The LX4580 from Microchip Technology is a 24-channel mixed-signal IC designed for actuation control systems in aviation and defense platforms. The device integrates pressure and temperature sensing, PWM motor drive outputs, current sensing, Hall-effect sensor inputs, dual LVDT/resolver interfaces and dual high-speed SAR ADCs in a 144-pin LQFP package, supporting synchronized data acquisition and fault […]
mixed-signal
Avoid ground loops in mixed-signal circuits, part 2
Picking up where we left off in Part 1, we need to explore some methods to mitigate problems caused by unpredictable ground currents. Let’s start with some simplification, although we may need to first complicate things to then simplify them. First, let’s arrange a massive ground plane around the analog circuitry on the PC board. […]
ADCs target mid-tier audio market
Cirrus Logic has announced the release of four new audio converters for its Pro Audio product family: two analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and two digital-to-analog converters (DACs). The components are designed for HiFi playback systems, installed audio infrastructure, professional audio equipment, musical instruments, and USB audio interfaces. The devices expand the company’s existing converter portfolio to […]
Mixed-signal platform operates at 175° C for industrial use
onsemi has launched its Treo Platform, a new 65 nm BCD process integrates analog and mixed-signal functions operating from 1-90 V at temperatures up to 175° C. The process platform targets power management and sensing applications across automotive, medical, industrial and data center markets. The platform’s modular architecture helps customers streamline design processes and reduce […]
If you’re designing mixed-signal ICs, here are some tools to consider
Mixed-signal ICs are increasingly common in automotive, internet of Things (IoT), medical, industrial, consumer, and other applications. Designing mixed-signal ICs is more complex than simply designing an analog section and a digital section. There’s the interactions and interconnections between the sections, and the need to integrate software into the final solution. That makes designing mixed-signal […]
What do you do with a bucket brigade device?
A bucket brigade device (BBD) is a discrete-time analog delay line using capacitors that has been replaced in most digital signal processing applications. But it continues to be used in some specialty applications such as guitar and audio sound effects and some types of sensors. It consists of a series of capacitance sections where a […]
What’s a logarithmic resistor ladder good for?
A logarithmic resistor ladder consists of a resistor string and switches designed to attenuate a signal. The state of the switches can be considered to represent a digital code proportional to the logarithm of the attenuation ratio. Logarithmic attenuation is useful when a large dynamic range is needed. Audio volume control and fading/balancing audio signals […]
What causes noise in analog designs and how can it be controlled?
Controlling noise in analog and mixed-signal circuits is important but not simple. Data integrity is dependent on controlling noise in the signal chain. If left uncontrolled, noise can impair or disrupt system operation. This FAQ starts by looking at the various sources and types of noise, looks at how noise can enter the signal chain […]
Squash 1/f noise with zero-drift amplifiers
There is a device that squashes all the 1/f voltage and current noise calculations with a chopper amplifier algorithm that corrects offset and drift characteristics. These amplifiers are zero-drift, auto-zero, or choppers that all achieve nanovolt-level offsets and extremely low offset drifts due to time and temperature. But back to our noise discussion, these devices […]
Free-space optical links, Part 1: principles
Free-space optical links provide a reliable, cost-effective, and quick way to link two fixed communication nodes located a few kilometers apart. When engineers think of “optical data links” or “optical communications” they almost invariably think of light (visible or not) in an optical fiber carrying data at high rates for tens or even thousands of […]
