Circuit Note

CN-0193
Devices Connected/Referenced
Circuits from the Lab™ tested circuit designs address
common design challenges and are engineered for AD5504 Quad, 12-Bit, 30 V/60 V DAC
quick and easy system integration. For more information
and/or support, visit www.analog.com/CN0193. 650 kHz /1.3 MHz Step-Up PWM
ADP1613
DC-to-DC Switching Converter

High Voltage (30 V) DAC Powered from a Low Voltage (3 V) Supply Generates
Tuning Signals for Antennas and Filters

EVALUATION AND DESIGN SUPPORT in being able to tune these applications—for example,
Circuit Evaluation Boards compensating for component tolerance errors, fine tuning the
CN-0193 Circuit Evaluation Board cutoff frequency of a filter, or network impedance matching for
AD5504 Evaluation Board (EVAL-AD5504EBZ) tunable antennas.
Design and Integration Files This application requires a convenient, compact, and low cost
Schematics, Layout Files, Bill of Materials circuit to generate the high voltage power supply because it is
often not practical to add a separate supply simply for this
CIRCUIT FUNCTION AND BENEFITS
function alone. The circuit in Figure 1 meets these requirements
The circuit shown in Figure 1 generates a high voltage signal using the ADP1613 boost converter and the AD5504 30 V/60 V
that controls the capacitance of a BST (barium strontium DAC. Total board area for the boost regulator circuit is only
titanate) capacitor. The capacitance of a BST capacitor can be 43 mm2. The ADP1613 is available in an 8-lead MSOP package
altered by applying a voltage of between 0 V and 30 V to the and the AD5504 in a 16-lead TSSOP.
correct terminal. This changes the thickness of the dielectric
The boost circuit can also be used in LED driver applications
and, hence, the capacitance. BSTs are often used for tuning
and to supply receiver bias voltages in optical communications
antenna arrays or tunable filters. Clearly, there is an advantage
systems.

VDD 1.5µH 1N5819HW-7-F 110nH

22µF 10Ω 1µF 2.2µF

6.3V 50V 50V VDD
ADP1613 SI4346DY-T1-E3
D
1 COMP SS 8 0.1µF 0.1µF
G 50V 16 14
50V
10pF
2 FB FREQ 7 S
VDD VDD VLOGIC VDD
10nF
3 EN VIN 6 R_SEL 0V TO 30V
13 VOUTA 12
97.6kΩ GND SW 5
4 1 CLR
2 SYNC VOUTB 11 0V TO 30V
1µF 10nF
TO 3 SCLK
MICRO-
140kΩ 4 SDI VOUTC 10 0V TO 30V
CONTROLLER
5.62kΩ 5 SDO
6 LDAC VOUTD 9 0V TO 30V
DGND AGND
6 7
09608-001

AD5504
Figure 1. Boost Supply and High Voltage DAC Provide Tuning Signal for BST Capacitors (Simplified Schematic: All Connections Not Shown)

Rev. 0
Circuits from the Lab™ circuits from Analog Devices have been designed and built by Analog Devices
engineers. Standard engineering practices have been employed in the design and construction of
each circuit, and their function and performance have been tested and verified in a lab environment at
room temperature. However, you are solely responsible for testing the circuit and determining its
suitability and applicability for your use and application. Accordingly, in no event shall Analog Devices
One Technology Way, P.O. Box 9106, Norwood, MA 02062-9106, U.S.A.
be liable for direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages due to any cause Tel: 781.329.4700 www.analog.com
whatsoever connected to the use of any Circuits from the Lab circuits. (Continued on last page) Fax: 781.461.3113 ©2011 Analog Devices, Inc. All rights reserved.
Circuit Note CN-0193
CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION
The circuit has a 3 V (VDD) power supply available, and the BST changed by writing to the appropriate DAC registers via the
capacitors require voltages in excess of 20 V for full control. The serial interface. The DACs can be updated simultaneously by
two main circuit blocks are the ADP1613 step-up switching pulsing the Load DAC (LDAC) pin low, thus allowing for all
converter and the AD5504 high voltage DAC. The circuit four BST capacitors to be changed at the same time.
diagram is shown in Figure 1.
Using the circuit shown in Figure 1, it is possible to generate
The ADP1613 is a step-up dc-to-dc switching converter with an DAC output voltages up to 30 V. The output voltages are used to
integrated power switch capable of providing an output as high set the bias voltage for BST capacitors, which, in turn, adjust the
as 20 V. Using additional external components, higher voltages antenna response. Figure 2 shows the equivalent circuit of a BST
can be achieved. The ADP1613 has an adjustable soft start capacitor used as a tunable matching network, and Figure 3
function to prevent inrush current when the device is enabled. shows the transfer function of the BST capacitance as a function
The pin-selectable switching frequency and PWM current of bias voltage and the resulting antenna response. More
mode architecture allows easy noise filtering and yields information on BST capacitors can be found at www.agilerf.com.
excellent transient response. The components connected
around the ADP1613 generate a 32 V output from a 3 V input.
AD5504 OUTPUT
The ADIsimPower™ design tool provides an easy way for (CONTROL VOLTAGE)
ANTENNA
designers to determine the appropriate components based on
input and output requirements. The design of the ADP1613 DC DC
BLOCK 4.62nH BLOCK
circuit shown in Figure 1 uses the "lowest cost" option of RF SIGNAL

