REV. A
AD7470/AD7472
–7–
TERMINOLOGY 
Integral Nonlinearity
This is the maximum deviation from a straight line passing 
through the endpoints of the ADC transfer function. The endpoints of the transfer function are zero scale, a point 1/2 LSB 
below the first code transition, and full scale, a point 1/2 LSB 
above the last code transition.
Differential Nonlinearity
This is the difference between the measured and the ideal 1 LSB 
change between any two adjacent codes in the ADC.
Offset Error
This is the deviation of the first code transition (00 . . . 000) to 
(00 . . . 001) from the ideal, i.e., AGND + 1 LSB.
Gain Error
The last transition should occur at the analog value 1 1/2 LSB 
below the nominal full scale. The first transition is a 1/2 LSB 
above the low end of the scale (zero in the case of AD7470/ 
AD7472). The gain error is the deviation of the actual difference 
between the first and last code transitions from the ideal difference between the first and last code transitions with offset errors 
removed.
Track/Hold Acquisition Time
The track/hold amplifier returns into track mode after the end of 
conversion. Track/Hold acquisition time is the time required for 
the output of the track/hold amplifier to reach its final value, 
within ± 1 LSB, after the end of conversion.
Signal to (Noise + Distortion) Ratio
This is the measured ratio of signal to (noise + distortion) at the 
output of the A/D converter. The signal is the rms amplitude of 
the fundamental. Noise is the sum of all nonfundamental signals up to half the sampling frequency (f
S
/2), excluding dc. The 
ratio is dependent on the number of quantization levels in the 
digitization process; the more levels, the smaller the quantization 
noise. The theoretical signal to (noise + distortion) ratio for an 
ideal N-bit converter with a sine wave input is given by:
Signal to (Noise + Distortion) = (6.02 N + 1.76) dB
Thus for a 12-bit converter, this is 74 dB and for a 10-bit converter is 62 dB.
Total Harmonic Distortion
Total harmonic distortion (THD) is the ratio of the rms sum of 
harmonics to the fundamental. For the AD7470/AD7472 it is 
defined as:
THD dB
VVVVV
V
( ) log
()
=
++++
20
223242526
2
1
where V1 is the rms amplitude of the fundamental and V2, V3,
V
4
, V5 and V6 are the rms amplitudes of the second through the
sixth harmonics.
Peak Harmonic or Spurious Noise
Peak harmonic or spurious noise is defined as the ratio of the 
rms value of the next largest component in the ADC output 
spectrum (up to f
S
/2 and excluding dc) to the rms value of the 
fundamental. Normally, the value of this specification is determined by the largest harmonic in the spectrum, but for ADCs 
where the harmonics are buried in the noise floor, it will be a 
noise peak.
Intermodulation Distortion
With inputs consisting of sine waves at two frequencies, fa and 
fb, any active device with nonlinearities will create distortion 
products at sum and difference frequencies of mfa ± nfb where 
m, n = 0, 1, 2, 3, etc. Intermodulation distortion terms are 
those for which neither m nor n is equal to zero. For example, 
the second order terms include (fa + fb) and (fa – fb), while the 
third order terms include (2fa + fb), (2fa – fb), (fa + 2fb) and 
(fa – 2fb).
The AD7470/AD7472 are tested using the CCIF standard 
where two input frequencies near the top end of the input bandwidth are used. In this case, the second order terms are usually 
distanced in frequency from the original sine waves while the 
third order terms are usually at a frequency close to the input 
frequencies. As a result, the second and third order terms are 
specified separately. The calculation of the intermodulation 
distortion is as per the THD specification where it is the ratio of 
the rms sum of the individual distortion products to the rms 
amplitude of the sum of the fundamentals expressed in dBs.
Aperture Delay
In a sample/hold, the time required after the hold command for 
the switch to open fully is the aperture delay. The sample is, in 
effect, delayed by this interval, and the hold command would 
have to be advanced by this amount for precise timing.
Aperture Jitter
Aperture jitter is the range of variation in the aperture delay. In 
other words, it is the uncertainty about when the sample is 
taken. Jitter is the result of noise which modulates the phase of 
the hold command. This specification establishes the ultimate 
timing error, hence the maximum sampling frequency for a 
given resolution. This error will increase as the input dV/dt 
increases.