Choosing the Correct digiPOT for Your Application

Analog Devices offers a wide range of digital potentiometer (digiPOT) options, including different memory technologies, single and dual supply, a variety of digital interfaces, high resolution devices, and the industrys broadest end-to-end resistance options.

Architecture
A digiPOT is a 3-terminal device (see Figure 1), with an internal architecture that is comprised of an array of resistances and switches. Each digiPOT consists of passive resistors in series between terminals A and B. The wiper terminal, W, is digitally programmable to access any one of the 2n tap points on the resistor string. The resistance between terminals A and B, RAB, is commonly called the end-to-end resistance. ADI offers a wide range of end-to-end resistor options spanning from 1 k to 1 M. The resistance between terminals A and W, RAW, and the resistance between terminals B and W, RWB, are complementary. That is, if RAW increases, then RWB will decrease in the same proportion. There is no restriction on the voltage polarity applied to terminals A, B, or W. Voltage across the terminals A to B, W to A, and W to B can be at either polarity the only requirement is to ensure that the signal does not exceed the power supply rails. Similarly, there is no limitation in the current flow direction; the only restriction is that the maximum current does not exceed the current density specification, typically on the order of a few mA.

What Is a digiPOT?
A digiPOT is a digitally controlled device that can be used to adjust voltage or current and offers the same analog functions as a mechanical potentiometer or rheostat. This allows an automatic calibration process that is more accurate, robust, and faster, with smaller voltage glitches. digiPOTs are often used for digital trimming and calibration of analog signals and are typically controlled by digital protocols, such as I2C and SPI, as well as more basic up/down and push-button protocols.
A ANALOG INPUTS/OUTPUTS W

DIGITAL BLOCK

Figure 1. 3-terminal digiPOT.

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Which digiPOT to Use?

When choosing the correct digital potentiometer for your application, the key parameters to consider are I. II. Resistor configuration Digital interface V. End-to-end resistance VI. Resolution VII. Performance VIII. Package

Typical Applications Wheatstone bridge calibration Op amp gain control (see Figure 5) Analog filter tuning
A W A W W B B RHEOSTAT A R VIN VOUT

III. Internal memory IV. Supply voltage

I. Resistor Configuration
A digiPOT can be configured as a potentiometer or as a rheostat. Potentiometer Mode In this configuration, there are three terminals available: A, B, and W (see Figure 2). The digiPOT operates as a voltage divider, and the wiper terminal voltage is proportional to the voltage applied between the A and B terminals and the resistance at RAW and RWB. In Figure 3, a reference voltage is connected to Terminal A, and Terminal B is grounded. The voltage at the wiper pin can be calculated as

Figure 4. Rheostat.

Figure 5. Noninverting amplifier.

II. Digital Interface

ADIs large digiPOT portfolio supports a wide range of digital interfaces: SPI ADI offers SPI-compatible interfaces that can be operated at speeds up to 50 MHz clock rate. I2C ADI offers I2C-compatible interfaces that support standard and fast mode, up to a 400 kHz clock rate. Address pins are typically available, which allow the user to configure the slave address so that multiple devices can be operated on the same bus. Push-Button The user can interact directly with the system by just adding two push-button switches. Press the UP button to increment the resistance and DOWN to decrement resistance (see Figure 6). Up/Down This is a simple interface, which can be operated by any host controller or discrete logic or manually with a rotary encoder or push buttons. With a single edge, resistance can be increased or decreased.
VDD UP BUTTON PU

VOUT =

CODE 2n

VREF

Typical Applications DAC LCD VCOM adjustment Analog signal attenuation

VREF
A W B

Figure 2. Potentiometer.

Figure 3. DAC mode.

DOWN BUTTON

PD

Rheostat Mode The digiPOT can operate as a digitally controlled rheostat where only two terminals are used. The unused terminal can be left floating or tied to the W terminal, as shown in Figure 4. The nominal end-to-end resistance (RAB) of the digiPOT has 2n contact points accessible by the wiper terminal, and the resulting resistance can be measured either across the wiper and B terminals (RWB) or across the wiper and A terminals (RAW). The minimum wiper resistance is at the wipers first connection at the B terminal for zero scale. This B terminal connection has a minimum wiper contact resistance, RW, of typically 70 . The rheostat resistance can be calculated by

Figure 6. Push-button interface.

III. Internal Memory

ADIs wide portfolio supports four different options of integrated memory, allowing the user the flexibility to select the ideal digiPOT for the end application. Internal memory allows the user to set the wipers power-on reset (POR) position to a user-programmed value. The wiper position can be reprogrammed multiple times, but always returns to the programmed position on power-up. This function is ideal for calibration or for applications that require a fast power-on time. Volatile memory only: digiPOT typically powers up to midscale. One-time programmable (OTP): allows user to program the wiper power-up position once ideal for factory calibration. Multitime programmable (MTP): ADI has product offerings that support 2, 20, or 50 programmable wiper memory. EEPROM: ADIs integrated EEPROM offers endurance up to 100k programming cycles and data retention of 50 years at +125C.

