e2v first to introduce 12bit 1.5 GSPS analogue to digital converter with both direct RF sampling in L-band and low input voltage range

This device enables further innovation in high verticality oscilloscopes, spectrum analysers, high dynamic range point-to-point microwave data links, electronic warfare systems and data acquisition COTS boards.

The EV12AS200 features a full power input bandwidth of 2.3GHz with a roll-off pattern optimised for operation in the L-band area. It also features the lowest input voltage range in the 12bit GSPS class with only 500mVp-p, without sacrificing performance in direct RF sampling. This delivers a significant reduction in distortion effects induced by high voltage swings at high frequencies in any amplifiers used prior to the ADC, such as variable gain amplifiers used for signal zooming purposes.

The low input voltage range of EV12AS200 is also a very convenient feature to build high verticality oscilloscopes with multiple amplification stages prior to the ADC while maintaining a very low level of distortion in the amplifiers.

EV12AS200 is also the only 12bit ADC operating at up to 1.5 GSPS without the use of any form of internal interleaving. This is key for the EV12AS200 to achieve both a calibration-free stable dynamic performance versus temperature, and nominal dynamic performance that is available immediately at power-up as soon as the supply voltage has stabilised, without the need to wait for multi-second silicon warm-up and calibration.

Other noticeable benefits of EV12AS200 include a low latency of fewer than 5 clock cycles, which is convenient for real time systems, guaranteed no-missing codes at 1.5GSPS, important for high verticality oscilloscopes, an analogue and clock input impedance of 100 Ohms that is stable versus frequency and temperature, and fine adjustments of input gain and offset as well as clock skew, which facilitates interleaving of multiple converters to achieve even higher sample rates.

“This new ADC brings all the recognised benefits of e2v data converters familiar at 8 and 10 bit into the 12 bit GSPS class and enables further innovation in both direct RF sampling with stable performance at all temperatures and input driving flexibility. It also opens new possibilities for high resolution time domain applications such as high verticality oscilloscopes” said Nicolas Chantier, Product Marketing for e2v’s Broadband data conversion product line.

EV12AS200 is offered in a small footprint FpBGA 196 package with the choice of commercial temperature grade (0°C to +90°C) or industrial temperature grade (-40°C to +110°C).