Ultraprecise Current Sense Amplifi er Dramatically Enhances Effi ciency and Dynamic Range:Accurate current measurement is indispensable in manyelectronic systems. The current is usually measured byamplifying the voltage it generates across a small valueresistance. For systems that require a large dynamic measurementrange, the sense resistance must be increased orthe precision of the amplifi er must be improved. Increasingthe value of the sense resistor has the detrimental effectof increasing power dissipation. The better option is toimprove the precision of the sense amplifi er.Amplifi er precision depends a great deal on the inputoffset voltage of the amplifi er. Historically, current senseamplifi ers on the market offered input offset voltageperformance on the order of hundreds or even thousandsof μV. With such parts, achieving a practical dynamicrange of 8 to 10 bits can cost more than a Watt of powerdissipation at full operating current. The LTC®6102 ultraprecisecurrent sense amplifi er reduces input error to aminiscule 10μV. This dramatic performance enhancementtranslates directly into a greater measurement dynamicrange—16 bits is possible even while lowering powerdissipation in the sense resistor—thus greatly expandingthe gamut of current sensing design options.