Rockwell Scientific Introduces Fastest, Cleanest, 12Bit Return to Zero DAC

Breakthrough performance offers greater versatility in architecture design

Thousand Oaks, CA, November 4, 2004 — Rockwell Scientific Company, LCC, a leader in high-performance data converters, announced today the introduction of the RDA012RZ and RDA112RZ, its 12Bit return-to-zero (RZ) digital-to-analog converter (DAC) family.

The RDA112RZ features a 1.5GHz clock rate, 25% higher clock speed compared to competing devices and the fastest in its class; while the RDA012RZ offers high spurious free dynamic range (SFDR), especially at higher output frequencies, achieving a 62 dBc SFDR at 552MHz output and clocks at 1 GHz. Both are designed to offer a flat, pure spectral response in the first and second Nyquist band and both utilize an innovative, advanced RZ architecture that mitigates glitch energy, for superior SFDR. The high SFDR is achieved at full output power, not always the case with competing architectures. This DAC family represents both the fastest and cleanest 12 bit RZ DAC available today.

Prior to the RDA012RZ and RDA112RZ, waveform generation were limited to the frequencies below Nyquist, forcing more complex designs as the signal frequency increased. With the RDA012RZ the second Nyquist band is now addressable, allowing less complex designs at higher frequency.

The RDA012RZ and RDA112RZ use a return-to-zero output stage for a flat second Nyquist band. A 4 word FIFO is included to compensate for delay and skew fluctuations in the data and clock lines. The data input interface is LVDS compatible with a DDR clock, allowing all input signals operate at a maximum frequency of 500MHz/750MHz. Other features include a fast settling time of less than 1ns (switching quarter scale), a SFDR of 55dBc/50dBc at second Nyquist, and an external reference pin for accurate full-scale adjustment. Both products are offered in 60 pin, hermetically sealed QTP packages, bare die, and in an evaluation board.

"In order to generate a synthesized signal at frequencies close to GHz, the only solution so far has been to use a base band DAC, a low-pass filter, and a chain of up-conversion mixers," says Dr. M. J. Choe, Manager for RSC's Mixed-Signal Product Engineering group. "With this return-to-zero DAC, the only additional component you would need is a band-pass filter. More than 400MHz-wide, high-fidelity baseband signal is still available if one chooses to use the traditional approach with mixers. A system architect now has more flexibility in design, whether it is the transmission path for a wide-band communication system, a chirp exciter for radar, or a fast-settling arbitrary waveform generator for very high-speed test equipment."

The RDA012RZ has already been designed into communication products and airborne radar systems by leading communication and systems manufacturers.

Rockwell Scientific Company (RSC) is an independent, privately owned high-technology company with unique technical strengths in electronics, imaging sensors, information sciences, materials, and optics and offers complete custom design services, as well as its own family of high-performance mixed signal products. Its activities include research and development for the U.S. Government and private sector companies, manufacture and sale of specialty products, and licensing of IP, all closely tied to its R&D efforts. For more information please visit www.rockwellscientific.com/highspeed.

Contact:
Ron Latreille
rlatreille@teledyne.com
(805) 373-4686

Media contact:
Paula Ross
pross@teledyne.com
(805) 373-4558