Daniel Burton
National Semiconductor

Connecting an analog sensor source to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) load is a very common design challenge in sensing and detection applications. Maximizing system performance requires some key circuit-design considerations. This article focuses on data conversion of precision analog signals. Specific guidelines are presented on the design tradeoffs between different circuit topologies, when to use a capacitor and a resistor in the signal path, and the choice of component values for maximum sensing precision.