Summary

Jason Sachs revisits delta-sigma modulators in this Part 1, laying out the fundamentals of delta-sigma modulation, oversampling, and noise shaping. The article shows how modulation choices drive ADC behavior and what that means for sensor front-ends and firmware design.

Key Takeaways

• Explain the core principle of delta-sigma modulation and how noise shaping and oversampling improve effective resolution
• Describe trade-offs between delta-sigma architectures and alternative ADC/modulation approaches for embedded systems
• Calculate how oversampling ratio and noise shaping order affect in-band noise and effective number of bits
• Apply modulation insights to practical sensor interfacing and firmware decisions for microcontroller-based systems

Who Should Read This

Embedded hardware and firmware engineers (intermediate to advanced) designing ADC front-ends, sensor interfaces, or firmware for microcontrollers/SoCs who want a deeper understanding of delta-sigma modulation and its practical consequences.

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