Texas Instruments (TI) Unveils Industry's Fastest 16-bit SAR Data Converter

Texas Instruments ADS8401 ADS8402

Low-Price ADC Offers 16-bit No Missing Code Performance at Record 1.25MSPS

Texas Instruments introduced the industryґs fastest 16-bit SAR analog-to-digital converter (ADC) from the companyґs Burr-Brown product line. Utilizing a proprietary, state-of-the-art architecture, the ADS8401 and ADS8402 feature an industry-record 1.25MSPS (mega samples per second), true 16-bit no missing code performance and 155mW (milliwatts) power dissipation.

These high-speed, low-power devices target a wide range of advanced applications, including medical imaging, portable medical instrumentation, high-speed data acquisition, wired communications and optical networking. SAR converters, in contrast to pipeline and delta-sigma architectures, feature no latency.


The ADS8401 and ADS8402 offer designers a complete solution without the need for an external reference or reference buffer. DC performance, especially offset and offset drift, is far superior to other high-speed ADCs currently available.

The ADS8401 offers a pseudo-differential, unipolar input range, while the ADS8402 uses unipolar differential inputs with a bipolar range, which are common to many high speed ADCs. Both devices offer a full 16-bit interface and an 8-bit option when data is read using two 8-bit cycles, if necessary.

Available Today

The ADS8401 and ADS8402 come in a 48-lead TQFP package, and are available now from TI and its authorized distributors. Suggested resale pricing starts at $11.95 in 1,000 piece quantities. Evaluation modules (EVMs) for the ADS8401 and ADS8402 will be available in 1Q03.

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