Exar introduces a new highly integrated sensor interface analog front end (AFE) that calibrates the sensor output. The device provides an on-board 16: 1 differential multiplexer, an offset correction DAC, a programmable gain instrumentation amplifier, and a reference voltage. This AFE provides 14-bit signal path linearity and is designed to connect multiple bridge sensors to a microcontroller (MCU) or field-programmable gate array (FPGA) with embedded ADC.
The integrated DAC provides offset calibration for any offset voltage generated by the bridge sensor, improving the overall system's sensitivity and accuracy. Independent offset values can be set for each of the 16 differential inputs. The XR10910 allows customers to choose from eight fixed gain settings (from 2V / V to 760V / V) to ensure that the amplified sensor signal falls within the optimal input range of the downstream ADC. The integrated LDO provides a stable voltage to power the sensor and can be selected between 3V and 2.65V for lower voltage compatibility. The I2C serial interface provides an easy way to control many functions of the XR10910.
The XR10910 uses a 2.7V to 5V power supply and provides a wide digital power range from 1.8V to 5V. The company states that it typically consumes 457µA of supply current and provides a sleep mode that reduces the supply current to 45µA.
"The XR10910 provides designers with an easy-to-use sensor interface that integrates a high number of channels and functions in a small footprint, yet consumes less power," said Dale Wedel, vice president of high-performance analog products at Exar. "Its unique feature set complements modern low-cost MCUs in a variety of applications, such as force sensing, rebel robots, and power monitoring in solar and data centers." The
XR10910 uses RoHS-compliant halogen-free, space-saving 6mm x 6mm QFN Package.
