LTC1099
7
FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTIO
UU
U
Figure 5 shows the functional block diagram for the
LTC1099 2-step flash ADC. It consists of two 4-bit flash
converters, a 4-bit DAC and a differencing circuit. The
conversion process proceeds as follows:
1. At the start of the conversion, the on-board sample-
and-hold switches from the sample to the hold mode.
This is a true sample-and-hold with an acquisition time
of 240ns, an aperture time of 110ns and a tracking rate
of 2.5V/µs.
2. The held input voltage is converted by the 4-bit MS-
Flash ADC. This generates the upper or most significant
4-bits of the 8-bit output.
3. A 4-bit approximation, from the DAC output, is sub-
tracted from the held input voltage.
4. The LS-Flash ADC converts the difference between the
held input voltage and the DAC approximation. This
generates the lower or least significant (LS) 4-bits of
the 8-bit output. The LS-Flash reference is one six-
teenth of the MS-Flash reference. This effectively mul-
tiplies the difference by 16.
5. Upon the completion of the LS 4-bit flash the eight
output latches are updated simultaneously. At the same
time, the sample-and-hold is switched from the hold
mode to the acquire mode in preparation for the next
conversion.
The advantage of this approach is the reduction in the
amount of hardware required. A full flash converter re-
quires 255 comparators while this approach requires only
31. The price paid for this reduction in hardware is an
increase in conversion time. A full flash converter requires
only one comparison cycle while this approach requires
two comparison cycles, hence 2-step flash.
This architecture is further simplified in the LTC1099 by
reusing the MS-Flash hardware to do the LS-Flash. This
reduces the number of comparators from 31 to 16. This is
possible because the MS and LS conversions are done at
different times.
To take the simple block diagram of Figure 5 and reconfigure
it to reuse the MS-Flash to do the LS-Flash is conceptually
simple, but from a hardware point of view is not practical.
A new six input switched capacitor comparator is used to
+
LS
4-BIT
FLASH
MS
4-BIT
FLASH
4-BIT
DAC
V
REF
/16
V
IN
V
REF
B7
B6
B5
B4
B3
B2
B1
B0
1099 F05
REMAINDER
accomplish this function in a simple, although not straight
forward,␣ manner.
Figure 6 shows the six input switched capacitor compara-
tor. Intuitively, the comparator is easy to understand by
noting that the common connection between the two input
capacitors, C1 and C2, acts like a virtual ground. In
operational amplifier circuits, current is summed at the
virtual ground node. Input voltage is converted to current
by the input resistors. In the switched capacitor compara-
tor, input voltage is converted to charge by the input
capacitors and these charges are summed at the virtual
ground node.
A major advantage of this technique is that the switch-on
impedance has no affect on accuracy as long as sufficient
time exists to fully charge and discharge the capacitors.
During the first time period the T+ and T
Z
switches are
closed. This forces the common node between C1 and C2
to an arbitrary bias voltage. Since the capacitors subtract
out this voltage, it may be considered, for the sake of this
discussion, to be exactly zero (i.e., virtual ground). Note
Figure 5. 8-Bit 2-Step Semiflash A/D
LTC1099
8
HOLD
T
Z
T+
T
–1
T
–2
T
Z
T
Z
T+
T
–1
T
–2
STROBE
SAMPLE SAMPLE
(+)
(+)
(–)
(–)
(–)
(–)
V
IN
MS TAP
DAC
0.5 LSB
0V
LS TAP
C2
C1
VIRTUAL
GROUND
C1 = C2
1099 F06
FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTIO
UU
U
also that variations in the bias voltage with time and
temperature will also be rejected. In this state, C1 charges
to V
IN
. When T
Z
opens, V
IN
is held on C1.
The next step is the first comparison — the MS-Flash. T
Z
and T+ are opened and T
–1
is closed. The equation for each
comparator is:
V
IN
+ 0.5LSB – MS
TAP
= 0V
There are 16 identical comparators each tied to the tap on
a 16 resistor ladder. The MS tap voltages vary from V
REF
to 0V in 16 equal steps of V
REF
/16.
Notice that capacitor C2 adds 0.5LSB to V
IN
. This offsets
the converter transfer function by 0.5LSB, equally distrib-
uting the 1LSB quantization error to ±0.5LSB.
The outputs of the 16 comparators are temporarily latched
and drive the 4-bit DAC directly without need of decoding.
