March 7, 2019 -- ams introduced the AS6500, a time-to-digital converter (TDC) featuring CMOS inputs and packaging for use in space-constrained applications.
TDCs from ams can measure time intervals as short as 5ns with 10ps precision. The AS6500 is based on the existing ams TDC-GPX2, and offers resolution up to 10ps on four channels and a sampling rate of up to 1.5Msamples/s.
The AS6500 TDC, like the TDC-GPX2, is an integrated four-channel converter IC offering single-measurement resolution of up to 20ps rms per channel in normal mode, and 20ns pulse-to-pulse spacing. Operating in dual-channel high-resolution mode, it can achieve a maximum resolution of 10ps rms with 5ns pulse-to-pulse spacing.
The AS6500 is housed in a 40-lead QFN package with a footprint of 6mm x 6mm, making it 56% smaller than the TDC-GPX2. Its integrated design, which includes a 2MHz-12.5MHz reference clock input, means that few external components are required alongside the device.
Operating from a 3.3V supply, the AS6500 typically consumes 60mW in normal operation, and draws 60µA in stand-by mode. It supports CMOS interfaces from a host system, and provides its calibrated output as a digital signal over a standard serial peripheral interface (SPI), for data processing in a host controller or processor.
The AS6500 is suitable for optical applications including general-purpose laser distance measurement in 1D, 2D and 3D, speed control, vehicle/truck scanning, object recognition, time-of-flight spectroscopy, automated test equipment (ATE), biomedical technology and analytics.
ams supplies a development kit, the AS6500-QF_DK, which includes a programmer and GUI software for PCs, enabling users to configure and connect their Start and Stop signals and begin taking sample time measurements within minutes.
