Analog Devices' 16-Bit, 10-MSPS SAR Converter Surpasses Industry Performance Benchmark.

- Medical imaging and data acquisition systems gain precision and throughput with PulSAR[R] ADC that achieves 15 effective number of bits and 2.5 times faster sample rate.

NORWOOD, Mass. -- Analog Devices, Inc. (NYSE: ADI), the global leader in data converter technology, today expanded its PulSAR[R] family of precision 16-bit SAR ADCs (successive-approximation register analog-to-digital converters) with a breakthrough in data conversion that delivers an unequalled combination of speed and accuracy. The ability to process information at higher speeds while preserving data integrity is a key requirement in today's most advanced industrial and medical systems. For example, in medical MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and digital X-ray systems, the speed and accuracy supported by the new PulSAR ADC enables medical procedures to be conducted more quickly and accurately, reducing the time patients must lie motionless during MRI examinations and reducing X-ray radiation exposure.

ADI's AD7626 PulSAR ADC achieves a new level of 16-bit data capture performance, with best-in-class 15-bit ENOB (effective number of bits) and 10-MSPS (million samples per second) throughput, which is 2.5 times faster than other SAR ADCs. Unlike other ADCs, which operate at much lower speeds or reach higher sample rates by increasing power consumption and trading off ac and dc performance, the AD7626 PulSAR ADC has a 92-dB SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) that is 8 dB (1.3 bits) better than any ADC, regardless of architecture.

"For high-end X-ray imaging devices, accuracy and throughput are key performance vectors that enable higher image quality and improved frame rates," said Stephane Rossignol, Electronics and ASIC group manager, Trixell, a joint venture company of Thales Electron Devices, Philips Medical Systems and Siemens Healthcare and a leading developer radiological imaging flat panel detectors. "Trixell, a long time collaborator of Analog Devices, chose the AD7626 PulSAR ADC because it meets the speed, precision, power, package-size and price requirements of our end-system designs."

"From factory automation systems that boost productivity to sensitive medical imaging equipment that quickly and non-invasively scan patients, virtually all manufacturers want to push the speed barrier while holding a firm line on data accuracy," said Leo McHugh, product line director, precision signal processing, Analog Devices. "The AD7626 takes a dramatic jump forward in terms of sampling rates, while delivering linearity performance that rivals converters with much lower throughputs."

For applications that don't require full 10-MSPS data rates, the AD7626 can be easily multiplexed. Some medical imaging devices, for example, could use the AD7626 in a two-channel configuration where each channel operates at 5 MSPS. This would allow the system designer to lower materials costs by reducing data converter component count by 50 percent--while still maintaining speeds that are 25 percent faster than existing solutions.

"Data conversion technology determines the quality of the user experience in applications as diverse as ultrasound imaging to digital TV, mobile phones and other consumer goods," said Susie Inouye, research director at Databeans Inc., a leading semiconductor research firm. "Because there is such a variety of end uses, however, there is no single specification that defines a good data converter. OEMs today need semiconductor design partners to solve tough signal processing challenges, and ADI engineers are among the best at bridging the analog and digital worlds through delivering the right converter for the problem."

AD7626 10-MSPS ADC Features Smallest Size, Lowest Power in its Class

Housed in a compact 5 mm x 5 mm QFN (quad flat no-lead) package that is 70 percent smaller than competing offerings, the AD7626 consumes just 130 mW of power, which even at its highest sample rate is 15 percent lower than other ADCs in its class. The AD7626 also uses a self-clocked low-voltage differential serial (LVDS) bus that provides a very-low-noise interface and reduces the number of external components required to address board-level noise concerns.

AD7625 6-MSPS ADC Further Extends ADI's PulSAR Portfolio

Also today, Analog Devices introduced the AD7625 16-bit PulSAR ADC, which operates at 6 MSPS and expands the PulSAR family to 15 devices with speed options ranging from 1 MSPS to 10 MSPS and dynamic range of 16 bits to 18 bits. Analog Devices' extensive PulSAR family is based on an ADC architecture that provides the added advantage of zero data-latency, which is critical in precision data acquisition systems.

Pricing and Availability

The AD7626 and AD7625 PulSAR ADCs are available now in production quantities. The AD7626 comes in a 32-lead QFN (quad flat no-lead) package and is priced at $34 per unit in 1,000-unit quantities. The AD7625 comes in a 32-lead QFN package and is priced at $32 per unit in 1,000-unit quantities. For more information, visit www.analog.com/pr/AD7626. The PulSAR ADCs are supported by evaluation tools. For more information, visit www.analog.com/pr/PulSARevalkit.

Data Converters: Bridging the Analog and Digital Worlds

More designers turn to Analog Devices than any other supplier for the high-performance conversion technology required to bridge the analog and digital worlds in today's myriad electronic systems. With the industry's leading portfolio of ADCs (analog-to-digital converters) and DACs (digital-to-analog converters), Analog Devices' converter products feature the right combination of sampling rates, accuracy and reduced noise, power, price and package size required in industrial and instrumentation, medical equipment, automotive systems, communications infrastructure, and consumer electronics. Evaluation tools help customers quickly validate, select, and design in the optimal data converters to reduce design complexity, development schedules, and bill-of-material costs. To view ADI's ADC selection guide, visit www.analog.com/ADCsearch. For ADC drivers, visit: www.analog.com/adcdrivers. To view ADI's DAC selection guide, visit www.analog.com/DACsearch.

About Analog Devices

Innovation, performance, and excellence are the cultural pillars on which Analog Devices has built one of the longest standing, highest growth companies within the technology sector. Acknowledged industry-wide as the world leader in data conversion and signal conditioning technology, Analog Devices serves over 60,000 customers, representing virtually all types of electronic equipment. Celebrating over 40 years as a leading global manufacturer of high-performance integrated circuits used in analog and digital signal processing applications, Analog Devices is headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts, with design and manufacturing facilities throughout the world. Analog Devices' common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker "ADI" and is included in the S&P 500 Index. http://www.analog.com

PulSAR is a registered trademarks of Analog Devices, Inc. All other trademarks included herein are the property of their respective owners.