A to D Converter and D to A

Converter
Module-4

1
Introduction

2
Application

3
Application

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 Introduction

▷ Transducer : A transducer is a device that converts the physical

variable to an electrical variable.
▷ Examples: thermistors, photocells, photodiodes
▷ Actuator : The analog signal from the DAC is often connected to
some device or circuit that serves as an actuator to control the
physical variable.
▷ Example: an electrically Controlled valve that regulates the flow
of hot water into the tank
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 D to A converter

▷ D/A conversion is the process of taking a value represented in

digital code (such as straight binary or BCD) and converting it
to a voltage or current which is proportional to the digital
value. 6
 D to A converter

▷ Analog output = K × digital input

▷ where K is the proportionality factor and it is constant value for
a given DAC.
▷ The analog output can be a voltage or current.
▷ For the DAC of K=1 V, with a digital input of (1100)2 = (12)10
▷ VOUT = 1V × 12 = 12V

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Output of a D to A converter

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 Specifications for D/A Converters

▷ Resolution: Resolution of a D/A converter is defined as the

smallest change that can occur in the analog output as a result of
a change in the digital input.
▷ We can see that the resolution is 1V, since VOUT can change by
no less than 1 V when the digital input value is changed.
▷ The resolution is always equal to the weight of the LSB and is
also referred to as the step size.

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 Specifications for D/A Converters

▷ Percentage resolution: Resolution is also express as a

percentage of the full-scale output.

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11
 Specifications for D/A Converters

▷ Accuracy : It indicates how close the analog output voltage is to

its theoretical value.
▷ it indicates the deviation of actual output from the theoretical
value.
▷ Accuracy is always specified in terms of the percentage of the
full-scale output (maximum output voltage).
▷ Example: if the full-scale output is 15V and accuracy is ±0.1
percent then a maximum error is given by 0.001 x 15 = 0.015V or
15 mV 12
 Specifications for D/A Converters

▷ Settling Time: Practically the analog output of the Digital to

Analog converter does not change instantaneously. Due to the
resistor and Op-Amp in the circuits, oscillations are observed at
the output.
▷ The time required to settle the analog output within +/-1/2 LSB
of the final value, after the change in digital input is called
settling time. The settling time should be as short as
possible.
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 Specifications for D/A Converters

▷ Offset voltage: Ideally the o/p of a DAC should be zero

when the binary i/p is zero.
▷ Practically there is a very small o/p voltage under this
situation called offset voltage.
▷ Monotonicity : A Digital to Analog converter is said to be
monotonic if the analog output increases for an increase in
the digital input.

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15
D to A converters

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D to A converters

▷ The weighted- resistor type DAC

▷ R-2R ladder type DAC

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The weighted- resistor type
DAC

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The weighted- resistor type DAC

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 The weighted- resistor type DAC

▷ Operational amplifier is used to produce a weighted sum of the

digital inputs
▷ Weights are proportional to the weights of the bit positions of
inputs
𝑅𝑓
▷ In inverting mode gain is
𝑅
𝑅𝑓
▷ 𝑀𝑆𝐵 𝐷3 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 ൗ𝑅 ,
𝑅𝑓
▷ 𝐷2 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 ൗ2𝑅 ,
𝑅𝑓
▷ 𝐷1 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 ൗ4𝑅 ,
𝑅𝑓
▷ 𝐷0 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 ൗ8𝑅 . 20
The weighted- resistor type
DAC

▷ Total o/p is

𝑅𝑓
ൗ𝑅 = 5

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 The weighted- resistor type DAC

▷ Advantages:
• It is Simple in Construction.
• It provides fast conversion.
Disadvantages:
• This type requires large range of resistors with necessary
high precision for low resistors.
• Can be expensive. Hence resolution is limited to 8-bit size.

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23
R-2R ladder type DAC

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R-2R ladder type DAC

▷ It uses ladder network containing series parallel combinations

of two resistors of values R and 2R
▷ Op-amp configured as voltage follower

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 R-2R ladder type DAC

▷ Equivalent output when input is 1000

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R-2R ladder type DAC

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R-2R ladder type DAC
▷ Advantages
▷ It requires only two values of resistors.
▷ Disadvantages
▷ The data conversion speed is low.

