ADC Errors

• Ideal ADC 8
Ideal ADC
– Input is quantized into uniform 6

steps. 4

D igital Output
2

– Transitions at +/- 50% of ∆ 0

-2

-4

-6

-8
-8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8

Analog Input
 ADC Errors
• Offset Error Offset Error
– Defined as a constant 8

difference, over the whole 6

range of the ADC, between the
actual output value and the 4

D igital Output
ideal output value. 2

0
– Expressed as number of LSBs
(counts) -2

-4
– Total system offset error
includes offset error from -6

preamplifiers or signal -8

transducers. -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8

Analog Input

Offset error can be removed be measuring a reference point and

subtracting that value from future samples.
 ADC Errors
• Gain Error 8
Gain Error

– Defines as the difference of the 6

slope of the actual output values 4

and the ideal output values.

D igital Output
2

0
– Expressed as a percentage.
-2

– Total system gain error includes -4

any gain errors from -6

preamplifiers, attenuators, or -8
-8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8
signal transducers. Analog Input

Gain error can be removed be measuring a second reference point to

determine the actual gain.
 ADC Errors
• Differential Non-Linearity DNL Error
• For an ideal ADC the output is 8

• divided into 2n uniform steps 6

4
• each with the width ∆.

Digital Output
2
– Any deviation from the ideal step
width is the Differential Non- 0

Linearity. (DNL) -2

– Expressed as counts. -4

-6

-8
-8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8
Analog Input

DNL is a function of each ADC’s particular architecture. It is not possible

to remove its effects with calibration.
 ADC Errors
• Integral Non-Linearity INL Error
• DNL errors accumulate to 8

produce a total Integral Non- 6

Linearity (INL). 4

D igital Output
– Defined as the maximum 2

deviation from the ideal line. 0

INL
-2
– Measured from the center of the
step. -4

-6
– Expressed as counts.
-8
-8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8
Analog Input

INL is a function of each ADC’s particular architecture. It is not possible to

remove its effects with calibration.