As high-tech products represented by computer and communication technology are widely used in various fields, the microelectronics industry represented by integrated circuits has also developed.
Integrated circuits include digital ICs and analog ICs according to their functions and structures. Both process the source signal to convert and output it by a quantifiable signal. Digital ICs deal with digital signals, which vary discretely in time and amplitude. Analog ICs deal with analog signals that amplitude varies continuously over time.
Analog Integrated Circuits
Analog Integrated Circuits (Analog ICs)
Analog integrated circuits are mainly composed of capacitors, resistors, transistors, etc. Among them, the transistor is an important part of the integrated circuit, the analog IC uses the amplifying effect of the transistor, and the digital IC uses its switching effect.
The basic circuits of analog integrated circuits include current sources, single-stage amplifiers, filters, feedback circuits, switched capacitor circuits, and current mirror circuits. Common analog ICs include operational amplifiers, phase-locked loops, and power management ICs.
According to different functions, analog chips are usually divided into two categories: signal chain and power chain. The signal chain includes comparators, operational amplifiers, AD/DA, and interface chips; the power chain includes PMICs, ADCs, DACs, PWMs, LDO regulators, and driver ICs.
Different applications have different requirements, so there are also products that mix analog and digital for signal processing, the data converters. Non-physical signals in the real world can be converted into digital signal processing through analog circuits and A/D conversion circuits, and then converted into analog signals that we can perceive by D/A conversion circuits and analog circuits.
The Working Principle of Analog ICs
The analog signal is the source of all information. The outside world is naturally characterized by analog quantities, that is, changes in a continuous manner, such as temperature, humidity, sound waves, color, light intensity, etc.
Digital Processing of Analog Signals
Information technology allows us to process information carried by digital signals, but digital circuits cannot directly interface with nature. Usually, we use digital signals to organize logical operations. The external natural signals collected by sensors or antennas need to be preprocessed by analog circuits, converted into digital signals, input into the digital system for processing, and then post-processed by analog circuits to convert and output by analog signals such as sounds, images, and radio waves.
In electronic systems, in addition to receiving analog signals, analog ICs also include frequency mixing, amplification, comparison, multiplication and division operations, logarithmic operations, analog-to-digital conversion, sample-hold, modulation-demodulation, boost, Step-down, voltage regulation, and other functions.
Applications
The applications of analog ICs cover consumer electronics, automotive electronics, communications, industrial control, etc. Communication and consumer electronics are the largest application markets for signal conversion analog circuits. As the autonomous driving, and electric vehicle market grows and more and more electronic systems are integrated into vehicle drives, the demand for automotive analog devices will also grow steadily.
Amplifiers are more common in daily life and are widely used in communication equipment. ADI high-performance amplifiers series can be effectively used in communication transceivers, general-purpose gain amplification systems, A/D buffers, high-speed data interface drivers, and more.
Analog IC requires a high signal-to-noise ratio, low distortion, low power consumption, high reliability, and stability. It comes with a long life cycle, special process, high design matching difficulty, few auxiliary tools, and a long test cycle. Major manufacturers include Texas Instruments, ADI, NXP, ST, ON Semiconductor, Microchip, and Renesas.
Electronic Vehicle
New Energy Vehicles
With the rapid development of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS)/autonomous driving, intelligent networking, and intelligent cockpits. The transformation of automobiles from Functional Terminals to Intelligent Terminals has generated a large number of demands from sensors, hardware management, human-computer interaction, Internet connection, AI computing, and data processing.
At this stage, the demand for analog chips for new energy vehicles is mainly driven by electrification and intelligence, such as power systems, autonomous driving, in-vehicle entertainment, instrument panels, body electronics, and lighting. From the perspective of application scenarios, new energy vehicles include PHEV and BEV, and the powertrain part mainly includes motor controllers, OBC, DC/DC, BMS, etc. At the same time, the demand for sensors in intelligent driving will also promote the development of the analog chip market.