RAW =

2n CODE 2n

RAB + RW or RWB =

CODE

2n

RAB + RW

Choosing the Correct digiPOT for Your Application

IV. Supply Voltage

Before selecting a digiPOT for an application, it is important to understand the maximum signal voltage that will be applied to the A, B, or W terminals. The positive, VDD, and negative, VSS (or GND for a unipolar digiPOT), power supplies define the voltage signal boundary conditions. Signals that exceed VDD or VSS are typically clamped by internal forwardbiased diodes. ADIs large portfolio supports a wide range of supply options: Single supply: +2.3 V to +33 V (see Figure 7) Dual supply: 2.25 V to 16.5 V (see Figure 8)
VIN +VDD VOFFSET 0V A VIN B VOFFSET W VOUT +VDD VOFFSET 0V VOUT

VII. Key Performance Parameters

Resistor Tolerance Error digiPOT resistor tolerance error is the absolute end-to-end resistance error. This error is typically 20% and can be a critical parameter if matching to an external discrete resistor, sensor, etc., in an open-loop application. Reducing the Impact of Resistor Tolerance Error ADI offers digiPOTs, for example, the AD5272 and AD5292, with industry-leading maximum 1% variable resistor performance. These devices enable designers to digitally program accurate resistor values, simplifying the process of determining the system error budget (see Figure 9). Products such as the AD5259 and AD5235 have the resistor tolerance error stored in the EEPROM memory. This allows the user to calculate the actual end-to-end resistance to an accuracy of 0.01%.
+IN ERROR (%) RDAC RG IN-AMP VOUT 4 3 2 1 0 0 200 400 600 800 1000 DECIMAL CODE

Figure 7. AC signal, single supply mode.

VIN +VDD 0V VSS A VIN B W VOUT +VDD 0V VSS VOUT
IN

VREF GAIN = 1 + 49.400 RG

Figure 9. Instrumentation amplifier.

Figure 8. AC signal, dual supply mode.

digiPOT Temperature Coefficient ADIs digiPOTs leverage proprietary thin-film resistor technology, leading to the lowest temperature coefficient performance available on the market (for example, AD5292): 5 ppm/C in potentiometer mode 35 ppm/C in rheostat mode Bandwidth The digiPOT architecture is comprised of resistors and switches (see Figure 10). The resistance of the resistors in the path of a particular code, combined with the switch parasitic, pin, and board capacitances, creates an RC low-pass filter, which determines the maximum ac frequency that can be passed through the digiPOT before it is attenuated by more than 3 dB. Choosing a low end-to-end resistor option will support a higher 3 dB bandwidth (see Table 2). Table 2. Typical 3 dB Bandwidth vs. Resistor Option
Resistance Frequency 1 k 5 MHz 5 k 2 MHz 10 k 500 kHz 50 k 120 kHz 100 k 70 kHz 1 M 6 kHz

V. End-to-End Resistance
ADI offers a wide range of end-to-end resistor options, from 1 k to 1 M. This simplifies the task of achieving the optimum impedance, power dissipation, bandwidth, and noise performance combination.

VI. Resolution
ADI has offerings ranging from 5-bit to 10-bit resolution offering LSB step sizes as low as 4 . If more resolution is required, then a cascade, serial, or parallel combination of digiPOTs can be implemented (see Table 1). Table 1. Quick Reference Resistance Options
Resistance () 1k 32 Resolution (Taps) 64 128 256 1024 2.5k 5k 10k 20k 25k 50k 100k 200k 250k 1M

SA RL

RL RS

SW

W
SB RL RS

RL

Figure 10. Internal architecture.

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THD An ac signal applied to the terminals of a digiPOT will cause variation in the internal switch, RON, leading to some nonsymmetrical attenuation and, therefore, signal distortion (see Figure 11). Choosing a high end-to-end resistor option reduces the contribution of the internal switches resistance vs. the total resistance, leading to better THD performance. Table 3 shows some typical THD performance values. Table 3. Typical THD Performance
AD5292 THD 20 k 93 dB 50 k 101 dB 100 k 106 dB

Applications
Audio Volume Control with an Amplifier and Push-Button Interface
AUDIO_INPUT PUSH-UP BUTTON PU PD PUSH-DOWN BUTTON

INPUT SIGNAL ATTENUATION

SIGNAL DISTORTION

Logarithmic Pro-Audio Volume Control

VIN

IDEAL OUTPUT SIGNAL REAL OUTPUT SIGNAL

Figure 11. Total harmonic distortion.

SERIAL INTERFACE

VDD +15V

AD5292

A W VOUT B

VIII. Packages
ADI digiPOTs are available in a wide range of packages: SC70 LFCSP SOT-23 MSOP TSSOP SOIC
VIN
GND

VSS

15V

Variable Low-Pass Sallen-Key Filter

VOUT

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Programmable Voltage Source with Current Booster

PMOS VIN VOUT

Circuits from the Lab reference circuits are engineered and tested for quick and easy system integration to help solve todays relevant design challenges. Visit the circuit library where you can find digiPOT circuit designs at www.analog.com/circuits.

SERIAL INTERFACE

NMOS

i 2c refers to a communications protocol originally developed by Philips Semiconductors (now NXP Semiconductors). 2011 Analog Devices, inc. All rights reserved. Trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Printed in the U.S.A. PH09271-1-3/11

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