Monday, April 05, 2010

Difference Amplifier Enables Low-Power, High-Performance Absolute Value Circuit

Traditional precision half- and full-wave rectifiers use carefully selected high-speed op amps, fast diodes, and precision resistors, but this expensive solution suffers from crossover distortion and temperature drift. A dual-channel difference amplifier—with no external components—can provide an absolute value output that achieves better precision, lower cost, and lower power consumption.

The 20-Bit DAC Is the Easiest Part of a 1-ppm-Accurate Precision Voltage Source

High precision applications require 18- and 20-bit, 1-ppm-accurate digital-to-analog converters, a performance level previously achieved only with cumbersome, expensive, and slow Kelvin-Varley dividers. Now, the 20-bit AD5971 DAC provides a cost-effective way to achieve 1-ppm linearity. Easy to use, it offers guaranteed specifications without requiring calibration or constant monitoring.