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Good Deep-Knowledge Analog Design Books? 65

NorthNitro writes "I live in a part of the world where quality technical books are not accessible from local distributors. When I order, from international distributors, I have to keep exchange rate and shipping costs in mind; so I really need to be careful with my choices when purchasing books. I am a graduate engineer (5 years experience) that focuses on analog and digital hardware design. Next year I will be starting a complicated analog design project. This design will include circuits that integrating Pico amp currents, a lot of discrete transistor circuits and high precision op-amp circuits. I don't want a cookbook; I rather want something that can provide me with solid theoretical descriptions/models of circuits. The kind of knowledge that gives you deep understanding of analog circuits design. Can anyone suggest good books and maybe where to order them from?"
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Good Deep-Knowledge Analog Design Books?

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  • by eldavojohn ( 898314 ) * <eldavojohn@noSpAM.gmail.com> on Wednesday November 19, 2008 @04:15PM (#25822777) Journal

    Good Deep-Knowledge Analog Design Books?

    I'm sorry, please ask your question in the form of: "(Useful) Stupid <topic> Tricks?"

    Until then, I can't help you. Didn't you get the memo [google.com]?

  • I think what you are looking for does not exist. You obviously already know a fair amount about analog circuit design if you have been in the field for 5 years dealing with them. It sounds to me more like you need something about system design. If you do not already have intimate knowledge with op amps, discrete transistor circuits, and problems associated with extremely low currents, then you will need to learn about each of these individually. The ability to develop a large and complex system is the m
  • by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 19, 2008 @04:37PM (#25823077)

    If you don't have Horowitz and Hill (The Art Of Electronics), you need it. It's surprisingly in depth for something that is ostensibly a primer, and covers useful techniques in many areas of the field, including micropower circuitry.

    Other than that, I'm afraid that much of the information you want lies on the cutting edge of the field, and therefore industry is the best resource: datasheets, white papers, etc. You might also browse Artech House, which has a well-deserved reputation for publishing useful, if esoteric, technical books.

    • Seconded.
      My first thought was that it may be below him, but I've 9 years in the industry and still peek at it time to time.
      He can have my copy 50% off (all pages present, very *very* warn) and I'll go pick up a new one...
      -nB

  • Without more info its hard to give a good pointer. If you know the basics getting an IEEE account and searching for papers there is really the best approach. If your looking for a good general text I don't think you can go wrong with

    CMOS Circuit Design, Layout, and Simulation, Second Edition (Hardcover)
    by R. Jacob Baker (Author)

    Best general Analog text book I've read.

    • by HardCase ( 14757 )

      I'll second that. I graduated from Boise State University, where Jake Baker teaches. I was lucky enough to take a few classes from him before he became chair of the EE department. He's a hell of a professor and wrote some very good books. Appropo to nothing, he was in the Marines - the GI bill paid for his undergrad degree. You can definitely tell when you're around him.

  • by Xolotl ( 675282 ) on Wednesday November 19, 2008 @04:38PM (#25823095) Journal

    With 5 years of experience you may well be familiar with it, but if not (and for anyone else)

    The Art of Electronics [amazon.com]

    by Horowitz and Hill was always the classic practical analog electronics text.

  • by Anonymous Coward

    The standard texts in analog design are:

    * Gray, Hurst, Lewis, and Meyer - Analysis and Design of Analog Integrated Circuits (http://tinyurl.com/6pk45f)
    * Razavi - Design of Analog CMOS Integrated Circuits (http://tinyurl.com/66wzgt)

    If you know more specifics about what you'll be designing (e.g., RF, very low power, ADC, filters, etc.) you can find more specific references for each area I'm sure. As for where to buy them, half.com is a great place to buy cheap books (e.g., international edition of Razavi will

  • I can't direct you to a particular book, but a good deal of analog circuit literature revolves around power systems so you may want to start your search there.
  • I found Analysis and Design of Analog Integrated Circuits [amazon.com] (Gray/Hurst/Lewis/Meyer) to be a good book on deep-down transistor electronics. It is very theoretical, as you are looking for, and will support a strong understanding of analog transistor circuits.

