Industry's smallest bipolar, Beyond-the-Rails ADCs from Maxim Integrated

Maxim Integrated Products has announced it is now shipping the MAX11166 & MAX11167, industry's smallest bipolar ±5V, 16-bit ADCs (analog-to-digital converters). Available in a tiny 9mm2 package, the MAX11166 and MAX11167 are the only 12-pin 16-bit bipolar ADCs to integrate an internal reference with buffer, saving cost and at least 88% board space over competing units. These highly integrated ADCs feature Beyond-the-Rails technology, which supports ±5V input signal from a single positive 5V rail. This eliminates the need for negative power supplies and simplifies designs. At 19.5mW, 500 ksps, and 1μA in shutdown mode, the ADCs are applicable for precision measurement data acquisition systems (DASs), industrial/process control, medical instrumentation, and automatic test equipment (ATE). The MAX11166 and MAX11167 communicate using an SPI-compatible serial interface at 2.5V, 3V, 3.3V, or 5V logic levels and respetively have sample rates of 500 ksps and 250 ksps. The serial interface can be used to daisy-chain multiple ADCs for multichannel simultaneous-sampling applications; it also provides a "busy" indicator option for simplified system synchronization and timing. Maxim's proprietary input-charge-pump architecture allows direct sampling of high-impedance sources, eliminating the need for external analog buffers to drive the ADC inputs in some applications. Key Advantages

• High integration: industry's smallest (9mm2) package, 16-bit ADCs with integrated reference, buffer and ±5V true bipolar measurement above/below ground using Beyond-the-Rails technology
• Excellent analog performance: 92.6dB SNR supports wide-dynamic-range applications with best-in-class linearity (typically ±0.5 LSB INL, ±0.2 LSB DNL) allows precise measurements at half the power of nearest  competitors
• Ease of design: integrated precision voltage reference with reference buffer and high-impedance input saves power and space

Industry comments "Maxim is the only company to offer an internal reference in a tiny 16-bit bipolar ADC," said Martin Mason, Executive Director of ADC Business Management at Maxim Integrated. "By integrating the reference and offering bipolar inputs in a tiny part, engineers save the power, space, and cost of doing this externally." "Previously, engineers had to measure a true bipolar signal with a good amount of external circuitry," said Susie Inouye, Research Director at Databeans. "The MAX11166 and MAX11167 family offers a great combination of small size and wide input range, and the internal reference lets engineers simplify their designs."   Availability, Temperature, and Pricing

• Available in a robust 12-pin pack (3mm x 3mm TDFN), ±5V input, 250 ksps, and 500 ksps options
• Specified over the -40 °C to +85 °C temperature range
• Pricing starts at $16.07 (1000-up, FOB USA)

The 18-bit extended resolution versions of the parts are for introduction in first half 2013. Maxim Integrated