TLV5617A
2.7-V TO 5.5-V LOW-POWER DUAL 10-BIT DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG
CONVERTER WITH POWER DOWN
SLAS234B – JULY 1999 – REVISED MARCH 2000
12
POST OFFICE BOX 655303 • DALLAS, TEXAS 75265
APPLICATION INFORMATION
examples of operation (continued)
Both outputs are updated on the rising clock edge after D0 from the DAC A data word is sampled.
D
Set powerdown mode:
D15 D14 D13 D12 D11 D10 D9 D8 D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1 D0
X X 1 X X X X X X X X X X X X X
X = Don’t care
linearity, offset, and gain error using single ended supplies
When an amplifier is operated from a single supply , the voltage offset can still be either positive or negative. With
a positive offset, the output voltage changes on the first code change. With a negative offset, the output voltage
may not change with the first code, depending on the magnitude of the offset voltage.
The output amplifier attempts to drive the output to a negative voltage. However, because the most negative
supply rail is ground, the output cannot drive below ground and clamps the output at 0 V.
The output voltage then remains at zero until the input code value produces a sufficient positive output voltage
to overcome the negative offset voltage, resulting in the transfer function shown in Figure 13.
DAC Code
Output
Voltage
0 V
Negative
Offset
Figure 13. Effect of Negative Offset (Single Supply)
This offset error, not the linearity error , produces this breakpoint. The transfer function would have followed the
dotted line if the output buffer could drive below the ground rail.
For a DAC, linearity is measured between zero-input code (all inputs 0) and full-scale code (all inputs 1) after
offset and full scale are adjusted out or accounted for in some way . However , single supply operation does not
allow for adjustment when the offset is negative due to the breakpoint in the transfer function. So the linearity
is measured between full-scale code and the lowest code that produces a positive output voltage.
definitions of specifications and terminology
integral nonlinearity (INL)
The relative accuracy or integral nonlinearity (INL), sometimes referred to as linearity error, is the maximum
deviation of the output from the line between zero and full scale excluding the effects of zero code and full-scale
errors.
differential nonlinearity (DNL)
The differential nonlinearity (DNL), sometimes referred to as differential error, is the difference between the
measured and ideal 1 LSB amplitude change of any two adjacent codes. Monotonic means the output voltage
changes in the same direction (or remains constant) as a change in the digital input code.