The key to achieving optimal signal chain performance is ensuring that the input source or the reference itself isn’t corrupted when interfaced with an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). With traditional ADCs, complex signal-condition circuitry design, otherwise referred to as front-end design, is required for the seamless interface of input and reference to the ADC.
The unique architectural properties of continuous-time sigma-delta (CTSD) ADCs enable simplified and innovative ways of interfacing this ADC to the input and reference. To begin, let’s quickly recap traditional ADC front-end designs.