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Digital To Analog Converter: Jungchul Lee Kamran Jeelani Jonathan Beckwith
Digital To Analog Converter: Jungchul Lee Kamran Jeelani Jonathan Beckwith
Jungchul Lee
Kamran Jeelani
Jonathan Beckwith
Topics of Discussion
• What is a DAC?
• Types of DAC Circuits
– Resistor-string DAC
– N-Bit Binary weighted DAC
– R-2R Ladder DAC
• Specifications of DAC
• Applications
1
What is a DAC?
• Digital-to-Analog Converter: An electronic device, often an
integrated circuit, that converts a digital number into a
corresponding analog voltage or current.
• Relation between analog signal and digital equivalent
n
Va = ∑ bi 2− i × Vref
i =1
DAC configurations
• Assume the analog signal is a voltage
DN-1, DN-2 … D1, D0
VRef
VOut
DAC
Analog voltage signal =Vref*D/2N
VOut
2
Types of DAC Circuits
1. Resistor-string
2. N-Bit Binary Weighted Resistor
3. R-2R Ladder
A Resistor-string DAC
V Ref
R
0
Required component
1
R
- a resistor string
0
1
- a set of switches – select output to use
R 0
1
- opamp – buffer
R Vo
0
1
R
0
N −1
bi
1
R 0
V0 = VRef ∑
2i +1
1
R
0
i =0
B2 B1 B0
3
Resistor String DAC Example
• How many resistors and switches would be required to
implement an 8 bit resistor-string DAC?
Ans) # of resistors = 2N=28=256
N −1
# of switches = ∑ 2 = 2 − 1 = 255
i 8
i =0
Impractical for converters with more than a few bits of
resolution
N
bi
I0 I0 = VR ∑
3
R
MSB 1 2 1
2(
i −1)
-
4 V out
1 2
2R
4R
2 +
i =1 R
5
1 2
8R
1 2
…
V0 = -R f I0
2^(N-1)R
LSB 1 2
V Ref
4
N-bit binary weighted Example
• Find output voltage, current, and resolution
for a binary weighted resistor DAC of 4 bits
- given condition
R = 10 kΩ, Rf = 5 kΩ, VR = -10 V
Applied binary word is 1001
Example Solutions
Rf=R/2 5 kΩ
R
3
?
1 -
4 Vout
2 +
5
8R 4R 2R R
10 kΩ
2
2
2
1 0 0 1 – binary input
1
3
1
-10 V VR
5
Example Solutions (Cont.)
Ans)
−10 V 1 0 0 1
I0 = + + +
Ω 2 ×10 2 ×10 2 ×10 2 × 104
0 4 1 4 2 4 3
= − 0.001125 A
V0 = − R f I0 = −(5 × 103 Ω) × (−0.001125A) = 5.625V
VRef 10V
Resolution = LSB= = 4 = 0.625V
2n 2
VRef VOut
VOut
DAC
=Vref*D/2N
6
Limitations of the Binary Weighted DAC
1. If R = 10 kΩ, 8 bits DAC, and VRef = 10 V
R8 = 28-1*(10 kΩ) = 1280 kΩ
I8 = VRef/R8 =10V/1280 kΩ = 7.8 µA
Op-amps that can handle those currents are rare and expensive.
2. If R = 10 Ω and VRef = 10 V
R1 = 21-1*(10 Ω) = 10 Ω
I1 = VRef/R1 = 10V/10 Ω = 1 A
2R 2R 2R 2R
-
+ Vout
7
R-2R Resistor Ladder DAC
V3 V2 V1 V0
Vs
R R R 2R
Each Bit controls a switch between
ground and the inverting input of the
op amp
2R 2R 2R 2R
The switch is connected to ground if
the corresponding bit = 0
Bit 3 Bit 2 Bit 1 Bit 0
R
+
Vout
4 Bit Converter
+
Vout
Digital Value: O O O 1
8
R-2R DAC Example (cont.)
V3 V2 V1 V0
Vs
R R R 2R
Find Equivalent
2R 2R 2R 2R Resistance
Bit 3 Bit 2 Bit 1 Bit 0
R
-
+ Vout
Non-inverting input is
connected to ground.
Therefore, inverting input
is at virtual ground
2R 2R 2R 2R
2R
Bit 3 Bit 2 Bit 1 Bit 0
R
Bit 0
-
Vout
+
Req = 2R // 2R = R
9
R-2R DAC Example (cont.)
