Santa Clara, California
National Semiconductor Corp. now offers a high-performance CMOS analog-to-digital converter (ADC). This ADC requires 75% less power than most comparable products on the market. The ADC081000 digitizes signals to 8-b resolution at sampling rates up to 1.6 GHz. It consumes just 1.4 W from a 1.9-V nominal supply. Because the ADC081000 is the fastest, most accurate 8-b ADC at this power-consumption level, it is ideal for high-performance applications such as test and measurement and communications equipment.

The ADC081000 is the first in a family of gigahertz-range ADCs. A dual product in the second half of 2004 and higher-speed versions in 2005 will follow it. The ADC081000 ADC is designed with an extremely low bit error rate (BER). At a 1.6-GHz sampling rate and input frequencies up to 100 MHz, the ADC081000 achieves 0.15 least significant bits (LSB) differential nonlinearity (DNL), 0.35 LSB integral nonlinearity (INL), and 7.5 effective number of bits (ENOB). These specifications are especially important in high-speed oscilloscopes.

The ADC081000 also features a folding/interpolating architecture. Folding reduces the number of comparators, while interpolation greatly reduces the number of front-end amplifiers required. The result is power savings and a reduction in the load on the input signal. The ADC081000 also has an ideal pulse response and guarantees "no missing codes" over the full operating temperature range of −40° to 85°C. This enables the product's high level of performance and accuracy. Lastly, the ADC081000 features a National low-voltage differential-signaling (LVDS) interface, which enables the reliable transmission of high-speed signals while maintaining low noise and distortion levels.

The ADC081000 is housed in a 128-lead exposed-pad package. It is priced at $100 in volumes of 1000. The product is scheduled for full production release in April. Samples will be available at that time. More information about the product is available at www.national.com/pf/AD/ADC081000.html.

Atlanta, Georgia
A new product from T-Technology addresses circuit-board prototyping. The QuickCircuit 900 uses standard CAD (EDA and MCAD) output to provide advanced printed-circuit-board (PCB) prototype systems the same day. It contains one of the largest work areas in the industry and allows prototyping of large antenna and backplane designs. At the same time, it provides for all traditional analog and RF circuit-board-prototyping needs.

The Quick Circuit 9000 comes standard with a number of crucial features. For example, it includes the full-featured IsoPro software. This software easily enables automatic data conversion from almost any CAD package. It allows for "step and repeat" for multiple boards on a panel and includes all machine-driving functionality in a single powerful software package. An intelligent dataconversion capability allows the user to load, view, and edit standard CAD output. Users can also create single or multiple isolation paths and easily specify partial or complete copper removal.

With a simple machine-setup feature, pin-and-groove board alignment makes the Quick Circuit 9000 table simple to set up. It also ensures perfect double-sided board alignment. The Quick Circuit System uses industry-standard tooling. Lastly, precise drilling and milling is achieved through intuitive driver software, which controls the Quick Circuit 9000. New system features include a pneumatic-activated, speed-controlled Z-axis and an enhanced pressure foot for finer milling detail and more effective results on softer substrates.

For more information on the Quick Circuit 9000 system, contact the company at www.t-tech.com.

Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Hittite Microwave has a new family of InGaP HBT MMIC prescalers. They operate from DC (with a square-wave input) to 18 GHz. The ultra-low-additive SSB phase noise, −151 dBc/Hz at around 100-kHz offset, makes this family of dividers ideal for commercial phase-locked-loop (PLL) applications such as VSAT, point-to-point radio, fiber-optic, and test-equipment markets as well as military PLL systems.

The HMC492LP3, HMC493LP3, and HMC494LP3 offer divide ratios of 2, 4, and 8, respectively. Each is housed in a 3-x-3-mm, 16-lead (LP3) QFN surface-mount package that shares common pin assignments. Each operates from a single 5-V supply and accepts a wide input power range of −15 dBm to +10 dBm at midband. These new products complement the company's existing die, plastic, and hermetic-packaged Frequency Divider line while extending it to 18 GHz.

Samples and evaluation PC boards are now available from stock for sampling or sale. Released datasheets are also now available online at www.hittite.com.