Unit 1 00 2 Data Conversion and Specification Notes

How ADCs Work
In the real world, analog signals are signals that have a continuous
sequence with continuous values (there are some cases where it can be
finite). These types of signals can come from sound, light, temperature
and motion. Digital signals are represented by a sequence of discrete
values where the signal is broken down into sequences that depend on
the time series or sampling rate (more on this later). The easiest way to
explain this it through a visual! Figure 1 shows a great example of what
analog and digital signals look like.
Sampling Rate/Frequency
The ADC’s sampling rate, also known as sampling frequency, can be
tied to the ADC’s speed. The sampling rate is measured by using
“samples per second”, where the units are in SPS or S/s (or if you’re
using sampling frequency, it would be in Hz). This simply means how
many samples or data points it takes within a second. The more
samples the ADC takes, the higher frequencies it can handle.
One important equation on the sample rate is:
f = 1/T
s
Where,
f = Sample Rate/Frequency
s
T = Period of the sample or the time it takes before sampling again

For example, in Figure 1, it seems f is 20 S/s (or 20 Hz), while T is 50
s
ms. The sample rate is very slow, but the signal still came out similar to
the original analog signal. This is because the frequency of the original
signal is a slow 1 Hz, meaning the frequency rate was still good enough
to reconstruct a similar signal.
“What happens when the sampling rate is considerably slower?” you
might ask. It is important to know the sampling rate of the ADC because
you will need to know if it will cause aliasing. Aliasing means that when
a digital image/signal is reconstructed, it differs greatly from the original
image/signal caused from sampling.
If the sampling rate is slow and the frequency of the signal is high, the
ADC will not be able to reconstruct the original analog signal which will
cause the system to read incorrect data. A good example is shown in
Figure 2.
igure 2: An example of how aliasing happens. (Source: Tony R.

Kuphaldt - Lessons in Electric Circuits)
In this example, you can see where the sampling occurs in the analog
input signal. The output of the digital signal is not at all close to the
original signal as the sampling rate is not high enough to keep up with
the analog signal. This causes aliasing and now the digital system will
be missing the full picture of the analog signal.
One rule of thumb when figuring out if aliasing will happen is using
Nyquist Theorem. According to the theorem, the sampling
rate/frequency needs to be at least twice as much as the highest
frequency in the signal to recreate the original analog signal. The
following equation is used to find the Nyquist frequency:
f Nyquist = 2f Max
Where,
f = Nyquist frequency
Nyquist
f = The max frequency that appears in the signal

Max
For example, if the signal that you input into the digital system has a
max frequency of 100 kHz, then the sampling rate on your ADC needs
to be equal or greater than 200 kS/s. This will allow for a successful
reconstruction of the original signal.
It is also good to note that there are cases where outside noise can
introduce unexpected high frequency into the analog signal, which can
disrupt the signal because the sample rate couldn’t handle the added
noise frequency. It is always a good idea to add an anti-aliasing filter
(low-pass filter ) before the ADC and sampling begins, as it can prevent
unexpected high frequencies to make it to the system.
Resolution of ADC
The ADC’s resolution can be tied to the precision of the ADC. The
resolution of the ADC can be determined by its bit length. A quick
example on how it helps the digital signal output a more accurate signal
is shown in Figure 3. Here you can see that the 1-bit only has two
“levels”. As you increase the bit length, the levels increase making the
signal more closely represent the original analog signal.
Figure 3: Example on how resolution affects the digital signal. (Source:
Apple Inc – Soundtrack Pro 3: Audio Fundamentals)
If you need accurate voltage level for your system to read, then the bit
resolution is important to know. The resolution depends on both the bit
length and the reference voltage. These equations help you figure out
the total resolution of the signal that you are trying to input in voltage
terms:
Step Size = V /N
Ref
Where,
Step Size = The resolution of each level in terms of voltage

V = The voltage reference (range of voltages)
Ref
N = Total level size of ADC

To find N size, use this equation:
N=2 n
Where,
n = Bit Size
For example, let’s say that a sine wave with a voltage range of 5 needs
to be read. The ADC has a bit size of 12-bit. Plug in 12 to n on equation
4 and N will be 4096. With that known and the voltage reference set to
5V, you’ll have: Step Size = 5V/4096. You will find that the step size will
be around 0.00122V (or 1.22mV). This is accurate as the digital system
will be able to tell when the voltage changes on an accuracy of 1.22mV.
If the ADC was a very small bit length, let’s say only 2 bits, then the
accuracy would reduce to only 1.25V, which is very poor as it will only
be able to tell the system of four voltage levels (0V, 1.25V, 2.5V, 3.75V
and 5V).
Figure 4 shows common bit length and their number of levels. It also
shows what the step size would be for a 5V reference. You can see how
accurate it gets as the bit length increases.

Figure 4: Bit Length and their number of levels and step size for a 5V
reference range.
With understanding both the resolution and the sample rates of the
ADC, you can see how important it is to know these values and what to
expect from your ADC.
Published By
Analog Devices ADCs

Analog Devices have a great range of ADCs that are high quality and reliable that can be general
or special purpose converters.:
AD7175-2 (Max Resolution: 24-bit | Max Sample Rate: 250 kSPS)
The AD7175-2 is a Delta-Sigma analog-to-digital converter for low bandwidth inputs. It has low noise, fast
settling, multiplexed, 2-/4-channels that has a maximum channel scan rate of 50 kSPS (20µs) for fully settled
data. The output data rates can range from 5 SPS to 250 kSPS. You can also configure an individual setup
for each analog input channel in use and can have a max of 24-bit resolution. Applications include: process
control (PLC/DCS modules), temperature and pressure measurement, medical and scientific multichannel
instrumentation, and chromatography.
AD9680 (Max Resolution: 14-bit | Max Sample Rate: 1.25 GSPS)
Analog Devices ADCs

Analog Devices have a great range of ADCs that are high quality and reliable that can be general
or special purpose converters. Here are a few to consider for your next design:
AD7175-2 (Max Resolution: 24-bit | Max Sample Rate: 250 kSPS)

The AD7175-2 is a Delta-Sigma analog-to-digital converter for low bandwidth inputs. It has low
noise, fast settling, multiplexed, 2-/4-channels that has a maximum channel scan rate of 50 kSPS
(20µs) for fully settled data. The output data rates can range from 5 SPS to 250 kSPS. You can
also configure an individual setup for each analog input channel in use and can have a max of 24-
bit resolution. Applications include: process control (PLC/DCS modules), temperature and pressure
measurement, medical and scientific multichannel instrumentation, and chromatography.
AD9680 (Max Resolution: 14-bit | Max Sample Rate: 1.25 GSPS)

This ADC has a wide full power bandwidth that supports IF sampling of signals up to 2GHz. It has
four integrated wideband decimation filters and its numerically controlled oscillators (NCO) blocks
supporting multiband receivers. With its buffered inputs with programmable input termination, it
eases filter design and implementation. Applications include: communications, general-purpose
software radios, ultrawideband satellite receivers, instrumentation, radars and much more.
AD7760 (Max Resolution: 24-bit | Max Sample Rate: 2.5 MSPS)

AD7760 is a high-performance sigma-delta ADC that combines input bandwidth and high speed with
benefits of a sigma-delta conversion to achieve a performance of 100 dB ANR at 2.5 MSPS, making
it ideal for high speed data acquisition. It can simplify the design process with its wide dynamic
range combined with significantly reduced antialiasing requirements. Applications include: data
acquisition systems, vibration analysis, and instrumentation.

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How ADCs Work

T = Period of the sample or the time it takes before sampling again

igure 2: An example of how aliasing happens. (Source: Tony R.

f = The max frequency that appears in the signal

Step Size = The resolution of each level in terms of voltage

N = Total level size of ADC

Analog Devices ADCs

AD7175-2 (Max Resolution: 24-bit | Max Sample Rate: 250 kSPS)

AD9680 (Max Resolution: 14-bit | Max Sample Rate: 1.25 GSPS)

Analog Devices ADCs

AD7175-2 (Max Resolution: 24-bit | Max Sample Rate: 250 kSPS)

AD9680 (Max Resolution: 14-bit | Max Sample Rate: 1.25 GSPS)

AD7760 (Max Resolution: 24-bit | Max Sample Rate: 2.5 MSPS)

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