Opamp Supply on Buffered Virtual Ground

When a Inverting Opamp Configuration is at a steady state, we say the Inverting Input is at a Virtual Ground. That means it is at 0V w.r.t to the dual power supply ground, but it cannot drive or draw any current. It is at a high impedance, but still at 0V. When you buffer this 0 V, you get a low signal ground for a opamp supply.

Analog Buffer and Inverter Switching with logic – del20016

This gnd. can sink and source in a couple of mA. You can use it with low power opamp circuits for portable battery operated devices. This creates a virtual +/- 6 V dual supply from a 12V battery. This may be needed in cases where some instrumentation opamps need the negative supply or your design demands a measurement around zero.

You may get a more loadable ground using a Power Opamp, i have not tried. The above circuit gnd cannot be used as a return path for LED’s or Relays. You can drive these, between VCC-VDD, but translate levels to drive them.