TI Precision Labs Seminar

Amplifier fundamentals and specifications

This session provides guidance on predicting errors due to Vos, Ib and temperature drift, along with an explanation of their internal origins. It also includes an overview of dynamic  behaviors such as Iq, slew rate and bandwidth, followed by a discussion on datasheet parameter specifications.

DAC and ADC fundamentals

This session introduces the key properties of string, R-2R and multiplying DAC architectures, along with delta-sigma and SAR ADC architectures. It covers the derivation of DAC and ADC  transfer functions and concludes with an overview of transfer function error sources, including gain error, offset error, zero-code error and full-scale error.

Instrumentation amplifiers, difference amplifiers and comparators

This session addresses error sources in instrumentation amplifiers (INA), including Vos, IB, gain error and temperature drift. It also covers dynamic performance aspects such as  bandwidth and slew rate for both voltage and current feedback INAs. Additionally, the session demonstrates the verification of input common mode using software tools and discusses  error sources and limitations for comparators.

Key aspects of DAC and ADC analog behavior

This session covers DAC linearity errors and TUE, along with dynamic behavior, output glitches and output load current capability for buffered-output DACs. It also addresses selecting an output buffer for unbuffered DACs. The ADC portion of the session includes an overview of ADC DC and AC specifications, and concludes with a discussion on single-ended vs.  differential ADCs and unipolar vs. bipolar ADCs.

Advanced understanding of DAC dynamic output behaviors

This session focuses on interpreting DAC output load plots and understanding headroom requirements. It also covers advanced DAC dynamic behaviors, including noise sources, settling  time, slew-rate control and output glitches. Additionally, the session demonstrates how these dynamic behaviors contribute to distortion (THD+N) through DAC11001 lab measurements.

Amplifier input voltage noise, input current noise and filtering techniques

This session explores common sources of noise and filtering techniques, covering calculations, simulations and theory. It includes predictions of amplifier and resistor noise through  calculation and simulation and defines noise gain, noise bandwidth, current and voltage noise spectral density and total RMS noise. The session also explains flicker and broadband  noise, and compares real-world measurements to calculations.

Understanding ADC noise

This session provides an overview of signal chain noise analysis and calculation. Attendees will gain an in-depth understanding of how analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), amplifiers and voltage references contribute to the overall noise in a typical data acquisition system. This session aims to equip participants with the tools to evaluate the combined impact these  components have on system noise performance. Topics covered include the various types of noise present in ADCs, methods and parameters used to measure noise, effective noise bandwidth calculation, why more gain does not always result in lower noise and the influence of reference noise on total signal chain noise.

Amplifier circuit stability analysis and compensation schemes

This session covers circuit design techniques to improve stability, addressing issues like driving capacitive loads or excessive capacitance on an op amp’s inverting node, which can lead  to oscillations. The presentation demonstrates how to predict amplifier stability using simulation and discusses methods for correcting stability issues.