Texas Instruments OPA552UA

Overview

OPA552UA from Texas Instruments is a high-voltage, high-current operational amplifier optimized for noninverting or inverting configurations with closed-loop gain ≥5. It delivers 200 mA continuous output current, 24 V/µs slew rate, and 12 MHz gain-bandwidth product across ±4 V to ±30 V supplies, enabling precision servo drive and audio power stages.

For engineers reviewing the OPA552UA datasheet, OPA552UA pinout, OPA552UA application, or OPA552UA equivalent, this page provides verified package mapping (SOIC-8), thermal shutdown flag behavior, rail-to-rail output swing limits, stability conditions for G ≥ 5, and validated alternative parts for high-current op-amp replacement scenarios.

Technical Context

The OPA552UA employs a laser-trimmed monolithic architecture with integrated thermal shutdown detection and output current limiting. Its internal protection includes clamp diodes on inputs, 380 mA short-circuit current limit, and automatic output disable at ~160°C junction temperature.

Unlike the unity-gain-stable OPA551, the OPA552UA uses compensation optimized for minimum stable gain of 5 - achieving 12 MHz bandwidth and 24 V/µs slew rate only when configured per datasheet-recommended gain and load conditions. Its flag pin sources 120 µA during thermal shutdown, enabling direct interface to CMOS or HCT logic without external amplification.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

OPA552UA is packaged in an 8-pin SOIC (Small Outline Integrated Circuit) with body size 4.9 mm × 3.91 mm. The exposed pad is not present; thermal dissipation relies on PCB copper area under the package footprint and top-side conduction via R_θJC(top) = 38.7°C/W.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar high-current operational amplifier applications.

Compared with OPA552UA, OPA551UA trades bandwidth and slew rate for unconditional stability at low gains, while OPA547T adds programmability and rugged packaging at the cost of higher quiescent current and larger board footprint - neither is pin-compatible, but both address adjacent high-current op-amp use cases.

Availability

OPA552UA is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for telephony line drivers, test equipment amplifiers, audio power stages, and servo motor drivers requiring stable component supply across extended temperature ranges and high-reliability production cycles.

Supply support for OPA552UA includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Texas Instruments is a global semiconductor company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, designing and manufacturing analog and embedded processing solutions for industrial, automotive, and communications markets.

The OPA55x family was developed to deliver high-voltage, high-current precision amplification for demanding analog signal chains - specifically targeting servo control, transducer excitation, and high-fidelity audio where output drive, thermal intelligence, and DC accuracy converge.

FAQ

What is the minimum stable gain for OPA552UA, and why does it matter?

The OPA552UA is internally compensated for minimum stable closed-loop gain of 5. Operating below this gain risks instability, oscillation, or excessive overshoot due to reduced phase margin. This differs from the OPA551UA (unity-gain stable) and means OPA552UA must be used in G ≥ 5 configurations unless external compensation - such as the CS/CF network shown in Figure 31 of the SBOS100B datasheet - is applied. Using OPA552UA at G = 1 without compensation violates its design envelope and may cause failure in production systems.

How does the Flag pin on OPA552UA function, and what load can it drive?

The Flag pin on OPA552UA is an open-collector output that sources 120 µA (typical) during thermal shutdown and less than 50 nA during normal operation. It is designed to interface directly with CMOS or HCT logic inputs using a pull-up resistor - e.g., 27 kΩ to +5 V yields ~1.4 V logic low and ~4.8 V logic high. The pin cannot sink current; it only sources during fault conditions. No external transistor or buffer is needed for basic thermal event detection in OPA552UA-based designs.

Can OPA552UA drive capacitive loads, and what is the maximum stable value?

OPA552UA can drive capacitive loads, but stability depends on gain and external compensation. At G = 5, it remains stable with ≤100 pF directly at the output. For larger loads (e.g., 10 nF), the datasheet recommends adding a series resistor (RS) and feedback capacitor (CF) as shown in Figure 28 - which restores phase margin without degrading slew rate. Uncompensated operation into >1 nF typically causes peaking or ringing in OPA552UA step response, making proper layout and external RC networks essential for reliable capacitive load drive.

What is the safe operating area (SOA) limitation for OPA552UA at ±30 V supply?

At ±30 V supply, the OPA552UA SOA limits continuous output current to ±200 mA when output voltage is within 3.5 V of either rail - i.e., between –26.5 V and +26.5 V. Beyond that, current must be reduced linearly toward zero at the rails. For example, at VO = ±28 V, max continuous IO drops to ~100 mA. This SOA curve (Figure 19 in SBOS100B) is strictly defined and must be respected in thermal design - exceeding it risks immediate thermal shutdown or long-term reliability degradation in OPA552UA applications.

Does OPA552UA require input protection resistors when used with signals exceeding the supply rails?

Yes - OPA552UA includes internal clamp diodes, but input current must be limited to ≤5 mA to prevent damage. If external signals exceed (V–) – 0.5 V or (V+) + 0.5 V, a series current-limiting resistor is mandatory. For example, with ±30 V supplies and a +35 V transient, a 1 kΩ resistor limits current to 5 mA. However, large resistors interact with 6 pF input capacitance and may degrade stability or bandwidth - so resistor selection must balance protection, noise, and AC performance in each OPA552UA application.