ETC AB-013

APPLICATION BULLETIN
®
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INCREASING ADC603 INPUT RANGE
By R. Mark Stitt, (602) 746-7445
The ADC603 is a 10MHz, 12-bit analog-to-digital converter
with a ±1.25V input range. Many applications call for a
higher input range such as ±2.5V. A resistor divider can be
used as an input attenuator to increase the input range. The
OPA620 can be used to buffer the input attenuator for highsource-impedance applications. Suggested component values and measured performance results are shown in this
bulletin.
VIN
R2
100Ω
45
R3
66.5Ω
R1
100Ω
Since the ADC603 has a high-impedance input, a simple
voltage divider as shown in Figure 1 can be used to increase
its voltage input range. The source impedance of the divider
as seen by the ADC603 is R 1 || R2 (the parallel combination
of R1 and R2). A divider source impedance of 50Ω is
recommended since it has been shown to give consistently
good results. If a higher divider input impedance is needed
and adding a buffer is not viable, source impedances up to
500Ω should give satisfactory results. If hardware gain trim
is needed, select the next higher 1% resistor value for R 1 and
use a 10kΩ multi-turn trim pot in parallel with R 1 for gain
trim.
FIGURE 2. ADC603 12-Bit ADC with Three-Resistor 2/1
Input Attenuator to Provide ±2.5V Input Range
and 50Ω Termination Impedance.
2
VIN
3
+5V
7
OPA620
4
(±2.5V)
6
R2
100Ω
VIN
3
45
R2
100Ω
R1
100Ω
45
R1
100Ω
46
ADC603
12 Bits
Out
ADC603
46
ADC603
46
12 Bits
Out
6
12 Bits
Out
–5.2V
FIGURE 3. ADC603 12-Bit ADC with 2/1 Input Attenuator
to Provide High Input Impedance ±2.5V Input
Range.
FIGURE 1. ADC603 12-Bit ADC with 2/1 Input Attenuator
to Provide ±2.5V Input Range.
If an input impedance of 50Ω to the circuit is needed as a
termination, add a third resistor as shown in Figure 2. The
three-resistor approach improves accuracy by placing the
majority of the termination power dissipation in the third
resistor. This minimizes error-producing self heating in the
precision divider network. Pay attention to the power rating
for R3. For a ±10V input, R3 must be rated 2W.
Equations for determining recommended resistor values are:
If a high input impedance is needed, drive the divider with
a unity-gain-connected OPA620 buffer amp as shown in
Figure 3. The OPA620 can be used for inputs as high as
±3V.
N = input divider ratio

1990 Burr-Brown Corporation
R1 = 50Ω • N/(N – 1)
R2 = (N – 1) • R1
R3 = 50Ω • (R1 + R2)/(R1 + R2 – 50Ω)
Where:
R1, R2, R3 are in Ω
AB-013
Printed in U.S.A. July, 1990
The table below shows recommend resistor values for selected input ranges.
INPUT
RANGE (V)
DIVIDER
(1/N)
R1
(Ω)
R2
(Ω)
R3
(Ω)
±2
±2.5
±3
±5
±10
1/1.6
1/2
1/2.4
1/4
1/8
133
100
86.6
66.5
56.2
80.6
100
121
200
397
64.9
66.5
66.5
61.9
56.2
TABLE I. Resistor Values for Selected Input Attenuators.
The spectral plots compare a standard ±1.25V input ADC603
to a ±2.5V input, OPA620 buffered ADC603 per Figure 3.
In both cases, the circuit is sampling a 2.5MHz signal at
10MHz. The results show that the spurious-free dynamic
range of the boosted circuit is as good as for the standard
circuit. If anything, the boosted circuit has better performance (77dB vs 76dB). The ADC603 seems to perform
slightly better when driven by the purely resistive 50Ω
divider impedance instead of the complex impedance of the
cable and signal generator.
THD:
SNR:
SINAD:
SFDR:
Spur F:
0
1.25
2.5
MAGNITUDE SPECTRUM
–73.44dBC
68.07dB
66.96dB
75.62dB FSR
2.66MHz
3.75
Magnitude (dB FSR)
Magnitude (dB FSR)
MAGNITUDE SPECTRUM
0
–10
–20
–30
–40
–50
–60
–70
–80
–90
–100
–110
–120
5
Frequency (MHz)
Plot 1. Spectral plot of standard ADC603 sampling a ±1.25V,
2.5MHz input signal at 10MHz showing 75.6dB SFDR.
0
–10
–20
–30
–40
–50
–60
–70
–80
–90
–100
–110
–120
THD:
SNR:
SINAD:
SFDR:
Spur F:
0
1.25
2.5
–73.49dBC
68.58dB
67.36dB
77.14dB FSR
2.66MHz
3.75
5
Frequency (MHz)
Plot 2. Spectral plot of increased input range (per Figure 3)
ADC603 sampling a ±2.5V, 2.5MHz input signal at 10MHz
showing 77.1dB SFDR.
FIGURE 4. Spectral Plots.
The information provided herein is believed to be reliable; however, BURR-BROWN assumes no responsibility for inaccuracies or omissions. BURR-BROWN assumes
no responsibility for the use of this information, and all use of such information shall be entirely at the user’s own risk. Prices and specifications are subject to change
without notice. No patent rights or licenses to any of the circuits described herein are implied or granted to any third party. BURR-BROWN does not authorize or warrant
any BURR-BROWN product for use in life support devices and/or systems.