Generating a high speed single-ended voltage output from differential currents

differentialfeedbackoperational-amplifiersingle-ended

I'm working on a signal generator using a high speed DAC, which has balanced current outputs (two outputs, each 0-20mA, 180 degrees out of phase). The DAC is 250MSPS, so I'd like the analog frontend to handle up to about 100MHz. The output needs to be a single-ended voltage signal, with 10Vp-p.

For the same application with slower signals (a 16MHz DAC), I've used an architecture like this:

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A simpler variant that should still work is to use resistors to ground in place of the transimpedance amps to convert the current to a voltage for the difference amplifier.

However, all the high speed amplifiers I can find, such as the THS3202 from TI, are current feedback amplifiers. As a result, their negative input has a low impedance, which – at least as far as I know – makes them unsuitable as differential input amplifiers.

How can I convert differential current outputs to a single ended voltage at these sort of frequencies, given the seeming unavailability of high speed voltage feedback opamps?

Best Answer

On reflection, the answer is to heed the advice "any time you can't find an opamp with two critical characteristics, use two opamps". A voltage feedback amplifier like the LMH6657 configured as a unity gain differential amp, followed by a high slew rate current feedback amplifier to produce the required voltage swing can together produce the result I need.