On some aspects of the high-frequency performance of operational amplifiers and current-to-voltage converters

The standard monolithic operational amplifier current-to-voltage converter will show underdamped second-order response to step inputs. This is not discussed in standard texts. It is shown that the transfer function of the amplifier must be treated as a complex variable in order to understand the response and to apply correct compensation. The response of commercial operational amplifiers is shown to fall into two categories: those which may be easily compensated and those which cannot be satisfactorily compensated.