What This Document Is
This document represents Lecture Eleven from the Introduction to Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) course (ELENG 247A) at the University of California, Berkeley. It’s a focused exploration of data converters – essential components in MEMS systems for interfacing with the physical world. This lecture delves into the principles behind converting continuous signals into digital representations and back, a critical process for sensor data acquisition and control applications. It builds upon foundational concepts in signal processing and lays the groundwork for understanding more complex system designs.
Why This Document Matters
This lecture is invaluable for students seeking a strong understanding of the signal chain within MEMS devices. Anyone involved in designing, analyzing, or utilizing MEMS sensors and actuators will benefit from grasping the intricacies of data conversion. It’s particularly relevant when you need to consider signal integrity, noise performance, and the limitations imposed by the analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion processes. This material is best reviewed during the core coursework or when preparing to implement signal processing elements in a MEMS project.
Topics Covered
* The fundamental processes of sampling, aliasing, and signal reconstruction.
* Amplitude quantization and its impact on signal representation.
* Sources of error in data converters, affecting accuracy and reliability.
* Methods for characterizing and measuring converter performance.
* The concept of Nyquist sampling and its implications for filter design.
* Oversampling techniques and their advantages.
* An introduction to undersampling and its specialized applications.
What This Document Provides
* A detailed examination of the relationship between continuous-time and discrete-time signals.
* An overview of key performance metrics used to evaluate data converters.
* Conceptual explanations of critical phenomena like aliasing and its mitigation.
* A framework for understanding the trade-offs involved in data converter design.
* A foundation for further study of specific ADC and DAC architectures (covered in subsequent lectures).
