zmir University of Economics

EEE 332 Digital Electronics Lab

EXPERIMENT 6
Digital-to-Analog (D/A) Converters
A. Background
There are several different implementation techniques for D/A converters. Among them
weighted-resistor and R-2R Ladder Network type D/A converters will be studied in this
experiment.

A.1. Weighted-Resistor 3-Bit D/A

A simple 3-bit weighted-resistor type D/A converter is given below in Fig. 6.1.

VR
b2=1

b1=1

2R

b0=1

4R

RF
VCC
VO
+
-VCC

Fig. 6.1. 3-bit Weighted-Resistor D/A Converter

The output voltage VO can be expressed as

or

A.2. R-2R Ladder Network Type 3-Bit D/A

A simple 3-bit weighted-resistor type D/A converter is given below in Fig. 6.2. The output can be
expressed as

6-1

VR
2R

2R

2R

b2=1

b1=1

b0=1

RF

2R

VCC
VO
+
-VCC

Fig. 6.2. 3-bit R-2R Ladder Network Type D/A Converter

6-2

B. Preliminary Work
1. Consider the 3-bit weighted-resistor type D/A converter given below in Fig. 6.3.
5V
b2=1

1K

b1=1 2K

1K
12V

b0=1 4K

VO
+
-12V

Fig. 6.3. 3-bit Weighted-Resistor D/A Converter

Determine VO for all combinations of the input binary set {b2, b1, b0} and fill in the Table 6.1.
Table 6.1

2.

b2

b1

b0

VO (volt)

Consider the 3-bit R-2R Ladder network type D/A converter given below in Fig. 6.4.
1K

1K

5V
2K

2K

2K

b2=1

b1=1

b0=1

2K

2K

12V
VO
+
-12V

Fig. 6.4. 3-bit Weighted-Resistor D/A Converter

6-3

Determine VO for all combinations of the input binary set {b2, b1, b0} and fill in the Table 6.1.
Table 6.2

b2

b1

b0

VO (volt)

6-4

C. Experimental Work
1.

Set-up the 3-bit weighted-resistor type D/A converter given below in Fig. 6.5. The pin
connections of the operational amplifier (uA741) is given in Fig. 6.6.
5V
b2=1

1K

b1=1 2K

1K
12V

b0=1 4K

VO
+
-12V

Fig. 6.5. 3-bit Weighted-Resistor D/A Converter

Fig. 6.6. Pin configuration of the operational amplifier uA741

Measure VO for all combinations of the input binary set {b2, b1, b0} and fill in the Table 6.3.
Table 6.3

b2

b1

b0

VO (volt)

6-5

2.

Setup the 3-bit R-2R Ladder network type D/A converter given below in Fig. 6.7.
1K

1K

5V
2K

2K

2K

b2=1

b1=1

b0=1

2K

2K

12V
VO
+
-12V

Fig. 6.7. 3-bit Weighted-Resistor D/A Converter

Determine VO for all combinations of the input binary set {b2, b1, b0} and fill in the Table 6.4.
Table 6.4

Component List:
1K(2)
Exp C(1)
Exp C(2)

resistor
1K(2)
resistor

b2

b1

b0

4K(1)
resistor
2K(5)
resistor

VO (volt)

2K(1)
resistor

uA741

OPAMP

uA741
OPAMP

6-6