Application Note: Maxim Managing Noise Part 1

This is the first in a three-part series on managing noise in the signal chain. In this article we will focus on the characteristics of semiconductor noise found in all ICs, explain how it is specified in device data sheets, and show how to estimate the noise of a voltage reference under real-world conditions not specified in the data sheet. In Part 2 we will focus on sources of noise and distortion particular to data converters and show how it is specified in those data sheets. Our concluding Part 3 brings together Parts 1 and 2, and shows readers how to optimize their noise budget and choose the most appropriate data converter for their application.