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A to D converters

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Types of A/D converters

▷ Counting A/D Converter

▷ Parallel Comparator A/D Converter (Flash-
type)
▷ Dual slop A/D converter

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 Analog to Digital Converter (A to D
converter)

 Parts of A to D converter
 Sampler
 Quntizer
 Encoder

Digital output
Sampler Quantizer Encoder

Analog input
Counting A/D Converter

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Counting A/D Converter (digital ramp ADC)

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Counting A/D Converter (digital ramp ADC)

▷ Analog signal is applied at non-inverting terminal

▷ Out put of D to A converter is applied at inverting terminal
▷ Op-amp comparator output is high when analog signal is greater
▷ AND gate generate clock when comparator o/p is high
▷ Initially counter is reset
▷ Clock will advance the binary state of counter
▷ D/A converter analog o/p proportional to digital input

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Counting D/A Converter

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Counting A/D Converter (digital ramp ADC)

▷ When comparator O/P is low clock will stop

▷ Counter will stop counting and that will be the final digital
o/p proportional to analog input
▷ Disadvantages:
▷ Conversion time depends on the magnitude of analog signal
▷ Larger conversion time so slow

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Tracking type A/D converter

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Tracking type A/D converter

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Tracking type A/D converter

▷ Modified to overcome limitation of counter type A/D

converter
▷ Up/down counter is used which will not reset for every new
inputs
▷ Up counter when comparator o/p is high
▷ Down counter when comparator o/p is low
▷ Conversion time is proportional to the change in the analog
input between counts
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 Successive Approximation ADC
4-bit Successive Approximation ADC Example

Vout = – Vref { B0 (1/16) + B1 (1 /8) + B2 (1/4) + B3(1/2) }

Vout = 8 Volts
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Successive Approximation ADC

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Parallel Comparator A/D
Converter (Flash- type)

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 Vref
Parallel Comparator
A/D Converter

7𝑅 7
𝑉7 = 𝑉𝑟𝑒𝑓 = 𝑉𝑟𝑒𝑓
8𝑅 8

6𝑅 6
𝑉6 = 𝑉𝑟𝑒𝑓 = 𝑉𝑟𝑒𝑓
8𝑅 8

1
Increment between voltage is 8 𝑉𝑟𝑒𝑓

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44
Parallel Comparator A/D Converter (Flash- type)

▷ Circuit shown is a 3 bit flash converter

▷ Reference ladder consists of 2n (23 = 8) equal size resistors
▷ Input voltage is compared to 2n-1 reference voltages using
2n-1 comparators. The reference voltages can be calculated
using KVL.
▷ A Priority Encoder is used to transform the comparator
outputs to the correct digital binary output.

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 =8V
Parallel Comparator
A/D Converter

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 Parallel Comparator A/D Converter

▷ Advantages
▷ It is the fastest ADC and is utilized in high bandwidth
applications.
▷ Disadvantages
▷ These ADC are more power-consuming as compared to
ADCs implemented with different techniques.
▷ It is a limited resolution of up to 8-bits.

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Dual slop A/D converter

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Dual slop A/D converter

1 𝑇1
𝑉𝑜 = − න 𝑉𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝑡 = − 𝑉
𝑅𝐶 𝑅𝐶 𝑖𝑛
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 Dual slop A/D converter
▷ Initially the binary counter is initially reset to 0000; the output of integrator
reset to 0V
▷ The analog input voltage VA is integrated by the inverting integrator and
generates a negative ramp output.
▷ The output of comparator is positive and the clock is passed through the
AND gate. This results in counting up of the binary counter.
▷ The negative ramp continues for a fixed time period t1, Counter count till
2𝑁 − 1, reset and flip the switch with Vref.
▷ Now the ramp generator starts with the initial value –Vs and increases in
positive direction until it reaches 0V and the counter gets advanced.
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 Dual slop A/D converter
When Vs reaches 0V, comparator output becomes negative (i.e. logic 0) and the AND gate is
deactivated.
1 𝑇1
𝑉𝑜 = − න 𝑉𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝑡 = − 𝑉
𝑅𝐶 𝑅𝐶 𝑖𝑛

VS=-VA/RC×t1

VS=Vref/RC×t2

the amplitude of negative and positive ramp voltages can be equated as follows.
∴Vref/RC×t2 = -VA/RC×t1
∴t2= -t1×VA/Vref
∴VA=-Vref×t1/t2
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 Dual slop A/D converter

▷ Advantages
▷ Inexpensive as it does not require precision component
such as DAC or VCO
▷ Low sensitivity to noise and variation in component
values by temperature changes
▷ Disadvantages
▷ Large conversion time
▷ Application: used in digital voltmeter and multimeter
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Voltage-to-Frequency ADC

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 Voltage-to-Frequency ADC

▷ It convert the analog input voltage to a pulse train with the

frequency proportional to the amplitude of the input.
▷ proportional to the amplitude of the input.
▷ The pulses are counted over a fixed period to determine the
frequency, and the pulse counter output, in turn, represents
the digital voltage

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Voltage-to-Frequency ADCs

▷ Voltage-to-frequency converters inherently have a high

noise rejection characteristic
▷ widely used for remote sensing in noisy environments

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ADC IC

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D/A converter IC

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