Understanding Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) Specifications

Introduction

This article describes the specifications used to quantify the Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) performance and provides you with a better understanding of the significance of these specifications in an application. Although the information presented here is applicable to all ADCs, specific attention is given to features of the standalone and PIC® microcontroller embedded ADCs produced by Microchip.

Key Topics

• ADC Basics
• Code Width
• Resolution and Accuracy
• Acquisition Time
• DC Specifications
  • Offset Error
  • Gain Error
  • Differential Non-linearity
  • Integral Non-linearity (INL)
  • Absolute Error
  • Monotonicity
• AC Specifications
  • Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR)
  • Quantization Error
  • Signal-to-Noise Ratio and Distortion (SINAD)
  • Total Harmonic Distortion plus Noise (THD+N)
  • Effective Number of Bits
  • Spurious Free Dynamic Range

​ Learn More

• Microchip Data Converters
• Pipeline ADC Utility User's Guide
• A/D Converter (ADC) Basics