Electronic Circuits and Logic Design
MODULE 2- Part 2
ADC and DAC application: Block Schematic
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DAC: Digital to Analog Converter:
▪ A Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) converts a digital input signal into an analog
output signal.
▪ The digital signal is represented with a binary code, which is a combination of bits
0 and 1
Types of DACs
There are two types of DACs
▪ Weighted Resistor DAC
▪ R-2R Ladder DAC
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D/A convertor with binary weighted resistors
▪ Uses a summing amplifier and binary weighted resistors
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Weighted Resistor DAC:
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Weighted Resistor DAC
▪ The output is a positive going staircase waveform (since Vr is negative & opamp
is in inverting mode).
▪ In practice, due to the variations in the logic HIGH voltage levels, all the steps will
not have the same size.
▪ The value of the feedback resistor Rf changes the size of the steps. Thus, a
desired size for a step can be obtained by connecting the appropriate feedback
resistor.
▪ The only condition to look out for is that the maximum output voltage should not
exceed the saturation levels of the op-amp.
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Weighted Resistor DAC: Disadvantage
▪ The difference between the resistance values corresponding to LSB & MSB will
increase as the number of bits present in the digital input increases.
▪ It is difficult to design more accurate resistors as the number of bits present in the
digital input increases.
▪ If the number of inputs (>4) or combinations (>16) is more, the binary-weighted
resistors may not be readily available. This is why, R and 2R method is more
preferred as it requires only two sets of precision resistance values.
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R-2R Ladder DAC
• The R-2R Ladder DAC overcomes the
disadvantages of a binary weighted
resistor DAC.
• As the name suggests, R-2R Ladder DAC
produces an analog output, which is
almost equal to the digital (binary) input
by using a R-2R ladder network in the
inverting adder circuit.
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R-2R Ladder DAC
• The bits of a binary number can have only one
of the two values. i.e., either 0 or 1.
• Let the 3-bit binary input be b2 b1 b0
• Here, the bits b2 and b0 denote the Most
Significant Bit (MSB) and Least Significant Bit
(LSB), respectively.
• The digital switches shown in the figure will be
connected to ground when the corresponding
input bits are equal to 0. Similarly, the digital
switches shown in the figure will be connected
to the negative reference voltage, −VR, when
the corresponding input bits are equal to 1.
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R-2R Ladder DAC
The advantages of a R-2R Ladder DAC are as follows −
▪ R-2R Ladder DAC contains only two values of resistors: R and 2R. So, it is easy
to select and design more accurate resistors.
▪ If a larger number of bits are present in the digital input, then we have to include
the required number of R-2R sections additionally.
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DAC Specifications
▪ Resolution: It is the smallest change that can be detected in the analog output by a single-digit change
in the digital input
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DAC Specifications
▪ Accuracy: It is the difference between the actual analog output obtained and the expected
value.
▪ Temperature sensitivity: For a fixed digital input, the analog output will vary with
temperature because of the variation in reference supply voltage with temperature, resistors,
summing amplifier (op-amp.), and the like.
▪ Settling time: When the digital input to a D/A converter changes, it takes time for the level
amplifiers and other internal circuitry to respond and to produce a new analog output value.
The time it takes for the output to stabilise to 99.95% of its new value is called the settling
time.
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ADC Process
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Sample and Hold
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Analog-to-digital converters
Two Types: Direct and Integrating type
Direct type: conversion is based on the comparison of the given analog signal with an
internally generated equivalent signal
The most common types of direct analog-to-digital converters available are:
▪ Flash Analog to Digital converter.
▪ Successive Approximation Analog to Digital Converter.
Integrating Type: conversion is indirect, by first changing the analog input signal to a linear
function of time or frequency and then to a digital code
The most common integrating type is
▪ Dual slope Analog to Digital converter.
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Flash Type/ Parallel Comparator ADC
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Flash Type/ Parallel Comparator ADC
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Flash Type/ Parallel Comparator ADC
▪ Advantage:
▪ High speed as conversion takes place simultaneously
▪ Typical conversion time is 100nsec or less
▪ Disadvantage:
▪ The number of comparators doubles for each added bit.
▪ The larger the number of bits, the more complex the encoder also increases.
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Successive approximation type
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Successive approximation type
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SAR type ADC
▪ The successive approximation technique uses a very efficient code search strategy to complete
an n-bit conversion in just n-clock periods.
▪ The circuit uses a successive approximation register (SAR) to find the required value of each bit
by trial and error.
▪ With the arrival of the START command, the SAR sets the MSB d₁ = 1 with all other bits to zero
so that the trial code is 10000000. The output V of the DAC is now compared with analog input
V. If V, is greater than the DAC output V, then 10000000 is less than the correct digital
representation. The MSB is left at '1' and the next lower significant bit is made '1' and further
tested.
▪ However, if V, is less than the DAC output, then 10000000 is greater than the correct digital
representation. So reset MSB to '0' and go on to the next lower bit
▪ his procedure is repeated for all subsequent bits, one at a time until all bit positions have been
tested. Whenever the DAC output crosses V, the comparator changes state and this can be
taken as the end of conversion (EOC command).
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