The ADS8343 and ADS8345 from Texas Instruments are the first 16-bit, 100-kSPS analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) with 2.7-V operation. The ADS8343/45 converters feature unipolar or bipolar inputs, synchronous serial or synchronous parallel interface (SSI/SPI), four or eight channels, low power and high speed, and offer a cost-effective solution for data acquisition, test and measurement, and battery-powered applications.

The key specifications for the ADS8343 include:

- Bipolar input range

- 4 channels SE; 2 channels differential inputs

- Single supply: 2.7 V to 5 V

- Sampling rate: up to 100 kSPS

- Available in 16-lead SSOP

ADS8345 key specifications include:

- 8 channels SE; 4 channels differential inputs

- Single supply: 2.7 V to 5 V

- Power dissipation: 3.2 mW at 100-kSPS and +2.7-V supply

- Sampling rate: up to 100 kSPS

- Available in 20-lead SSOP/QSOP

Texas Instruments Incorporated, 12500 TI Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75243-4136. Phone: 800-336-5236

The ADS8343 is a 4-channel, and the ADS8345 is an 8-channel, 16-bit sampling Analog-to-Digital converter (ADC) with a synchronous serial interface from TI's Burr-Brown Division. Typical power dissipation is 8mW at a 100kHz throughput rate and a +5 V supply. I really like the shutdown mode because it reduces power dissipation to under 15 microW. The chip is a classic successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter. The converter is fabricated on a 0.6 micron CMOS process.

The ADS8343 can be used with an external serial clock or an internal clock to perform the successive-approximation conversion. In both clock modes, the external clock shifts data in and out of the device. In external clock mode, the external clock not only shifts data in and out of the ADS8343, it also controls the A/D conversion steps. In internal clock mode, the ADS8343 generates its own conversion clock internally. This relieves the microprocessor from having to generate the SAR conversion clock and allows the conversion result to be read back at the processor’s convenience, at any clock rate from 0 MHz to 2.0 MHz.

This could be the right converter for designers of battery operated systems including PDAs and portable data loggers because of its low power and high speed. The ADS8343 is available in an SSOP-16 package and is guaranteed over the 40°C to +85°C temperature range.

ADS8343 priced from $7.00 in quantities of 1,000s and the ADS8345 priced from $7.50 in quantities of 1,000s.

ADS8343 Data sheet (linked above): http://www-s.ti.com/sc/psheets/sbas183/sbas183.pdf

ADS8345 Data sheet: http://www-s.ti.com/sc/psheets/sbas177/sbas177.pdf