the improvements through using precision current measurements in the overcurrent protection function.
Circuit design
Isolated Overcurrent Protection Circuit
This circuit demonstrates how to use an isolated comparator for fast overcurrent detection.
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Featured products for overcurrent protection
INA381 ACTIVE 26-V, 350-kHz current sense amplifier with integrated over-current comparator
INA200 ACTIVE -16 to 80V, 500kHz current sense amplifier w/ comparator
INA849 ACTIVE Ultra-low noise (1 nV/√Hz), high-speed (28 MHz, 35 V/μs) precision (35 μV) instrumentation amplifier

Low current measurements in submilliamperes

A low-input bias current sensor is necessary to minimize errors when measuring low currents. With standard amplifier input bias currents, the bias current will exceed the measurement current, resulting in diminished accuracy and a low signal-to-noise ratio. We offer amplifiers with nanoampere input bias currents to enable high-accuracy submilliampere measurements.

Learn more about these key submilliampere product categories:

Application brief
Difference Between an Instrumentation Amplifier and a Current Sense Amplifier
Learn more about instrumentation amplifiers and current-sense amplifiers for current sensing.
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Circuit design
Low (microamp), high-side, current-sensing circuit with current-sensing amp
This circuit demonstrates how to use a current-sense amplifier to accurately and reliably measure small microampere currents and maximize dynamic range.
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Application brief
Super-Beta Input Amplifiers: Features and Benefits
Learn more about super-beta transistors optimized for high current gain (β > 1,000), which helps reduce the device’s input bias current and input bias current drift over temperature.
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Featured products for measuring small currents
INA819 ACTIVE Low power (350-µA), precision instrumentation amp with ±60-V overvoltage protection (gain pins 2, 3)
OPA392 ACTIVE Single, low-offset (10 μV), low-noise (6 nV/rtHz) femtoamp-bias-current e-trim™ op amp
INA190 ACTIVE 40-V, bidirectional, ultraprecise current sense amplifier with picoamp IB & ENABLE

Technical resources

E-book
E-book
An Engineer's Guide to Current Sensing (Rev. B)
Explore a comprehensive library of application-specific current-sensing design challenges and how to solve them.
document-pdfAcrobat PDF
Application note
Application note
Design Considerations for Current Sensing in DC EV Charging Applications
This application report looks into design considerations for current sensing in EV charging applications, especially with a focus on the gain error, offset, bandwidth and latency concerning system performance.
document-pdfAcrobat PDF
Technical article
Technical article
Addressing high-voltage current-sensing design challenges in HEV/EVs
Explore some of the primary challenges in high-voltage current sensing, with additional resources to aid and simplify your design process.