"Optimized power
management technologies
are more critical than
ever for achieving
efficient, precision signal
acquisition. Effectuating
low power consumption
in analog signal chains
while balancing key
specifications is essential
to meeting today's
performance targets."
Xavier Pacheco
Senior Electronic Design Engineer,
Eaton
Emphasizing Precise Power
Management in Analog
Signal Chains
The final aspect of achieving high-precision signal chains, regardless of the optimization, is the
power system.
When designing power systems for precision technology, the end goal is often to produce the
required voltages and currents at the noise level necessary for the signal chain performance.
This process requires understanding what the input domain is and what voltages and currents
are needed, as well as optimizing the power tree for the task at hand.
The power architecture, including choice of power converters (e.g., low-dropout regulators
[LDOs] or switching converters), filtering, and isolation, will vary from signal chain to signal chain.
For example, a signal chain concerned with high DC precision will need a power system with
good 1/f low frequency noise performance. Some important performance metrics for precision
power systems include power supply rejection ratio (PSRR), conducted emissions, regulation,
and efficiency.
To achieve the highest performance for a precision signal chain, power system design
must be considered early in the design process to ensure that the power supply design is
complementary to the overall system performance specifications. If not handled correctly, errors
in power systems will propagate through the signal chain, compromising overall performance.
Chapter Six
23 | Emphasizing Precise Power Management in Analog Signal Chains
