New SAR ADC Family Enables High-Speed, High-Resolution Analog-to-Digital Conversion in Harsh Environments

To address applications that demand higher-speed and higher-resolution analog-to-digital conversion, Microchip Technology announced 12 new Successive Approximation Register (SAR) Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs) along with a companion differential amplifier designed specifically for the new portfolio of SAR ADCs. Designed to operate in high temperatures and high electromagnetic environments, the MCP331x1(D)-xx family includes the industry’s only one million samples per second (Msps) fully AEC-Q100-qualified 16-bit SAR, providing the reliability required for automotive and industrial applications. The MCP6D11differential amplifier provides a low-distortion, high-accuracy interface to achieve the full performance of the ADC within systems.

The MCP331x1(D)-xx family ranges in resolution from 12-, 14- and 16-bit, with speed options ranging from 500 kilosamples per second (ksps) to 1 Msps, allowing developers to choose the right ADC for their designs. A fixed low analog supply voltage (AVDD) of 1.8V and low-current operation (1.6 mA typical active current for 1 Msps and 1.4 mA for 500 ksps) enables this family of ADCs to have an ultra-low power consumption, while maintaining a wide input full-scale range.

These devices support a wide digital I/O interface voltage (DVIO) range (1.7V - 5.5V) which allows it to interface with most host devices, including Microchip’s PIC32, AVR® and Arm®-based microcontrollers and microprocessors. This eliminates the need for using external voltage level shifters. The MCP331x1(D)-xx family contains both single-ended and differential input voltage measurement options, enabling systems to convert the difference between any two arbitrary waveforms. Ideal for applications such as high-precision data acquisition, electric vehicle battery management, motor control and switch-mode power supplies, the AEC-Q100-qualified family provides reliable performance across harsh environments.  

Properly interfacing a small analog signal to a high-speed, high-resolution ADC without introducing additional noise and distortion is a critical challenge. Microchip’s MCP6D11 differential amplifier is designed specifically to address this challenge, providing a low-distortion and high-accuracy interface to properly drive the ADC.

Development Tools

The MCP331x1D-XX Evaluation Kit is available to demonstrate the performance of the MCP331x1D-XX SAR ADC family devices. The evaluation kit includes the following:

• MCP331x1D Evaluation Board
• PIC32MZ EF MCU Curiosity Board for data collection
• SAR ADC Utility PC Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Pricing and Availability

Pricing for the new SAR ADCS range from the MCP33111 available for $1.45 each in 10,000-unit quantities to the MCP33131 available for $4.65 each in 10,000-unit quantities. Each ADC is available in either the 10-MSOP with leads in a 3 mm X 3 mm package or 10-TDFN no leads 3 mm X 3 mm package. The 9 mm2 size is the smallest footprint available in the market for a 16-bit, 1 Msps differential ADC. Pricing for the MCP6D11 is $1.17 in 10,000-unit quantities and is available in the 8-MSOP or 3 mm x 3 mm 16-QFN package. The MCP331x1(D)-xx Evaluation Kit is available for $175.