Analog Devices announced an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that is twice as fast, twice as precise and four times more power efficient than competitive parts. The one-million-sample-per-second successive-approximation (SAR) ADC is accurate to one least significant bit (LSB) integral non-linearity (INL), delivering industry-leading speed and precision to a variety of applications. The AD7677 PulSARý ADC is in production today for use in systems such as medical instrumentation, spectrum analyzers, data acquisition systems, scanners, wired communications and optical networking, where it can replace hybrids that cost over ten times more.

ADI reached this new level of precision only months after the announcement of the AD7671, the first one-mega-sample -per-second (MSPS), 16-bit SAR converter. ADI is the first and only company to reach 1 MSPS speeds in a 16-bit SAR converter. SAR converters, which comprise the majority of the ADC market, are widely considered the most cost-effective technology for applications that require very precise digital modeling of higher frequency analog signals.

"Design engineers no longer have to sacrifice speed for accuracy, or vice versa. Whether the challenge is to process more channels or to sample each channel faster, the AD7677 will deliver the highest accuracy ever available," said Mike Britchfield, product line director, Precision Converters, Analog Devices. "By eliminating the traditional speed/accuracy trade-off, we free designers to invent new applications in medical, communications, industrial, test and measurement systems."

The AD7677 is a fully differential ADC that offers16-bit resolution with no missing codes and a maximum INL of 1 LSB. The AD7677 has no pipeline delay and operates at three different speeds, including 1 MSPS 'warp' mode for asynchronous sampling applications, 800 kSPS 'normal' mode, and an 'impulse' mode, in which power consumption varies with throughput rate. Signal to Noise and Distortion (SINAD) for the AD7677 is typically 94 dB, with a minimum of 92 dB. The device operates from a single 5-V power supply and dissipates only 115 milliwatts (typical). It consumes only 7 microwatts when in power-down mode.

The AD7677 is designed to interface easily with the rest of the circuit. Bipolar/unipolar inputs accommodate variable input ranges. An internal conversion clock, error correction circuits, and both serial and parallel system interface ports are integrated on-chip.

With its compact, 9x9 mm 48-lead LQFP (low-profile quad flat pack) package, the AD7677 saves board space, is pin-compatible with the AD7664, AD7675 and AD7676 PulSAR family of 16-bit SAR converters, and is specified to operate from -40 to +85 degrees Celsius.

Analog Devices, Inc 804 Woburn Street, Wilmington, MA 01887. Tel: 800-ANALOGD (800-283-5643), Fax: 781-937-1021. http://www.analog.com/

Analog Devices is positioning themselves well with the AD7677 for next year's expected 30% growth rate in the high-speed analog-to-digital converter market. It is at the pinnacle of ADCs. The AD7677 offers 16-bit resolution, 1 MSPS, and 1 LSB; it is a very impressive product. The company says that this ADC is twice as fast, twice as precise and four times more power-efficient than competitive parts. It is a member of ADI's PulSAR family of converters, which allow you to pin-select the sampling rate from one of three speeds. This product can operate from 666 kHz at what it calls impulse mode to its warp mode of 1 MHz.

The AD7677 is seemingly easy to use with an onboard clock but it does need an external reference. The accuracy is impressive. With this chip you can get 65,000 codes of information with integral non-linearity at or below 1 LSB. Also, because this is a successive approximation register (SAR) type converter you don't have any latency in measurements. Another important point about using the SAR-type technology, you can easily determine exactly when you capture input signals because the sample-and-hold amplifier switches from the sampling mode to the hold mode when the start pin is brought low.

In this high-speed market, ADI really has only two competitors and with this 1 MSPS, 1 LSB converter they have raised the bar to dizzying heights. And this is not a product looking for a market - it's already there waiting for someone to provide more accuracy and speed. The AD7677 is appropriate for applications such as medical instrumentation, spectrum analyzers, data acquisition systems, scanners, wired communications and optical networking, where it can replace hybrids that cost over ten times more.

The AD7677 is priced at $39.76 in 1,000-piece quantities. Evaluation boards and production quantities are now available.

For more information see data sheets.