V3 V2 V1 V0
Vs
R R R 2R
We have shown that V0 = ½ V1
2R 2R 2R 2R
Therefore:
V0 = 1/8 V3 = 1/8 Vs
2R 2R 2R 2R
-
Vout
+
V0 is the input to the inverting amplifier circuit, which has a gain of:
Av = -R/2R = -1/2
Therefore, the analog output voltage corresponding to the binary input 0001 is:
Vout0 = Av (V0)
= (-1/2)(1/8*Vs)
Vout0 = -1/16 Vs
10
R-2R DAC Example (cont.)
We have shown that the analog output voltage for the digital input 0001 is:
Vout0 = -1/16 Vs
The output for any combination of bits comprising the input binary
number can now be found using the principle of superposition:
• Reference Voltage
• Resolution
• Linearity
• Speed
• Settling Time
• Error
11
Reference Voltage
To a large extent, the characteristics of a DAC are defined
by its reference voltage.
2N −1
V fs = Vref N
2
12
Resolution
Resolution is a measure of precision, not accuracy. It is defined as
the voltage change corresponding to changing the LSB.
• Many options in the 8-16 bit range, with 12 bits being a typical
cost / resolution trade off.
• More bits More steps Greater Resolution
Linearity
• Ideally, a DAC will produce a linear relationship
between a binary word and analog output
Voltage output
000
0 001
1 010
2 011
3 100
4 101
5 110
6 1117
Digital Input Signal (3-bit)
13
Speed
Usually specified as conversion or sampling rate.
Settling Time
• Ideally, an instantaneous change in analog voltage would occur
when a new binary word enters into a DAC.
• Settling time is the time taken by the DAC to reach ½ of the LSB
of its new voltage.
• Components include delay, slew time, and ring time.
• Fast converters reduce slew time, but usually result in longer ring
times.
• Delay time is normally a small term.
14
Settling Time (cont.)
2R 2R 2R 2R
-
+ Vout
15
Possible Error
Because we do not live in an “ideal” world, considerations for
possible error should be made.
• Non-Linearity
– Integral
– Differential
• Non Monotonicity
• Offset Error
• Gain Error
Integral Non-linearity
• Defined as the deviation of a DAC's transfer function from a straight line.
• The straight line can be a best approximation to the actual transfer function, or a line
drawn between the transfer function's end points (after subtracting the gain and offset
errors
16
Differential Non-Linearity
• The difference between an actual step height and the ideal value of
1LSB.
• Should be less than or equal to one to insure monotonicity.
Non-Monotonicity
• A monotonic DAC yields an increase in output as input increases.
• If a differential non-linearity of greater than 1LSB occurs, increasing
the digital input may actually result in a decreased output.
7
5
Analog Output
4 0.75LSB
3
1.75LSB
2
0
0
000 1
001 2
010 3
011 4
100 5
101 6
110 7
111 8
Digital Input
17
Gain Error
•Defined as the difference between the ideal max output voltage and the actual max output
voltage (after subtracting offset error).
•Changes the slope of the output, thereby creating the same percentage error for each step.
•Expressed in mV as a percentage of the maximum output.
Offset Error
• The offset error equals the analog output when the digital signal is zero.
• Typically defined in absolute millivolts with (10mV being acceptable).
18
Cause of Non-Linearity, Gain error, and Offset error
Non-linearity is caused by 2R 2R 2R 2R
DAC Applications
• DAC’s can be found in any device that interfac
es digital and analog circuitry
• Analog Displays
• Digital Control Systems
• Digital Audio
• Communications
• Countless other applications
19
References
• Digital-Analog Converters Are a "Bit" Analog – Maxim Semiconductors
(http://www.maxim-ic.com/appnotes.cfm/appnote_number/1055/ln/en)
• Component and Measurement Advances Ensure 16-Bit DAC Settling Time
– Jim Williams, Linear Technology July 1998
• Introduction to Mechatronics and Measurement systems – David G.
Alciatore and Michael B. Histand, McGrawHill
• Mechatronics-Electronic control systems in mechanical and electrical
engineering-W. Bolton, Longman
• Introduction to Electronic Circuit Design-Richard R. Spencer and
Mohammed S. Ghausi, PrenticeHall
Questions ??
20