National Semiconductor's 12-bit ADC Wins Semiconductor of the Year Award at 2010 Elektra Awards

National Semiconductor Corporation today announced that the company's 12-bit analogue-to-digital converter ADC12D1800 was named Analogue Semiconductor Product of the Year at the Elektra Awards ceremony on Thursday, 9th December, 2010. It was awarded for its high speed performance which enables a new generation of software-defined radio (SDR) architectures and applications. The ADC12D1800 is 3.6 times faster than any other available 12-bit device, operating at 3.6 Giga-samples per second (GSPS). With a dynamic performance of -149.5dBm/Hz noise floor, 48.5dB noise power ratio (NPR) and 61dBFS intermodulation distortion (IMD), the ADC targets wideband SDRs including radar, communications, multi-channel set-top box (STB), signal intelligence, and light detecting and ranging (LIDAR) applications. Entirely new SDR architectures can be realized with the ADC due to its ability to accurately receive modulated, band-limited signals within a large bandwidth. "In next-generation multi-channel STB applications, National Semiconductor's ADC12D1800 is able to replace all of the STB's tuners, dramatically reducing board area, power consumption, and cost, while significantly improving system flexibility," said Jon Baldwin, Marketing Director, High Speed Signal Path Solutions at National Semiconductor. "The ADC's unmatched combination of high sample rate and dynamic range has created a performance benchmark by which future products will be measured. We are honoured that its success is being acknowledged." The Elektra Awards, founded by Electronics Weekly in 2003, recognise the achievements of individuals and companies in the electronics industry. The winner of the Analogue Semiconductor Product of the Year was selected from a pool of six nominees and awarded based on the products performance, design flexibility and suitability for an application. www.national.com