MAX1169
after a conversion. This allows more time for the input
buffer amplifier to respond to a large step-change in
input signal. The input amplifier must have a high
enough slew rate to complete the required output volt-
age change before the beginning of the acquisition
time. At the beginning of acquisition, the internal sam-
pling capacitor array connects to AIN (the amplifier out-
put), causing some output disturbance.
Ensure that the sampled voltage has settled to within
the required limits before the end of the acquisition
time. If the frequency of interest is low, AIN can be
bypassed with a large enough capacitor to charge the
internal sampling capacitor with very little ripple.
However, for AC use, AIN must be driven by a wide-
band buffer (at least 4MHz), which must be stable with
the ADC’s capacitive load (in parallel with any AIN
bypass capacitor used) and also settle quickly. Refer to
Maxim’s website at www.maxim-ic.com for application
notes on how to choose the optimum buffer amplifier for
your ADC application.
Layout, Grounding, and Bypassing
Careful printed circuit (PC) board layout is essential for
the best system performance. Boards should have sep-
arate analog and digital ground planes and ensure that
digital and analog signals are separated from each
other. Do not run analog and digital (especially clock)
lines parallel to one another, or digital lines underneath
the device package.
Figure 4 shows the recommended system ground con-
nections. Establish an analog ground point at AGND
and a digital ground point at DGND. Connect all analog
grounds to the star analog ground. Connect the digital
grounds to the star digital ground. Connect the digital
ground plane to the analog ground plane at one point.
For lowest noise operation, make the ground return to
the star ground’s power supply low impedance and as
short as possible.
High-frequency noise in the AVDD power supply
degrades the ADC’s high-speed comparator perfor-
mance. Bypass AVDD to AGND with a 0.1μF ceramic
surface-mount capacitor. Make bypass capacitor con-
nections as short as possible. If the power supply is
very noisy, connect a 10Ωresistor in series with AVDD
and a 4.7μF capacitor from AVDD to AGND to create a
lowpass RC filter.
Definitions
Integral Nonlinearity
Integral nonlinearity (INL) is the deviation of the values
on an actual transfer function from a straight line. This
straight line can be either a best-straight-line fit or a line
drawn between the end points of the transfer function
once offset and gain errors have been nullified. The
MAX1169 INL is measured using the end-point method.
Differential Nonlinearity
Differential nonlinearity (DNL) is the difference between
an actual step width and the ideal value of 1 LSB. A
DNL error specification of less than 1 LSB guarantees
no missing codes and a monotonic transfer function.
Aperture Jitter
Aperture jitter (tAJ) is the sample-to-sample variation in
the time between the samples (Figure 11).
Aperture Delay
Aperture delay (tAD) is the time from the falling edge of
SCL to the instant when an actual sample is taken
(Figure 11).
Signal-to-Noise Ratio
For a waveform perfectly reconstructed from digital sam-
ples, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is the ratio of full-scale
analog input (RMS value) to the RMS quantization error
(residual error). The ideal, theoretical minimum analog-
to-digital noise is caused by quantization error only and
results directly from the ADC’s resolution (N bits):
SNR = ((6.02 N) + 1.76) dB
In reality, noise sources besides quantization noise
exist, including thermal noise, reference noise, clock jit-
ter, etc. Therefore, SNR is computed by taking the ratio
of the RMS signal to the RMS noise, which includes all
spectral components minus the fundamental, the first
five harmonics, and the DC offset.
58.6ksps, 16-Bit, 2-Wire Serial ADC
in a 14-Pin TSSOP
18 ______________________________________________________________________________________
Figure 14. Unipolar Transfer Function