Digital Potentiometers

Our broad portfolio of digital potentiometers for precision-controlled applications enables you to create high-precision, small-form-factor, multi-channel, digitally controlled resistor solutions. We offer digital potentiometer devices with typical end-to-end resistances of 2.1 kΩ, 5 kΩ, 10 kΩ, 50 kΩ and 100 kΩ. These devices are available in 6-, 7- or 8-bit resolution. The serial interface options allow you to easily integrate the device into your application. For some applications, the simple up/down interface will be adequate. Higher resolution devices (7-bit and 8-bit) often require direct read/write to the wiper control register, which is supported with SPI or I2C interfaces. SPI is simpler to implement, but I2C uses only two signals (pins) and can support multiple devices on the serial bus without additional pins.

We offer both volatile and nonvolatile (EEPROM) devices, allowing you the flexibility to optimize your system design. The integrated EEPROM option allows you to save digital potentiometer settings when your device shuts down and restore them to their original values when your device reboots. Resistor network configurations allow the package size and cost to be minimized for the desired functionality. For example, in the MCP4017/18/19 device family, if you want a variable resistor (rheostat), you can select the MCP4019 in a low-cost, 5-pin SC70 package to achieve the functionality. In some applications, matched components are critical to ensure system performance. We manufacture dual- and quad-digital potentiometer resistor networks on the same silicon and closely match them to create a good fit for these types of applications. The packaging options for these devices allow you to address your system requirement tradeoffs, which include device cost, board area and manufacturing sites (surface mount vs. through-hole). We also offer devices in small form factors, such as tiny SC70 packages.