When circuit designers hear the phrase ‘important performance metrics of analog to digital converters’, they automatically think of factors like the Sampling Rate, the Gain (at the output) and the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), etc. Granted all of these aspects are important in their own right, one (often overlooked) factor which is equally as important is the dynamic range of the ADC.
Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at what the dynamic range of an ADC actually is so as to better understand its importance and impact.
v What is the Dynamic Range?
In its essence, the Dynamic Range of an Analog to Digital Converter is defined as the ratio between the highest values that the ADC can reliably measure to the lowest value that the ADC can reliably measure. It is commonly expressed in decibels (dB).
v How is the Dynamic Range Calculated?
The dynamic range varies from ADC to ADC. However, the governing formula for calculating the dynamic range of an N-bit ADC is usually expressed as,
Dynamic Range ADC = 20 log 10 ( in dB
Dynamic Range ADC ≈ 6.02 * N in dB
Before we go any further, it’s worth noting that for this example, we have assumed that the minimum value the ADC can reliably measure is its least significant bit while the highest value it can measure is (2N – 1) times the least significant bit.
In this example, we can see that a 32 bit ADC would have a dynamic range of about 192.64 decibels.
v Why Does the Dynamic Range Matter?
The importance of the ADC’s Dynamic Range becomes apparent when you analyze applications pertaining to data communication. It’s no secret that in telecommunication applications, the strength of the signal received can vary a lot.
Therefore, the ADC should be capable of receiving both weak and strong signals. In such applications, an ADC with a significantly higher dynamic range will be able to reliably receive both strong and weak signals.
Furthermore, wireless data communication systems also require an ADC that boasts a large dynamic range as the strength of the signal at the output tends to vary dramatically.
And that concludes our guide on the importance of the dynamic range of the ADC. We hope this clears up any confusion you may have had on the subject matter and that you now know how to account for the dynamic range when designing your next circuit.
v Where to Buy Analog to Digital Converters?
It’s clear to see that not all ADCs are created equally as there are many differences like the SNR, the dynamic range, and the sampling rate, etc. Given the fact that the ADC directly affects the performance quality of the rest of the system, it’s important to only buy premium quality ADCs so as to ensure the performance of the highest caliber.
This is where ADSANTEC comes into the picture. For decades, we’ve been providing high quality electrical solutions and circuits to our clients both in the United States and abroad. Our online store boasts a large library of electrical components like high speed analog to digital converters, serializers, variable delay lines and signal generators.
Contact us today to make circuit design and realization more efficient!