A study on positive-feedback configuration of a bipolar SiC high temperature operational amplifier

This paper reports on the design and implementation of an integrated operational amplifier in bipolar SiC, and elaborates on its operation in positive-feedback configuration.The opamp is studied in different feedback setups: closed-loop compensated amplifier, comparator with hysteresis (Schmitt trigger), and as a relaxation oscillator. Measurement results suggest a stable closed-loop opamp with ∼40 dB gain, a Schmitt trigger with constant threshold levels over a wide temperature range, and a relaxation oscillator tested up to 540 kHz. All the setups were tested from 25 °C up to 500 °C.