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Capacitive Voltage Divider

Last modified by Microchip on 2026/03/19 13:46

Microchip’s differential Capacitive Voltage Divider (CVD) acquisition technique has been developed to require only an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) and a minimal amount of digital processing overhead. This allows CVD to be implemented on the widest range of devices.

CVD is a charge/voltage-based technique to measure relative capacitance on a pin using only the ADC module. Since its only requirement is a common PIC® device peripheral, this technique can be implemented on the greatest number of devices. This technique performs a relative capacitive measurement based on the size of the internal ADC sample and hold capacitance. The electrical specifications of the PIC device will define the typical value of this capacitor; however, this may vary by up to 20% due to manufacturing tolerances. For this reason, we do not recommend using CVD to produce an absolute measurement unless a calibration is performed and environmental conditions can be ensured not to change. Touch and proximity applications only require a relative measurement. This allows changes in the environment to be tracked and filtered out, avoiding the need for calibration.

Microchip CVD offers robust performance, low power consumption, and flexibility for integration into a wide range of products. Its innovative approach simplifies hardware design and enhances touch sensitivity, providing a seamless user experience.

For more details on the technology, please refer to the "mTouch™ Sensing Solution Acquisition Methods Capacitive Voltage Divider" page.

Details about the parameters and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) used in CVD are available in the following pages: