Intersil’s Newest Family of High-Speed 12-, 14-, and 16-Bit ADCs is the second generation of Intersil's high speed, ultra-low power analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) designed using Intersil's proprietary FemtoCharge® and I2E (Intersil Interleave Engine) technology. The family advances the state-of-the art in multiple directions simultaneously. It will offer:

• Highest Sample Rate 14-bit ADC
• Highest SNR 14-bit, 250 MSPS ADC
• Highest SNR 14-bit, 250 MSPS Dual ADC
• Lowest Power 16-bit, 250 MSPS ADC
• Highest SNR 12-bit, 500 MSPS ADC

The ISLA214P50 was recently selected by Spectrum Signal Processing By Vecima, a leading provider of high-performance, software-reconfigurable signal processing platforms, for use in their RF-4902 Wideband Frequency-Agile RF Transceiver. "We selected the ISLA214P50 because its combination of low power, high sample rate and excellent dynamic range enabled our RF-4902 to offer the most advanced platform for fielding SDR, SIGINT, and MILCOM applications," said Tudor Davies, Director of Technology at Spectrum.

The device utilizes two time-interleaved 250MSPS unit A/Ds to achieve the ultimate sample rate of 500MSPS. A single 500MHz conversion clock is presented to the converter, and all interleave clocking and correction is managed internally. The proprietary Intersil Interleave Engine (I2E) optimizes performance using automatic fine correction of offset, gain, and sample time mismatches between the unit A/Ds. No external interleaving algorithm is required. The combination of FemtoCharge™ and I2E technology results in the industry's most power-efficient method for achieving extremely high sample rates without sacrificing dynamic performance.

A serial peripheral interface (SPI) port allows for extensive configurability of the A/D. The SPI also controls the interleave correction circuitry, allowing the system to issue continuous calibration commands as well as configure many dynamic parameters.

Digital output data is presented in selectable LVDS or CMOS formats. The ISLA112P50 is available in a 72-contact QFN package with an exposed paddle. Performance is specified over the full industrial temperature range (-40°C to +85°C).