    I bought the "developing country" paperback edition for a lot less than $115 or whatever Amazon wants for the hardcover. Not a word is different.

  • by Komi ( 89040 ) on Wednesday November 19, 2008 @05:06PM (#25823519) Homepage
    Design of Analog CMOS Integrated Circuits
    by Behzad Razavi
    http://www.amazon.com/Design-Analog-CMOS-Integrated-Circuits/dp/0072380322 [amazon.com]

    Analysis and Design of Analog Integrated Circuits
    by by Paul R. Gray, Paul J. Hurst, Stephen H. Lewis, Robert G. Meyer
    http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Design-Analog-Integrated-Circuits/dp/0471321680 [amazon.com]

    Analog Integrated Circuit Design
    by David Johns, Ken Martin
    http://www.amazon.com/Analog-Integrated-Circuit-Design-David/dp/0471144487 [amazon.com]

    I have these three books. They're all for integrated circuit design, but they definitely give an in-depth coverage of analog design. They're pretty heavy in terms of material. You might be looking for something a bit broader in scope.
  • by stewbee ( 1019450 ) on Wednesday November 19, 2008 @05:14PM (#25823631)
    I am not trying to troll here, but Horowitz and Hill does not sound like what he is looking for. This is circuit design light. It vaguely describes circuits, however I will admit there are a bunch of circuit ideas with cook book solutions (or circuit ideas, as the book puts it) but I found them never to be described enough to my liking. Even more of a pet peeve of mine about this book is that it gives drawings of 'bad' circuit ideas. In most cases it is obvious why one of these circuits won't work, but others are not as obvious. The thing is, it never explains why they are bad. If you are trying to learn analog circuitry, it is almost as important to know why something won't work as to why it will. I almost feel people suggest this book if they are not EE's but it makes you sound knowledgeable. (full disclaimer: I am an RF design EE ) </rant>

    I will agree with one poster who suggested Grey, Hurst, Meyer, and Lewis called "Analysis and Design of Analog Integrated Circuits" (and I own), with the disclaimer that it is geared for IC design. With that said, it does a good job of teaching analog circuits.
    • by Xolotl ( 675282 )

      As one of the people who suggested H&H, I didn't do it 'to sound knowledgeable', but because I do consider it a useful book for practical analog design. Also I don't think of it as a cookbook, I always thought it too vague for what I would consider 'a cookbook' (i.e. a book of recipes to follow), but that is perhaps a matter of taste.

      Still, you may be right that it is not an EE book, I'm a physicist and admittedly haven't had to do electronics design for years now. I'm sure Grey et al. is also a good bo

    • I think that, while you are right in your criticisms, it is still a useful book to have on the shelf. I still refer to mine now and then, though admittedly less so each passing year.
      -nB

    • Your comments are interesting. I too am a physicist, and have made good use of H&H. I think the style of H&H is much more 'read the chapter, understand the basic ideas, go out and design stuff' and less 'here is a design model, plug in your parameters'. We don't suggest it just to sound knowledgable, but because it fits well with a physics style of thinking. Apparently it jars with an engineers thought patterns.

      But I'd agree, it sounds like the original questioner knows about H&H (whether he
    • As soon as I read the question I knew that H&H would be quickly recommended. There is nothing wrong with H&H as an introductory text but the OP identified himself as a degreed engineer with 5 years experience. He is well beyond H&H and "The ARRL Handbook." As other engineers have, I recommend: "Analysis and Design of Analog Integrated Circuits" Gray, Hurst I also learned a lot from: "High Speed Digital Design: A Handbook of Black Magic" Johnson, Graham Although it says "Digital" in the title,
  • by John Miles ( 108215 ) on Wednesday November 19, 2008 @05:21PM (#25823717) Homepage Journal

    Jim Williams' first book [amazon.com]
    Jim Williams' second book [amazon.com]
    Bob Pease's book [amazon.com]
    Hans Camenzind's book [amazon.com] (an especially-cool book by the designer of the original 555)

