Quad JFET op-amp for multi-channel analog front-ends
The LF444CN/NOPB is a quad JFET-input operational amplifier from Texas Instruments, packing four independent amplifiers in a single 14-pin DIP package. It is designed for applications where high input impedance and low bias current matter more than raw speed — think multi-channel data acquisition, photodiode amplifiers, or active filters in industrial control systems.
What the key ratings mean for your BOM
The 10 pA input bias current (typical) means negligible offset drift from the source impedance; a 10 MΩ sensor sees only 100 µV of additional offset from bias current, which is well below the 3 mV typical input offset voltage of the amplifier itself. Supply current is 600 µA per amplifier (2.4 mA total for the quad), making it a reasonable choice for battery-powered or thermally constrained boards where each milliwatt counts. The 36 V supply span allows operation from ±18 V split rails or a single 36 V rail, covering common industrial supply voltages without a secondary regulator. Output drive is rated at 14 mA per channel — enough to swing into a 2 kΩ load to within a couple of volts of the rails, but not intended for driving heavy loads like relays or long cables directly.
Housed in a 14-lead DIP with 0.300-inch body width (7.62 mm), the LF444CN/NOPB is a through-hole part — it fits standard breadboards, prototyping sockets, and wave-solder production lines. The supplier device package is 14-PDIP, identical to the industry-standard footprint. Shipping in tube packaging, the parts arrive aligned for hand-insertion or automated DIP insertion machines without reel-to-tube transfer.
It is ROHS3 Compliant, meaning no restricted substances above the exemption thresholds — no special handling or documentation required for EU-market shipments.
