All About Circuits

Latest Technical Articles

Categories

From Parallel to Serial and Back Again: Understanding SerDes

From Parallel to Serial and Back Again: Understanding SerDes

Serialization/deserialization circuitry, known collectively as SerDes, provides important benefits for digital communication systems, especially when high data rates are required.


RF Design Basics—Introduction to Transmission Lines

RF Design Basics—Introduction to Transmission Lines

Learn about voltage waves and how they relate to an important basic concept of radio frequency (RF) circuit design: transmission lines.


ADC Resolution vs. Accuracy—Sub-range ADCs, Two-step ADCs, and TUE

ADC Resolution vs. Accuracy—Sub-range ADCs, Two-step ADCs, and TUE

Learn about characterizing different analog-to-digital converter (ADC) error sources such as resolution and accuracy.


An Introduction to Current Sources

An Introduction to Current Sources

Current sources are less familiar than voltage sources like batteries and AC wall power. Current sources usually are buried, unseen, inside electronic circuitry. Learn what they are and how they are designed.


ADC INL Errors—Best Fit Line, Total Unadjusted Error, Absolute and Relative Accuracy

ADC INL Errors—Best Fit Line, Total Unadjusted Error, Absolute and Relative Accuracy

Learn more about integral nonlinearity (INL) in analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), like the best fit line INL definition, absolute accuracy, relative accuracy, and total unadjusted error (TUE).


Understanding ADC Integral Nonlinearity (INL) Error

Understanding ADC Integral Nonlinearity (INL) Error

Learn about the integral nonlinearity (INL) specification and how it relates to analog-to-digital converter (ADC) errors.


Designing a Quadrature Network Using an All-pass Filter

Designing a Quadrature Network Using an All-pass Filter

Quadrature networks convert a single input signal into two outputs with a 90-degree phase difference. This article explains how to design quadrature networks using all-pass filters.


Projects Dec 23, 2022 by John Woodgate
ADC Nonlinearity—Missing Codes, Monotonicity, and Nonlinearity Effect on SNR

ADC Nonlinearity—Missing Codes, Monotonicity, and Nonlinearity Effect on SNR

Learn about eliminating missing codes through averaging, analog-to-digital converter (ADC) monotonicity, and the effect of ADC nonlinearity on the system's signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).


Using the Noise Figure Metric to Analyze Noise in RF Circuits

Using the Noise Figure Metric to Analyze Noise in RF Circuits

Concerning noise analysis in RF analog design, learn about the noise figure metric, including key aspects of this specification through examples.


Digital Square Wave Generator Design Via a Ring Oscillator, 555 Timer, and Arduino

Digital Square Wave Generator Design Via a Ring Oscillator, 555 Timer, and Arduino

Learn about digital square wave generators using a ring oscillator, a 555 timer-based oscillator, and an Arduino-generated square wave oscillator.


Understanding ADC Differential Nonlinearity (DNL) Error

Understanding ADC Differential Nonlinearity (DNL) Error

Learn about an imperfection that can affect the system response, the ADC’s nonlinearity, namely the differential nonlinearity (DNL) and integral nonlinearity (INL) specifications.


What is Dithering? Using Dithering to Eliminate Quantization Distortion

What is Dithering? Using Dithering to Eliminate Quantization Distortion

Learn how dithering can be added to a signal to improve the performance of an analog-to-digital conversion system by eliminating quantization error and distortion.


System Calibration and Background Calibration in Precision ADCs

System Calibration and Background Calibration in Precision ADCs

Learn about two calibration functions in precision ADCs: system calibration and background calibration modes.


Offset and Gain Calibration Functions in Precision ADCs: Self-calibration

Offset and Gain Calibration Functions in Precision ADCs: Self-calibration

Learn about the self-calibration or internal calibration function in an analog-to-digital converter (ADC).


Introduction to MEMS Microphone Technology—Analog vs Digital Microphones

Introduction to MEMS Microphone Technology—Analog vs Digital Microphones

MEMS silicon microphones are in everything from cellphones, hearing aids, smart speakers, computers, and vehicles. Learn the basics of how they work, their use, and what’s available.


Trim Out ADC Offset and Gain Error Using Two Point Calibration

Trim Out ADC Offset and Gain Error Using Two Point Calibration

Learn about the two-point calibration method and the fixed-point implementation to compensate for analog-to-digital converter (ADC) offset and gain errors through an example.


RTD Signal Conditioning—4-Wire Configuration, Ratiometric Measurement, & Filtering

RTD Signal Conditioning—4-Wire Configuration, Ratiometric Measurement, & Filtering

Learn about RTD (resistance temperature detector) signal conditioning through a four-wire configuration, ratiometric measurement, and input RC filters.


Op Amp and Transistor-based Analog Square Wave Generator Design

Op Amp and Transistor-based Analog Square Wave Generator Design

Analog oscillator circuits are commonly used to create square wave clock signals for the timing of synchronous circuits. This article covers the theory, design, and key features of analog square wave generators.


RTD Signal Conditioning—Voltage vs Current Excitation in 3-wire Configurations

RTD Signal Conditioning—Voltage vs Current Excitation in 3-wire Configurations

Learn about resistance temperature detector (RTD) signal conditioning techniques such as voltage vs. current excitation and the three-wire configuration for dealing with the lead and wire resistance error.


Is Assembly Language Still Relevant for Embedded Software Development?

Is Assembly Language Still Relevant for Embedded Software Development?

As embedded systems continue to evolve, you might wonder: should I learn assembly language for embedded software development? Learn the answer in this article.