A differential amplifier is a type of electronic amplifier that increases the difference between two input voltages. Differential amplifiers also suppress voltage to be common to the two inputs. A digital amplifier is one of the most used and important components within integrated circuits (ICs).
Differential amplifiers are used to amplify balanced differential signals which are used to communicate small signals in electrically noisy environments. The signal wires should be close or wired together and most of the induced noise will be "common mode", affecting both wires in the same way.
The main application of a differential amplifier is to get rid of any noise and voltages that are present in both of the voltage inputs. This noise is present in common mode fluctuating voltage. Differential amplifiers are used in circuits that utilise negative feedback, such as controlling motors and signal amplification.
A Differential amplifier can also be configured to operate as a single-ended amplifier by grounding one of the inputs.
Modern differential amplifiers normally sit on a single microchip. Inside the microchip, positive and negative signals are added and become a single output.