Pipeline ADCs Come of Age

Abstract:Inthemid1970s,anewdataconverterarchitecturewasintroducedtotheanalogandmixed-signalcommunity,calledpipelineADCs.Thefollowingarticletakestheknowledgeofadvantagesanddisadvantagesofthepipelinearchitectureandcomparesitsfeatureswithfourofthemostpopulararchitectures(flash,dual-slope,sigma-delta,andsuccessiveapproximation)foranalog-to-digitalconverters(ADCs).ThepaperconcludeswithanapplicationsexampleforCCDimaginganddiscussesindetailwhyapipeline-basedADCarchitectureismoredesirableinsuchapplicationsthananyoftheothercommonlyusedconcepts.Maxim>AppNotes>A/DandD/ACONVERSION/SAMPLINGCIRCUITSBASESTATIONS/WIRELESSINFRASTRUCTUREHIGH-SPEEDSIGNALPROCESSINGKeywords:flash,pipeline,integrating,dual-slope,sigma-delta,delta-sigma,SAR,successive-approximation,Mar21,2000sparklecode,thermometerbubble,metastability,ADCs,analogtodigitalconverters,sub-rangingADC,CCD,imagingapplication,medicalimaging,latencAPPLICATIONNOTE634PipelineADCsComeofAgeAbstract:Inthemid1970s,anewdataconverterarchitecturewasintroducedtotheanalogandmixed-signalcommunity,calledpipelineADCs.Thefollowingarticletakestheknowledgeofadvantagesanddisadvantagesofthepipelinearchitectureandcomparesitsfeatureswithfourofthemostpopulararchitectures(flash,dual-slope,sigma-del