Circuit Note
CN-0028
Devices Connected/Referenced
Circuit Designs Using Analog Devices Products
Apply these product pairings quickly and with confidence.
For more information and/or support call 1-800-AnalogD
(1-800-262-5643) or visit www.analog.com/circuit.
AD5547/
AD5557
Dual, Current Output, Parallel Input,
16-/14-Bit DAC
AD8512
Low Noise, Low Input Bias, JFET Operational
Amplifier
ADR01
Ultracompact, Precision 10.0 V Voltage
Reference
Precision, Bipolar, Configuration for the AD5547/AD5557 DAC
analog converters. They operate from a single 2.7 V to 5.5 V
supply with ±15 V multiplying references for 4-quadrant
outputs. Built-in 4-quadrant resistors facilitate the resistance
matching and temperature tracking that minimize the number
of components needed for multiquadrant applications.
CIRCUIT FUNCTION AND BENEFITS
This circuit provides precision, bipolar data conversion using
the AD5547/AD5557 current output DAC with the ADR01
precision reference and AD8512 operational amplifier
(op amp). This circuit provides accurate, low noise, high speed
output voltage capability and is well suited for process control,
automatic test equipment, and digital calibration applications.
This circuit uses the ADR01, which is a highly accuracy, high
stability, 10 V precision voltage reference. As voltage reference
temperature coefficient and long-term drift are primary
considerations for applications requiring high precision
conversion, this device is an ideal candidate.
CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION
The AD5547/AD5557 are dual-channel, precision 16-/14-bit,
multiplying, low power, current output, parallel input digital-to+15V
C1
1µF
2
U3
C2
0.1µF
VIN
TRIM
VOUT
5
6
+10V
GND
U2A
4
ADR01
AD8512
C4
0.1µF
R1A
RCOMA
VREFA
ROFSA
RFBA
+5V
R1
ROFS
R2
RFB
C9
2.2pF
U2B
C3
0.1µF
U1
16-BIT/
14-BIT DATA
WR LDAC RS
WR
LDAC
RS
MSB
A0, A1
16-BIT/
14-BIT
DAC A
AD5547/AD5557
C5 1µF
+15V
C6 0.1µF
IOUTA
AGNDA
+V
AD8512
–V
C7 0.1µF –10V TO +10V
C8 1µF
MSB A0, A1
2
VOUT
–15V
08250-001
VDD
Figure 1. 4-Quadrant Multiplying Mode, VOUT = –VREF to +VREF (Simplified Schematic)
Rev. A
“Circuits from the Lab” from Analog Devices have been designed and built by Analog Devices
engineers. Standard engineering practices have been employed in the design and construction of
each circuit, and their function and performance have been tested and verified in a lab environment
at room temperature. However, you are solely responsible for testing the circuit and determining its
suitability and applicability for your use and application. Accordingly, in no event shall Analog
Devices be liable for direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages due to
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Fax: 781.461.3113 ©2008–2009 Analog Devices, Inc. All rights reserved.
CN-0028
Circuit Note
An op amp is used in the current-to-voltage (I-V) stage of this
circuit. An op amp’s bias current and offset voltage are both
important selection criteria for use with precision current
output DACs. Therefore, this circuit employs the AD8512
op amp, which has ultralow offset voltage (80 µV typical for
B-grade device) and bias current (25 pA typical). C9 is a
compensation capacitor. The value of C9 for this application is
2.2 pF, which is optimized to compensate for the external
output capacitance of the DAC.
The input offset voltage of the op amp is multiplied by the
variable noise gain (due to the code-dependent output
resistance of the DAC) of the circuit. A change in this noise gain
between two adjacent digital codes produces a step change in
the output voltage due to the amplifier’s input offset voltage.
This output voltage change is superimposed on the desired
change in output between the two codes and gives rise to a
differential linearity error, which, if large enough, could cause
the DAC to be nonmonotonic. In general, the input offset
voltage should be a fraction of an LSB to ensure monotonic
behavior when stepping through codes. For the ADR01 and the
AD5547, the LSB size is
10 V
216
= 153 µV
(1)
The input bias current of an op amp also generates an offset at
the voltage output as a result of the bias current flowing through
the feedback resistor, RFB. In the case of the AD8512, the input
bias current is only 25 pA typical, which flowing through the
RFB resistor (10 kΩ typical) produces an error of only 0.25 µV.
The AD5547/AD5557 DAC architecture uses a current-steering
R-2R ladder design that requires an external reference and opamp to convert to an output voltage. VOUT can be calculated
for the AD5547 using the equation
 VREF × D 
(2)
VOUT = 
16 − 1
 − VREF
 2

where D = 0 to 65535 for 16-bit DAC (D is the decimal
equivalent of the input code). VOUT can be calculated for the
AD5557 using the equation
 VREF × D 
(3)
VOUT = 
14 − 1
 − VREF
 2

where D = 0 to 16383 for 14-bit DAC (D is the decimal
equivalent of the input code).
COMMON VARIATIONS
The AD8605 is another excellent op amp candidate for the I-V
conversion circuit. It also has a low offset voltage and low bias
current. The ADR02 and ADR03 are other low noise references
available from the same reference family as the ADR01. Other
low noise references that would be suitable are the ADR441 and
ADR445 products. The size of the reference input voltage is
restricted by the rail-to-rail voltage of the op amp selected.
These circuits can also be used as a variable gain element by
utilizing the multiplying bandwidth nature of the R-2R
structure of the AD5547/AD5557 DAC. In this configuration,
remove the external precision reference and apply the signal to
be multiplied to the reference input pins of the DAC.
LEARN MORE
ADIsimPower Design Tool.
Kester, Walt. 2005. The Data Conversion Handbook. Analog
Devices. See chapters 3 and 7.
MT-015 Tutorial, Basic DAC Architectures II: Binary DACs.
Analog Devices.
MT-031 Tutorial, Grounding Data Converters and Solving the
Mystery of AGND and DGND. Analog Devices.
MT-033 Tutorial, Voltage Feedback Op Amp Gain and
Bandwidth. Analog Devices.
MT-035 Tutorial, Op Amp Inputs, Outputs, Single-Supply, and
Rail-to-Rail Issues. Analog Devices.
MT-055 Tutorial, Chopper Stabilized (Auto-Zero) Precision Op
Amps. Analog Devices.
MT-101 Tutorial, Decoupling Techniques. Analog Devices.
Data Sheets
AD5547 Data Sheet.
AD5557 Data Sheet.
AD8512 Data Sheet.
ADR01 Data Sheet.
REVISION HISTORY
5/09—Rev. 0 to Rev. A
Updated Format .................................................................. Universal
10/08—Revision 0: Initial Version
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CN08250-0-5/09(A)
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