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Understanding silicon circuits inside the ubiquitous 741 op amp

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The 741 op amp is one of the most famous and popular ICs[1] with hundreds of millions sold since its invention in 1968 by famous IC designer Dave Fullagar. In this article, I look at the silicon die for the 741, discuss how it works, and explain how circuits are built from silicon. [ ]

Simple Thermal Fan Controller By IC 741

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The controller uses one or more ordinary silicon diodes as a sensor, and uses a cheap opamp as the amplifier. I designed this circuit to use 12V computer fans, as these are now very easy to get cheaply. These fans typically draw about 200mA when running, so a small power transistor will be fine as the switch. I used a BD140 (1A, 6.5W), but almost anything you have to hand will work just as well. Thermal Fan Controller By IC 741 Circuit diagram:   Thermal Fan Controller Circuit Diagram Source: ESP

Thermal Fan Controller By IC 741 Circuit Diagram

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The controller uses one or more ordinary silicon diodes as a sensor, and uses a cheap opamp as the amplifier. I designed this circuit to use 12V computer fans, as these are now very easy to get cheaply. These fans typically draw about 200mA when running, so a small power transistor will be fine as the switch. I used a BD140 (1A, 6.5W), but almost anything you have to hand will work just as well. Circuit diagram:   Thermal Fan Controller Circuit Diagram Source: ESP