ABSTRACT
As the name suggests, the operational amplifier, or ‘op-amp’, is capable of performing mathematical operations, which are defined later in this chapter. It was developed originally for use in analog computers and used discrete components, in particular thermionic valves. The associated problems of heat dissipation and bulk restricted its general use. The advent of the transistor (1948+) and the integrated circuit (1960+) provided an entry for the operational amplifier into virtually all areas of electronics.
