Tiny 8-Bit ADCs Serve Battery-Powered Portables

Small size, low-power operation, excellent dynamic performance and ease of use are said to make the MAX1106/MAX1107 8-bit A/D converters well-suited for battery-powered portable applications. The devices feature internal track/hold, voltage reference, clock, and serial interface in a 10-pin µMAX package, roughly half the size of an 8-pin SOIC. MAX1106 is specified to operate from 2.7V to 5.5V, while MAX1107 is specified from 4.5V to 5.5V. Both parts draw only 130 µA at their maximum conversion rate of 50 ksps. The full-scale analog input range is determined either by the internal reference voltage or by an externally applied reference in the 1V to VDD range. When the devices are not in use, the supply current may be reduced to 0.5 µA through the use of software power-down feature. The devices are available in 10-pin µMAX packages.