This holds the DAC output constant for the next step — the
LS conversion. The LS conversion is started when T
–1
is
opened and T
–2
is closed. Capacitor C1 subtracts the 4-bit
DAC approximation from V
IN
and inputs the difference
charge to the virtual ground node. The equation for each
comparator is:
V
IN
+ 0.5LSB – V
DAC
– LS
TAP
= 0V
The 4-bit DAC approximation is input to all 16 compara-
tors. The LS tap voltages are converted to charge by
capacitor C2. LS taps vary from V
REF
/16V to 0V in 16 equal
steps of V
REF
/256. The comparators look at the net charge
on the virtual ground node to perform the LS-Flash con-
version. When this conversion is complete, the four LSBs
along with the four MSBs are transferred to the output
latches. In this way, all eight outputs will change
simultaneously.
Figure 6. Six Input Switched Capacitor Comparator
LTC1099
9
When RD goes low, with CS low, the result of the previous
conversion is output. This data stays there until the
ongoing conversion is complete (INT goes low). At this
time the outputs are updated with new data.
As long as CS and RD stay low long enough, the receiving
device will get the right data. Remember, the receiving
device reads data in on the rising edge of RD. The RDY
output facilitates making RD long enough.
In the RD mode, the WR input becomes the RDY output.
On the falling edge of RD, the RDY goes low. It is an open
drain output to allow a wired OR function so it requires a
pull-up resistor. At the end of conversion, the active pull-
down is released and RDY goes high.
The RDY output is designed to interface to the Ready In
(RDYIN) function on many popular processors. RDYIN
allows these processors to work with slow memory by
stretching the RD strobe coming from the processor. RD
will remain low as long as RDY is low. In the case of the
LTC1099, RDY stays low until the conversion is complete
and new data is available on the outputs. This greatly
simplifies the programmers task. Each time data is re-
quired from the A/D a simple read is executed. The
hardware interface makes sure the RD strobe is long
enough.
Adjusting the Conversion Time
The conversion time of the LTC1099 is internally set at
2.5µs. If desired, it can be adjusted by forcing a voltage on
Pin 19. With Pin 19 left open, the conversion time runs
2.5µs. A convenient way to force the voltage is with the
circuit shown in Figure 7. To preset the conversion time to
a fixed amount, a resistor may be tied from Pin 19 to V
CC
or GND. Tying it to V
CC
slows down the conversion and
tying it to GND will speed it up (see Typical Performance
Characteristics).
DIGITAL I
U
TERFACE
The digital interface to the LTC1099 entails either control-
ling the conversion timing or reading data. There are two
basic modes for controlling and reading the A/D — the
Write-Read(WR-RD) mode and the Read (RD) mode.
WR-RD Mode (Pin 7 = High)
In the WR-RD mode, a conversion sequence starts on the
falling edge of WR with CS low (Figures 3a and 3b). This
is an edge-sensitive control function. The width of the WR
input is not important. All timing functions are internal to
the A/D.
The first thing to happen after the falling edge of WR is the
internal S/H is switched to hold. This typically takes 110ns
after WR falls and is the aperture time of the S/H.
Next, the A/D conversion takes place. The conversion time
is internally set at 2.5µs, but is user adjustable (see
Adjusting the Conversion Time). The end of conversion is
signaled by the high to low transition of INT. The S/H is
switched back to the acquire state as soon as the conver-
sion is complete.
After the conversion is complete, the 8-bit result is avail-
able on the three-state outputs. The outputs are active with
RD and CS low. Output data is latched and, if no new
conversion is initiated, is available indefinitely as long as
the power is not turned off.
The WR-RD mode is also used for stand-alone operation.
By tying CS and RD low the data outputs will be continu-
ously active (Figure 4). The falling edge of WR starts the
conversion sequence and when done new data will appear
on the outputs. All outputs will be updated simultaneously.
In stand-alone operation, the outputs will never be in a
high impedance state.
RD Mode (Pin 7 = Low)
In the RD mode, a conversion sequence is initiated by the
falling edge of RD when CS is low (Figure 2). The S/H is
switched to the hold state 110ns after the falling edge of
RD. It is switched back to the acquire state at the end of
conversion.
1
2
20
19
5V
10k
1099 F07
Figure 7. Adjusting the Conversion Time

LTC1099CSW#TRPBF

Mfr. #:
Manufacturer:
Analog Devices Inc.
Description:
Analog to Digital Converters - ADC 8-Bit ADC with 2.5us Conversion Time
Lifecycle:
New from this manufacturer.
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