The type of regulator you use is dependent on the application.
However, a switched regulator is not as good as a linear regulator.
The advantage of a switched regulator is there when the load current
has a large change to it.
Yes. Either way, though, the original poster wanted to be able to
produce a negative-voltage supply, for an opamp.
I assume that he already HAS a positive supply, or a single-output DC
power supply. National's website has an appnote that has a design for
a nice "power supply SPLITTER", which takes a single voltage and
splits it into positive and negative voltages of half the original
voltage each. (And the former ground becomes the neg supply rail, with
a new ground reference provided by the circuit.)
One nice thing about that one is that it can push equal maximum
currents through both sides. And it can do 1 to 1.5 amps through both
sides when running at + and - 15 volts (or 2 to 3 amps through one
side at a time). (And it can go up to +/- 30 or 40 volts, IIRC.)
It's in a National Semi appnote that refers to either the LM675T or
LM1875T audio amplifier IC (which it uses). I think the appnote had
it using the LM675T. But I built one with an LM1875T, which is about
the same (except no free samples). And it works great!
I added the splitter to a variable-output boost-type switching power
supply that I had designed (using a 78S40 IC and an external TIP41C
power transistor), which takes 12V in and produces anywhere from about
8 to about 70 volts DC out, controlled by a pot. With an added LC
filter on each output (and a small "snubber" circuit around the
TIP41C), the switching noise on the outputs, when running under full
loads (resistive) at +/-15V (1.5A each), is about 10 mV peak-to-peak.
And the whole thing fits on about 2x4 inches of PCB. (But the
splitter, alone, should work with any power supply or battery that has
a voltage within its maximum range.) I also added a 7805 regulator,
fed by a two-resistor voltage divider across the main positive output,
so I could have a +5V (but relatively low-current, in mine) output
available, too, to power CMOS ICs, or whatever. I use this power
supply board in my Curve Tracer product. (See
http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg/gooteect.htm . It's cool!)
The exact same kind of power supply splitter could be made using most
opamps, I think, changing mainly the maximum total output current (and
the maximum input voltage), depending on the opamp.
Cheers,
Tom Gootee
tomg AT fullnet.com
http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg