Description
The TL064 is the low-power member of the popular TL07x/TL08x series. While the TL07x family prioritizes speed and low noise, the TL064 is engineered specifically for low power consumption, making it an excellent choice for battery-powered or portable equipment.
Key Characteristics
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Architecture: Quad operational amplifier (four op-amps in a single 14-pin package).
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Power Consumption: Extremely low—typically $200 \, \mu\text{A}$ per amplifier. This is roughly 1/10th the power consumption of the TL074.
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Input Stage: JFET-input, providing the same high input impedance ($10^{12} \, \Omega$) as the rest of the family.
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Trade-off: To achieve low power, the slew rate is reduced to approximately $3.5 \, \text{V}/\mu\text{s}$ (compared to $13 \, \text{V}/\mu\text{s}$ for the TL074) and the bandwidth is lower ($1 \, \text{MHz}$).
Comparison: The TL0x4 Family
| Feature | TL064 (Low Power) | TL074 (Low Noise) | TL084 (General Purpose) |
| Supply Current | $0.2 \, \text{mA}$ / amp | $1.4 \, \text{mA}$ / amp | $1.4 \, \text{mA}$ / amp |
| Slew Rate | $3.5 \, \text{V}/\mu\text{s}$ | $13 \, \text{V}/\mu\text{s}$ | $13 \, \text{V}/\mu\text{s}$ |
| Gain Bandwidth | $1 \, \text{MHz}$ | $3 \, \text{MHz}$ | $3 \, \text{MHz}$ |
| Primary Use | Battery-powered gear | Audio / Precision | General electronics |
Typical Applications
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Portable Instruments: Ideal for handheld medical or scientific measurement devices where battery life is critical.
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Low-Power Active Filters: Building filters that don’t drain the power supply in remote sensing applications.
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Integrators in Battery Circuits: Where high input impedance is needed but high speed is not a priority.
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Sensor Interfacing: Interfacing high-impedance sensors (like piezoelectric or capacitive sensors) in low-power IoT or remote sensor nodes.
Important Engineering Note
Because the TL064 has a significantly lower slew rate and bandwidth than the TL074, it is not recommended for high-fidelity audio or high-frequency signal processing. If your project is plugged into a wall outlet, you are generally better off using the TL074 for better performance. If your project is running off a coin cell or small battery and speed is not a major concern, the TL064 is the superior choice.

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