AD5541A
THEORY OF OPERATION
The AD5541A is a single, 16-bit, serial input, voltage output
DAC. It operates from a single supply ranging from 2.7 V to 5 V
and consumes typically 125 μA with a supply of 5 V. Data is written
to these devices in a 16-bit word format, via a 3- or 4-wire serial
interface. To ensure a known power-up state, this part is designed
with a power-on reset function. The output is reset to 0 V.
SERIAL INTERFACE
The AD5541A is controlled by a versatile 3- or 4-wire serial
interface that operates at clock rates of up to 50 MHz and is
compatible with LPI, QLPI, MICROWIRE, and DLP interface
standards. The timing diagram is shown in Figure 3. The
AD5541A has a separate serial input register from the 16-bit
DAC register that allows preloading of a new data value into the
serial input register without disturbing the present DAC output
voltage.
DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG SECTION
The DAC architecture consists of two matched DAC sections.
A simplified circuit diagram is shown in Figure 30. The DAC
architecture of the AD5541A is segmented. The four MLBs of
the 16-bit data-word are decoded to drive 15 switches, E1 to
E15. Each switch connects one of 15 matched resistors to either
AGND or VREF. The remaining 12 bits of the data-word drive
the L0 to L11 switches of a 12-bit voltage mode R-2R ladder
network.
CL
Input data is framed by the chip select input, . After a high-
CL
to-low transition on , data is shifted synchronously and
latched into the serial input register on the rising edge of the
serial clock, LCꢀK. After 16 data bits have been loaded into the
CL
serial input register, a low-to-high transition on
contents of the shift register to the DAC register if
ꢀDAC
transfers the
ꢀDAC
is held
is high at this point, a low-to-high transition on
transfers the contents into the serial input register only.
R
R
low. If
CL
V
OUT
2R
2R
S0
2R . . . . .
S1 . . . . .
2R
2R
E1
2R . . . . .
E2 . . . . .
2R
E15
After a new value is fully loaded in the serial input register, it
can be asynchronously transferred to the DAC register by
S11
ꢀDAC
strobing the
pin. Data is loaded MLB first in 16-bit
CL
V
REF
words. Data can be loaded to the part only while
is low.
FOUR MSBs DECODED
INTO 15 EQUAL SEGMENTS
12-BIT R-2R LADDER
Figure 30. DAC Architecture
With this type of DAC configuration, the output impedance is
independent of code, whereas the input impedance seen by the
reference is heavily code dependent. The output voltage is
dependent on the reference voltage, as shown in the following
equation:
VREF × D
VOUT
where:
=
2N
D is the decimal data-word loaded to the DAC register.
N is the resolution of the DAC.
For a reference of 2.5 V, the equation simplifies to the following:
2.5 × D
VOUT
=
65,536
This gives a VOUT of 1.25 V with midscale loaded and 2.5 V with
full scale loaded to the DAC.
The ꢀLB size is VREF/65,536.
Rev. A | Page 14 of 20