    • by Swan1 ( 1386663 )
      I second the books John suggests, and would add: High Speed Digital Design: A handbook of Black magic by Howard Johnson and Martin Graham.
  • by Anonymous Coward

    Analog Circuit Design - Art, Science and Personalities (Williams, 1991)
    http://www.amazon.com/Analog-Circuit-Design-Personalities-Engineers/dp/0750696400/

    A great book for getting more insight on designing real systems - light on analysis (Amazon lists a companion book with more technical stuff - haven't read that one) but shows some of the real-world problems faced by designers. The chapter on Digiphase may be particularly interesting, as it is a high-precision system (in frequency, rather than current) with

  • by hardie ( 716254 ) on Wednesday November 19, 2008 @05:49PM (#25824229)

    I think more detail would help recommendations. I don't have a copy of H&H, but a good number of folk I know like it. I have a copy of Gray and Meyer, which I use a lot (but my copy is 30 years old, I imagine it has had a lot added to it). I'm very fond of Operational Amplifiers by J.K. Roberge. It is not in print, but there are used copies out there. I'm not aware of any really excellent books on discrete transistor level analog design.

    You didn't mention this, but there is a really good (i.e. practical) book on grounding and shielding:
    Grounding and Shielding Techniques in Instrumentation by Ralph Morrison

    I strongly recommend spending as much time at the bench as you can, building and measuring your circuits. If you want to get good at it, hands-on experience is crucial.

    Steve

  • by Anonymous Coward

    High Speed Digital Design: A Handbook of Black Magic (Hardcover) by Howard Johnson, Martin Graham

  • by Anonymous Coward

    Analog Devices has compendiums of appnotes and tutorials. I'm looking at the following on my shelf:
    Systems Application Guide
    OpAmp Applications Seminar
    Power and Thermal Management
    The Best of Analog Dialog 67' to 91'
    Ask The Apllications Engineer

    Natsemi's Analog Signal Path Design Seminar

    GHLM is a good textbook but contains nothing on actual implementation.

  • This was the book that we used @ Auburn for our Analog design courses. Its a good book with a LOT of theory: Microelectronic Circuit Design [google.com]
  • Here's my suggestion (Score:4, Informative)

    by dpaton.net ( 199423 ) on Wednesday November 19, 2008 @06:40PM (#25825155) Homepage Journal

    Analog Integrated Circuit Applications [amazon.com]

    Prof. Jacob is wonderfully knowledgeable on the subject, and his teaching style is easy to follow. Additionally, his book covers a lot more than just the ICs in the title.

  • by Anonymous Coward

    "Design with Operational Amplifiers and Analog Integrated Circuits"

    There's a preview on his site:

    http://online.sfsu.edu/~sfranco/Books.html

  • Book I use (Score:4, Informative)

    by usul294 ( 1163169 ) on Wednesday November 19, 2008 @06:45PM (#25825229)
    I'm an undergraduate electrical engineer here in the states, I'm on my 2nd analog design course at this point, and both times we have used Microelectronic Circuits by Sedra/Smith. The book covers op-amps, diodes,MOSFET's, BJT's, JFET's, amplifier designs, feedback control, ADC/DAC and CMOS as its basic topics. Some final sections on Memory and fancy digital circuits, filters and tuned amplifiers, signal generators and waveform shaping circuits, and finally output stages and amplifiers. There is, however, nothing on phase-locked loops but a quick google search on those has some very useful material. If you are looking for something more signal processing oriented, Lathi's Signal Processing and Linear Systems is a great book that covers the basics of everything I've ever heard of in analog signal processing. If I knew more of what your project was I could suggest something more specific to that field, but those two books cover the core analog electrical engineering concepts except for the very introductory circuit theory (Kirchoff, Ohm's Law, phasors)
  • I used Sedra and Smith's Microelectronic Circuits text [barnesandnoble.com] during my undergrad and found it to be an excellent reference. It has a good balance of theory and real circuits.
  • by Anonymous Coward

    Most of the books mentioned so far are better for HAM radio fanatics. As an Analog Engineer, here are my favorite books:

    'Analysis and Design of Analog Integrated Circuits' Gray, Hurst
    This is one of the best well-rounded books and is a must-have for any analog engineer.