+
ADIsimPower with an input voltage of 3 V, output voltage of 32 BST BST

09608-002
CAP CAP
V, and a load current of 40 mA. The design can be downloaded
at www.analog.com/CN0193-PowerDesign.
Figure 2. BST Capacitor Equivalent Circuit
The ADIsimPower design file includes the bill of material,
detailed schematic, bode plots, efficiency plots, transient
response, as well as a suggested board layout. In any circuit where accuracy is important, it is important to
consider the power supply and ground return layout on the
The 32 V output from the ADP1613 is used as the power supply
board. The printed circuit board (PCB) containing the circuit
for the AD5504. The AD5504 is a quad channel, 12 bit DAC
should have separate analog and digital sections. If the circuit is
capable of an output voltage up to 60 V. The full-scale output of
used in a system where other devices require an AGND-to-
the AD5504 is determined by the state of the R_SEL pin. In this
DGND connection, the connection should be made at one
application, R_SEL is connected to VDD, selecting a full-scale point only. This ground point should be as close as possible to
output of 30 V. The AD5504 is controlled by a serial interface, the AD5504. The circuit should be constructed on a multilayer
which is compatible with 3 V logic. The DAC outputs are

VOLTAGE VARIABLE CAPACITANCE ANTENNA RESPONSE

1.2 0

1 –4
1.0
NORMALIZED CAPACITANCE

–8
0.8 3
–12
2
S11 (dB)

2
0.6 –16
1

3 –20
0.4
–24
0.2 SEE ANTENNA RESPONSE #1 ANTENNA RESPONSE #1
–28
SEE ANTENNA RESPONSE #2 ANTENNA RESPONSE #2
SEE ANTENNA RESPONSE #3 ANTENNA RESPONSE #3
0 –32
09608-003

0 5 10 15 20 780 800 820 840 860 880 900 920 940 960 980
BIAS VOLTAGE (V) FREQUENCY (MHz)

Figure 3. Bias Voltage vs. BST Capacitance, and Resulting Antenna Response

Rev. 0 | Page 2 of 3
Circuit Note CN-0193

PCB with a large area ground plane layer and a power plane CIRCUIT EVALUATION AND TEST
layer. See MT-031 Tutorial for more discussion on layout and The circuit of Figure 1 is tested by applying a 3 V power supply
grounding. to VDD. This creates a 32 V supply for the AD5504 (measurable
The power supply to the AD5504 should be bypassed with on Pin 14) and also supplies the VLOGIC supply for the
10 μF and 0.1 μF capacitors. The capacitors should be as AD5504. A microcontroller, DSP, or FPGA is used to provide
physically close as possible to the device, with the 0.1 μF the appropriate digital interface signals to the AD5504.
capacitor ideally right up against the device. The 10 μF
For normal operation CLR should be high. The SYNC , SCLK,
capacitor should be either the tantalum bead type or ceramic
and SDATA lines should be operated as described in the
type. It is important that the 0.1 μF capacitor have low effective
AD5504 data sheet to write data to the various registers of the
series resistance (ESR) and low effective series inductance
AD5504. When data is written to a DAC register with LDAC
(ESL), such as is typical of common ceramic types of capacitors.
This 0.1 μF capacitor provides a low impedance path to ground low, the appropriate output will update immediately. When data
for high frequencies caused by transient currents due to internal is written to a DAC register with LDAC high, the DAC output
logic switching. See MT-101 Tutorial for more details on proper will remain at its current value until LDAC is pulsed low.
decoupling techniques.
LEARN MORE
The power supply line should have as large a trace as possible to
provide a low impedance path and reduce glitch effects on the CN0193 Design Support Package:
supply line. Clocks and other fast switching digital signals http://www.analog.com/CN0193-DesignSupport
should be shielded from other parts of the board by digital ADIsimPower Design File for CN0193:
ground. http://www.analog.com/CN0193-PowerDesign
The ADIsimPower design file shows a recommended layout for Kavanagh, Ken. "Boost Supply and High-Voltage DAC Provide
the ADP1613 portion of the circuit. The file can be downloaded Tuning Signal for Antennas and Filters," Analog Dialogue,
at www.analog.com/CN0193-PowerDesign. A complete 44-12 Back Burner, December 2010.
design support package for this circuit note can be found at
BST Capacitors: www.agilerf.com
www.analog.com/CN0193-DesignSupport.
ADIsimPower™ Design Tool, Analog Devices.
COMMON VARIATIONS MT-031 Tutorial, Grounding Data Converters and Solving the
Other boost regulators can be substituted, depending on system Mystery of "AGND" and "DGND," Analog Devices.
requirements. Refer to the ADIsimPower™ design tool for MT-101 Tutorial, Decoupling Techniques, Analog Devices.
details.
Data Sheets and Evaluation Boards
The AD5501 is a single channel version of the AD5504.
AD5504 Data Sheet
ADP1613 Data Sheet
AD5504 Evaluation Board
ADP1613 Evaluation Board

REVISION HISTORY
1/11—Revision 0: Initial Version

(Continued from first page) Circuits from the Lab circuits are intended only for use with Analog Devices products and are the intellectual property of Analog Devices or its licensors. While you
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©2011 Analog Devices, Inc. All rights reserved. Trademarks and

registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
CN09608-0-1/11(0)

Rev. 0 | Page 3 of 3