Analog-to-digital converter

In <a href="/facts/Electronics/E4JhgISq">electronics</a>, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC, A/D, or A-to-D) is a system that converts an <a href="/facts/Analog_signal/xDbb4uB5">analog signal</a>, such as a sound picked up by a <a href="/facts/Microphone/7YWGlXCl">microphone</a> or light entering a <a href="/facts/Digital_camera/LSGTserm">digital camera</a>, into a <a href="/facts/Digital_signal_(signal_processing)/bCtTHxre">digital signal</a>. An ADC may also provide an isolated measurement such as an <a href="/facts/Electronic_device/E4JhgISq">electronic device</a> that converts an analog input <a href="/facts/Voltage/EN2po6N2">voltage</a> or <a href="/facts/Electric_current/Dc1xdnUX">current</a> to a digital number representing the magnitude of the voltage or current. Typically the digital output is a <a href="/facts/Two%2527s_complement/xhjYpnsc">two's complement</a> binary number that is proportional to the input, but there are other possibilities.
There are several ADC <a href="/facts/Hardware_architecture/c0qL5r2U">architectures</a>. Due to the complexity and the need for precisely matched <a href="/facts/Electronic_component/F3NBVv4Q">components</a>, all but the most specialized ADCs are implemented as <a href="/facts/Integrated_circuit/fjn6vg7C">integrated circuits</a> (ICs). These typically take the form of <a href="/facts/Metal%25E2%2580%2593oxide%25E2%2580%2593semiconductor/eTDJT2Km">metal–oxide–semiconductor</a> (MOS) <a href="/facts/Mixed-signal_integrated_circuit/cDkjcck8">mixed-signal integrated circuit</a> chips that integrate both <a href="/facts/Analogue_electronics/Bnlnfwwv">analog</a> and <a href="/facts/Digital_circuits/3kJcKbkw">digital circuits</a>.
A <a href="/facts/Digital-to-analog_converter/5loEvAeb">digital-to-analog converter</a> (DAC) performs the reverse function; it converts a digital signal into an analog signal.

Analog-to-digital converter open-in-new

Analog-to-digital converter