Electronic – Op Amp Overheating

amplifierdebuggingheatoperational-amplifier

I am building an amplifier with multiple op-amps, and it seems that some are overheating. Here is the schematic:

U62 heats up the most (too hot to touch), U63 also heats up but a little less, U64 heats up the least but still significantly. U65/66 don't heat up at all. DAC0_OUT1/2 are current outputs from a DAC with a maximum output of 20mA. The amplifiers that are heating up are all LM7372, powered with a split supply of +/-15V. (From a 7815 and 7915). I've confirmed the voltages on the supply pins and they are correct. I'm not even sure where to begin debugging this. Strangely enough, the circuit actually functions – I see the expected voltages at the outputs of the amps that heat up. However, the amp should only be consuming a few mA, so no reason it should be heating up – any ideas?

If I've left out any information that could be helpful let me know! Thanks!

Best Answer

Since the LM7372 is a high speed op-amp your first suspicion should be that they are oscillating at high frequency.

Your U62A/B can be expected to oscillate since it is decompensated for high speed- the minimum gain to assure stability is +2 and you have +1. Bingo, it oscillates like a banshee.

The LM7372 is stable for gains as low as +2 or −1.

The following amplifiers are inverting and have higher gain (minimum gain is -1 for inverting), so they'll just attenuate the many-MHz oscillation from the first ampifier and not oscillate themselves.