A Presentation on

Digital to Analog
Conversion (DAC)
Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

Submitted To:
Shakila Naznin
Lecturer
Electronics & Communication Engineering Discipline

Khulna University.
Khulna.

08.09.2014 2
Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)
Submitted By:

Shazid Reaj Dabashis Ray Abu Jubair Obhi

Student Id: 120914 Student Id: 120905 Student Id: 120901

2nd Year, Term II

Electronics & Communication Engineering Discipline,
Khulna University.
Khulna.
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Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

Outline’s
 Basic concept about DAC
 Application
 Operation of Weighted Resistor DAC
 Operation of R-2R Ladder DAC

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Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)
Terminology
Analog: continuously valued signal, such as
temperature or speed, with infinite possible values in
between.
Digital: discretely valued signal, such as integers,
encoded in binary.
digital-to-analog converter: DAC, D/A, D2A

Real world (lab) is analog Computer (binary) is digital

V V
t 5
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Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

What is a DAC?
A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) takes a digital code
as its input and produces an analog voltage or current as
its output. This analog output is proportional to the digital
input.

100101… DAC

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Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

 General Concept:
 Digital to Analog conversion involves
transforming the computer’s binary output in 0’s
and 1’s (1’s typically = 5.0 volts) into an analog
representation of the binary data
 DAC: Vmax
 n digital inputs for digital encoding
x0
x1
 analog input for Vmax … DAC
a
Xn-1

 analog output a

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Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

Block Diagram

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Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)
Resolution:
Resolution is the amount of variance in
output voltage for every change of the LSB in
the digital input.

 Just as with ADCs, there are several

common ways of specifying a DAC’s resolution:
 Number of bits, n
 Number of output codes = 2n, or number of
n
steps in the output = 2 − 1

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 Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)
 Percentage resolution = 1 / (2n − 1),
expressed as a percentage
 Step size, = Vref / (2n − 1)
Example:
Find out the percentage resolution of a DAC of n bits, and
hence determine the value for n = 12.
Solution:
1
Percentage resolution = n × 100%
2 −1
For n = 12,
Percentage resolution =
1
× 100% = 0.0244% = 244ppm (part per million)
2 −1
12

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Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

Resolution: Examples
Formula 4-bit DAC 10-bit DAC
Number of bits n 4 ?

Number of output 2n 16 ?
codes
Number of steps in 2n−1 15 ?
the output
Percentage 1 / (2n−1) 1/15 ?
resolution
Step size (assuming Vref / 2n-1 Vref / 15 ?
5 V reference
voltage)

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Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

 Applications for Digital to Analog

Converters:
Circuit Components
 Voltage controlled Amplifier
 digital input, External Reference Voltage as control

 Digitally operated attenuator

 External Reference Voltage as input, digital control

 Programmable Filters
 Digitally controlled cutoff frequencies
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Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

 Applications for Digital to Analog

Converters:
Digital Audio

 CD Players  MP3 Players  Telephone

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Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

 Applications for Digital to Analog

Converters:
Function Generators

 Digital Oscilloscopes  Signal Generators

 Digital Input  Sine wave generation
 Square wave generation
 Analog Output
 Triangle wave generation
 Random noise generation

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Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

 Applications for Digital to Analog

Converters:
Motor Controllers

 Cruise  Valve Control  Motor Control

Control

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Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

 Many types of DACs available

– Binary Weighted Resistor
– R-2R Ladder
– Multiplier DAC
– Non-Multiplier DAC

• Among them Weighted & R-2R are

commonly used.

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Digital to Analog Converter(DAC)

Binary Weighted Resistor

General Concept:
 Utilizes A Inverting
Rf
Weighted Op-amp
Circuit. ∑I i
 Weighted Resistors
Are Used To V
Distinguish Each Bit R 2R 4R 8R o
From The Most
Significant To The
Least Significant MSB LSB

-VREF

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Digital to Analog Converter(DAC)

Binary Weighted Resistor

Binary Representation

SET CLEARED
Most
Significant Bit

Least
VREF Significant Bit

( 1 1 1 1 )2 = ( 15 )10

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Digital to Analog Converter(DAC)

Output Voltage Analysis

MSB

LSB

MSB LSB
 V1 V2 V3 V4 
Vout = − IRf = − Rf  + + + 
 R 2 R 4 R 8R 
 10 K 10 K 10 K 10 K 
Vout = − ×1 + ×1 + ×0+ × 1 = −13V
 1.25K 2.5 K 5K 10 K 
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Digital to Analog Converter(DAC)
Binary Weighted Resistor
 More Generally:
FinalVOUT = Vout.Resolution
Vref
Resolution = n
2 −1
If, Vref = 13
13V
Then resolution for 4 bit = = 0.867
16 − 1

Then binary 1111(15V) is

 10 K 10 K 10 K 10 K 
Vout = − ×1 + ×1 + ×1 + × 1 × .867
 1.25 K 2.5K 5K 10 K 
Vout = −13V
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Digital to Analog Converter(DAC)

Binary Weighted Resistor

 Advantages
 Simple Analysis
 Fast Conversion
 Disadvantages
 This setup requires a wide range of accurate values of
resistors
 A 10 bit DAC needs resistors ranging from R to
R/1024.
 Requires low switch resistances in transistors
 Usually limited to 8-bit resolution.
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Digital to Analog Converter(DAC)

R-2R Ladder DAC

 Introduction:

 Problem With The Vout

Weighted Resistor DAC
Is Solved.
 Only R & 2R Value Of
Resistor Are Required.

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Digital to Analog Converter(DAC)

R-2R Ladder DAC

General Concept:
Each Bit Corresponds
To A Switch:
Vref
Cases:
Bit Is High
Bit Is Low

Bit: 0 0
0 0

4-Bit Converter
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 Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

R-2R Ladder DAC

 Current Dependent On Bits Position

 The Current Is Divided By A Factor Of 2 At Each Node

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 Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

R-2R Ladder DAC

 Analysis For Current From (001) Shown Below

I0 I0 I0 I0
2 2 4 8
R R R 2R
R 2R 2R 2R

I0
Op-Amp input
VREF
B1 B2 “Ground”

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 Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

R-2R Ladder DAC

 Output Analog Voltage
 Using Thevenin’s Equivalent
 Equivalent Circuit :
D
D

C
C
2 R × V0 V 0
Eth = V A = =
2R + 2R 2
B B
Rth = R
A

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 Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

 Similarly: R-2R Ladder DAC

V
V
2 R × 2 V0
0 2 R × 20 V0
Eth = VB = = Eth = VB = =
2R + 2R 4 2R + 2R 4
V
2 R × 40 V0 Rth = R
Rth = R Eth = VC = =
2R + 2R 8 D
D Rth = R

D VOUT

Rf D D D D 
TotalVOUT = • Vref  0 + 1 + 2 + 3 
R  16 8 4 2 

D is the binary input 27

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 Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

 Practically:
R-2R Ladder DAC
FinalVOUT = Vout.Resolution
V0
Resolution = n
2 −1
If, V0 = 5V
5V
Then resolution for 4 bit = = 0.334
16 − 1

Then binary 13V is

 10 K 10 K 10 K 10 K 
Vout =  ×1 + ×1 + ×0+ × 1 × .334
 1.25 K 2. 5 K 5K 10 K 
Vout = 4.342V
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 Digital to Analog Conversion (DAC)

R-2R Ladder DAC

 Advantages
 Only Two Resistor Values(R & 2R)
 Does Not Require High Precision Resistors.

 Disadvantages
 Lower Conversion Speed Than Binary Weighted
DAC

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 Thanks

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Questions ?

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