In signal-conditioning applications utilizing a single power source, a reference voltage equal to one-half the supply voltage is required for termination of all analog signal grounds. Texas Instruments presents a precision virtual ground whose output voltage is always equal to one-half the input voltage, the TLE2426 "rail splitter."

The unique combination of a high-performance, micropower operational amplifier and a precision- 
trimmed divider on a single silicon chip results in a precise V_O/V_Iratio of 0.5 while sinking and sourcing current. The TLE2426 provides a low- 
impedance output with 20 mA of sink and source capability while drawing less than 280uA 

of supply current over the full input range of 4V to 40V. A designer need not pay the price in terms of board space for a conventional signal ground consisting of resistors, capacitors, operational amplifiers, and voltage references. The performance and precision of the TLE2426 is available in an easy-to-use, space saving, 3-terminal LP package. For increased performance, the optional 8-pin packages provide a noise-reduction pin. With the addition of an external capacitor (C_NR), peak-to-peak noise is reduced while line ripple rejection is improved.

Initial output tolerance for a single 5-V or 12-V system is better than 1% with 3.6% over the full 40-V input range. Ripple rejection exceeds 12 bits of accuracy. Whether the application is for a data acquisition front end, analog signal termination, or simply a precision voltage reference, the TLE2426 eliminates a major source of system error.

The C-suffix devices are characterized for operation from 0°C to 70°C. The I suffix devices are characterized for operation from -40°C to 85°C. The M suffix devices are characterized over the full military temperature range of -55°C to 125°C.