A400
Single Channel High Voltage Linear Amplifiers
- Category: Single Channel High Voltage Linear Amplifiers
- Manufacturer: Pendulum Instruments
- Channels: 1 channel
- Voltage gain: ×20 (fixed, ultra-linear)
- Maximum input voltage: ±10 V (recommended working range ±7.5 V)
- Output voltage range: -200 V to +200 V (bipolar)
- Data sheet: Download PDF
- External link: Official product page
Overview
The Pendulum Instruments A400 is a general-purpose single-channel high voltage linear amplifier designed for the laboratory. Its fast high voltage operational amplifier gives a fixed voltage gain of 20, so any signal source whose amplitude does not exceed ±10 V — a function generator or an arbitrary waveform generator, for example — can be amplified to a bipolar high voltage signal of up to ±200 V at the isolated BNC output. Bandwidth reaches DC to 1 MHz at 100 Vpp and holds an effective DC to 500 kHz at maximum output voltage, with a slew rate of up to 400 V/µs for waveform fidelity. The input carries a protection network and a 15 mA microfuse, which limit the signal amplitude and suppress accidental transients so that overvoltage cannot cause damage. Output impedance is very low (< 0.1 Ω), maximum continuous output current is 185 mA, capacitive loads up to 400 pF are tolerated and maximum output power is about 30 W, which suits capacitive loads such as piezo actuators, MEMS devices, OLED panels and liquid crystal cells particularly well. With a peak-to-peak capability of ±400 Vp-p, the A400 is an indispensable high voltage driver for research institutes, R&D laboratories and component manufacturers.
Key features
- ±200 V bipolar high voltage output — A fixed linear gain of 20 amplifies a ±10 V input accurately to ±200 V, and the bipolar output suits applications that need both positive and negative high voltage drive.
- DC to 1 MHz broadband response — Bandwidth reaches 1 MHz under a 100 Vpp load with a slew rate of 400 V/µs, so high-frequency signals are reproduced faithfully and without distortion.
- Input protection network and microfuse — A built-in 15 mA microfuse and input protection network limit the signal amplitude and suppress transients, opening the circuit automatically if an overvoltage exceeds 300% of the maximum input voltage.
- Very low output impedance — An output impedance below 0.1 Ω lets the amplifier drive a wide range of loads while holding the output voltage steady and keeping the signal intact.
- Works with signal sources of every kind — Any source with an output amplitude no greater than ±10 V can be used, including function generators, arbitrary waveform generators and other standard laboratory equipment, so it integrates flexibly.
- Driving piezo and MEMS devices — A maximum capacitive load of 400 pF and maximum output power of about 30 W are designed for capacitive loads — piezo actuators, MEMS, OLED and liquid crystal — making it an ideal choice for R&D and manufacturing test.
Typical applications
- Precision positioning and vibration control with piezo actuators — An R&D engineer feeds an arbitrary waveform generator (output ±10 V) into the A400, which amplifies it 20× to ±200 V and drives a piezo stack or piezo bender directly — nanometre positioning, active vibration damping and ultrasonic transduction, without buying a dedicated piezo driver.
- Characterising electrostatically actuated MEMS devices — During MEMS process validation, engineers apply a programmable high voltage sweep (a DC bias with a small AC signal superimposed) to an electrostatically driven microstructure with the A400, measuring the capacitance–voltage curve, the pull-in voltage and the resonant frequency to confirm the device meets the design specification before it goes into volume production.
- Electro-optical characterisation of liquid crystal and OLED devices — An electro-optics laboratory uses the A400 to apply broadband high voltage sine or arbitrary drive waveforms to a liquid crystal module or OLED sample, measuring the transmittance–voltage curve and the switching response time, so that researchers obtain a complete set of electro-optical data quickly during material development and display prototype validation.
Key specifications
Key specifications for A400, as published by Pendulum Instruments. For the full datasheet or a customized configuration, please get in touch.
| Channels | 1 channel |
|---|---|
| Voltage gain | ×20 (fixed, ultra-linear) |
| Maximum input voltage | ±10 V (recommended working range ±7.5 V) |
| Output voltage range | -200 V to +200 V (bipolar) |
| Maximum output current | 150 mA (current limited); 185 mA continuous |
| Maximum output power | ~30 W |
| Bandwidth | DC to 1 MHz (100 Vpp); DC to 500 kHz (at maximum output voltage) |
| Slew rate | 400 V/µs |
| Input impedance | 1 MΩ (30 pF) |
| Output impedance | < 0.1 Ω |
| Maximum capacitive load | 400 pF |
| Power supply | 100 V, 110 V or 220 V, 50/60 Hz (a version with a 110/220 V selector switch is also available) |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 257 × 102 × 262 mm |
| Weight | 4 kg |
Frequently asked questions
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