AN691
Title:
Optimizing the Digital Potentiometer in Precision Circuits
Description:
Mechanical potentiometers are typically used to adjust system reference levels, gain errors and offset errors. Digital potentiometers can be used for the same functions while offering the added capability of digital adjustment control. Devices, such as Microchip?s MCP41XXX and MCP42XXX digital potentiometer families, can be used much like a mechanical potentiometer in that they have three resistive terminals for the single versions (MCP41010, MCP41050, and MCP41100) and six resistive terminals for the dual versions (MCP42010, MCP42050, and MCP42100) as illustrated in Figure 1.
Keywords:
Digital Potentiometer, MCP41XXX, MCP42XXX, Rheostat Mode, Voltage Divider Mode