The digital to analog converter is a device which converts digital numbers into analog voltages. Applications in experiments center around controlling or systematically varying one of the independent variables in an experiment.
The DAC operates by generating a current of magnitude proportional to the value of each bit in the parallel digital word which represents the voltage to be output. The currents that represent each bit are then summed and converted to an output voltage.
The performance of a DAC is considered in terms of resolution, accuracy, linearity and settling time. The operation of a DAC from LabVIEW is described.
To prepare for this lecture review the material in chapter 8, with particular reference to section 9 on the DAC (pp 339 - 349).
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