7.1 Noise Performance

Delta-sigma (ΔΣ) analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are based on the principle of oversampling. The input signal of a ΔΣ ADC is sampled at a high frequency (modulator frequency) and subsequently filtered and decimated in the digital domain to yield a conversion result at the respective output data rate. The ratio between modulator frequency and output data rate is called oversampling ratio (OSR). By increasing the OSR, and thus reducing the output data rate, the noise performance of the ADC can be optimized. In other words, the input-referred noise drops when reducing the output data rate because more samples of the internal modulator are averaged to yield one conversion result. Increasing the gain also reduces the input-referred noise, which is particularly useful when measuring low-level signals.

Table 1 and Table 2 summarize the device noise performance. Data are representative of typical noise performance at T_A = 25°C using the internal 2.048-V reference. Data shown are the result of averaging readings from a single device over a time period of approximately 0.75 seconds and are measured with the inputs internally shorted together. Table 1 lists the input-referred noise in units of μV_RMS for the conditions shown. Values in µV_PP are shown in parenthesis. Table 2 lists the corresponding data in effective resolution calculated from μV_RMS values using Equation 1. Noise-free resolution calculated from peak-to-peak noise values using Equation 2 are shown in parenthesis.

The input-referred noise only changes marginally when using an external low-noise reference, such as the REF5020. Use Equation 1 and Equation 2 to calculate effective resolution numbers and noise-free resolution when using a reference voltage other than 2.048 V: