Continue to Site

Welcome to EDAboard.com

Welcome to our site! EDAboard.com is an international Electronics Discussion Forum focused on EDA software, circuits, schematics, books, theory, papers, asic, pld, 8051, DSP, Network, RF, Analog Design, PCB, Service Manuals... and a whole lot more! To participate you need to register. Registration is free. Click here to register now.

R2R current DAC design

Status
Not open for further replies.

diarmuid

Full Member level 2
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Messages
143
Helped
10
Reputation
20
Reaction score
9
Trophy points
1,308
Location
Dublin, Ireland
Activity points
2,429
Hello,

I need to design a 7bit R2R current DAC.

I am looking at the current mode R2R DAC architecture as a basis. However, I do not
want to convert the output currents to a voltage. I simply want to mirror them out.
This means I wont use an opamp at the output. I am finding this leaves me with the
situation where the reference and output nets at the base of my DAC are not always
at the same voltage, thus messing up my R-2R ratios.

Does anyone have any idea of how to overcome this, good reading material, etc.?

At the end of the day all I want is a DAC whereby my binary weighted currents are mirrored
to elsewhere in the circuit. I want also to avoid the more conventional binary weighted unit
FET approach.

Thanks,

Diarmuid
 

Use a R2R ladder as NMOS source degeneration - it's achieving constant voltage drop on the ladder and higher output impedance.

//Edit: Now I'm notice that You don't want this solution. Look for this paper
 
Last edited:
... this leaves me with the situation where the reference and output nets at the base of my DAC
are not always at the same voltage, thus messing up my R-2R ratios.

Does anyone have any idea of how to overcome this ...

You can enforce them to have the same voltage:
current-mirror_w_enforced_voltage.png
 
Thanks guys.

Ill use the opamp approach to force both nets to the same voltage.

Cheers,

Diarmuid
 

Status
Not open for further replies.

Part and Inventory Search

Welcome to EDABoard.com

Sponsor

Back
Top