Abstract: An amplifier circuit includes first and second resistors that are serially connected to each other between bases of first and second transistors that flow the same current as that in a differential transistor pair made up of two transistors. A capacitor is provided between a junction of the first and second resistors and the collector of the first transistor on the output side. The amplifier circuit has a gain whose frequency characteristic is determined by a low-pass filter realized by the second resistor and capacitor connected to the second transistor. The frequency characteristic lowers a gain of the frequency that causes output oscillation, thereby preventing output oscillation. The two resistors divide a resistance between the bases of the sub transistors, so as to reduce a resistance of the second resistor. As a result, the effect of phase compensation becomes weaker and the load response characteristic of the power supply improves.

Abstract: An amplifier circuit includes first and second resistors that are serially connected to each other between bases of first and second transistors that flow the same current as that in a differential transistor pair made up of two transistors. A capacitor is provided between a junction of the first and second resistors and the collector of the first transistor on the output side. The amplifier circuit has a gain whose frequency characteristic is determined by a low-pass filter realized by the second resistor and capacitor connected to the second transistor. The frequency characteristic lowers a gain of the frequency that causes output oscillation, thereby preventing output oscillation. The two resistors divide a resistance between the bases of the sub transistors, so as to reduce a resistance of the second resistor. As a result, the effect of phase compensation becomes weaker and the load response characteristic of the power supply improves.

Abstract: An output transistor supplies a current based on a drive current to a load. An output voltage is divided by a feedback voltage, and an error amplifier outputs a voltage according to a difference in feedback voltage. Furthermore, the base drive circuit controls a drive current of the output transistor according to an output voltage of the error amplifier. The drive current flows into GND via only the drive current detecting resistor. The short-circuit overcurrent protecting circuit detects an overcurrent based on a terminal based voltage of the drive current detecting resistor, and detects an occurrence of a short circuit by observing a feedback voltage. According to the described arrangement, as the need of the short-circuit detection-use transistor to be biased by the drive current can be eliminated, variations in output voltage of the error amplifier can be suppressed, and improved transient response characteristics can be achieved.

Abstract: There is provided a light-receiving and amplifying device capable of changing its gain at high speed. A cathode of a photodiode PD is connected to a power source V.sub.CC via a current mirror circuit. An anode of the photodiode PD is connected to an input of an amplifier circuit AMP. The amplifier circuit AMP receives a photocurrent from the photodiode PD, converts the photocurrent into a voltage, and amplifies the voltage to form an output signal V.sub.OUT. A control signal of a current having the same magnitude as that of the photocurrent and output from the current mirror circuit is input to a control input terminal of a gain switching circuit. The gain switching circuit is composed of a resistor Rf.sub.1, a resistor Rf.sub.2, and a switch SW. The resistor Rf.sub.1 is connected across the input and the output of the amplifier circuit AMP, and the resistor Rf.sub.2 and the switch SW connected in series are connected across the input and the output of the amplifier circuit AMP.

Abstract: A light-receiving and amplifying device includes a plurality of photodiodes and amplifier circuits which receive inputs from anodes of the photodiodes. There is provided a first current mirror circuit for outputting a second current having the same magnitude as that of a first current which is a sum of currents flowing through cathodes of the photodiodes. Further provided is a second current mirror circuit which receives the second current from the first current mirror circuit and receives divided currents each having an even magnitude from the anodes of the photodiodes. An AC operation range of the light-receiving and amplifying device is widened in a simple manner at a low cost without significant dimensional increase of the device.