    Based on the description, I assume you're not working in CMOS, but if you are: 'CMOS Analog Circuit Design' Allen, Holberg

    Another book I use on occasion is 'Analog Integrated Circuit Design' Johns, Martin
    This is an OK book, but I prefer Gray,

  • "Electronic Circuits: Handbook for Design and Application". The original is german and very good. It does not cover really, really exotic things, but for basic and deeper concepts it is the reference. It has a strong focus of telling you what is important and what not, providind theoretical models for everything and even listing sample ICs and commenting on them. It is possible that it is still to basic for your needs, but there may not be a book that really covers what you need.

  • Head on over to Motorola, and get a set of databooks. Head on over to Analog Devices pick up a set of databooks. Head on over to (insert your favorite company) pick up a set of databooks. Head on down to your local sunday market, hang around the electronics types, look through their boxes, and buy up all their databooks. Head on down to used bookstores, buy up their used databooks.

    Repeat.
    Repeat.

    Before you know it you'll not only know Analog, you'll know digital, power, discrete, mosfet, thermisters, instr

  • Bob Pease (Score:3, Informative)

    by ka9dgx ( 72702 ) * on Thursday November 20, 2008 @12:36AM (#25828661) Homepage Journal
    Find and read everything you can written by Bob Pease. You'll be entertained and enlightened.
    • I was wondering when someone would get around to mentioning Bob Pease. He used to do a column in the old McGraw-Hill 'Electronics' IIRC. This man understand analog better than almost anyone on the planet. If his columns have ever been compiled into a book, or he has written a book on Analog, that would be easily the most worn book on my shelves here. He was for many years, THE analog guru at National Semi. Hit your bookstore and have them do a search for his name. Something useful and entertaining has

    • Re: (Score:3, Funny)

      by HardCase ( 14757 )

      All we are saying is give Pease a chance.

  • "Noise Reduction Techniques in Electronic Systems" by Henry Ott.

    I've heard "Transistor Circuit Approximations" by Malvino is good. I don't have it, but I liked his style in some other books.

    I've also heard the "GE transistor handbook" from days of yore has good stuff in it.

    (Searching on that gave a link to an e-bay auction of 8 dvds of scanned old books, which looked like a treasure trove of good stuff. not my auction, no connection to it)

    I would second a thumbs up for "Handbook of Digital Black Magic" by

  • Last year I did a course "Electronic Measurement" at USQ which dealt a lot with EMC compatability, PCB layout, noise resistance, etc - a lot of really non-obvious stuff until you read it.

    From this I've ended up with bundle of very enlightning PDFs, some of which I'll list below. I'm not sure if these are what you are looking for, but they certainly match your price range. I recommend anyone every using an op-amp read at least the first one, which I found quite amazing - for illustrating the different retur

    • I agree, it'd be a good idea to have all of those app notes in one place. You might zip them up into one archive file and upload it to the "Manuals" link at http://www.ko4bb.com/ [ko4bb.com] . (Various people have been stashing EPROM images, useful emails, spreadsheets, and other resources in that directory, not just manuals.)

  • I always found the ARRL Handbooks to be great refreshers for electronic theory. Although the intended audience is obviously the amateur radio community, these books are a great resource for anyone interested in electronics. Save some money and don't buy the latest greatest edition.

    ARRL Handbook [amazon.com]

  • Cookbooks can be trouble because without insight into the advantages and vulnerabilities of a circuit, it might simply fail.

    In radio frequency work, we often added variable attenuators in the signal path, to allow tuning. To know the attenuator range though, required creating a spreadsheet to track worst case signal levels forward and backward to the attenuators.

    "The kind of knowledge that gives you deep understanding of analog circuits design. Can anyone suggest good books and maybe where to order them fro

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