CMOS DAQ Chip Includes 10-Bit, 30-MSPS A/D Converter

Touted as the industry's first CMOS data-acquisition (DAQ) system-on-a-chip to include a 10-bit, 30-MSPS analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the THS1031 IC also includes a precision digital clamp and an internal, programmable-gain amplifier. Integrating these functions on-chip allows designers to eliminate two external circuits, simplify board layout, and reduce the cost for video, CCD-based imaging, and communications systems. The device can operate using voltages ranging from 2.7V to 5.5V, with power dissipation amounting to as little as 80 mA from a 3V supply.
The DAQ chip’s analog input can either be single ended or differential. And its 10-bit DAC provides the digital clamp, which allows clamping to 1 LSB accuracy on the ADC input--the clamp input also can be set from an external voltage source. Having a gain range of -6 to +12 dB, the programmable-gain amplifier (PGA) will maintain SNR while maximizing the dynamic range of the ADC. The company is also introducing another ADC, the THS1030, that offers the same features as the THS1031, but without the digital clamp and PGA; it is pin-for-pin compatible with, but faster than, the company's previous generation ADC, the TLC876.