Analog vs Digital ICs: What’s the Difference and When to Use Each

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An integrated circuit is a silicon semiconductor wafer that houses interconnected electronic components. Some of these components are passive  while others are active. Sometimes it is referred to as a chip or a microchip and is the building block of most electronic devices.

We can categorize integrated circuits into two main classes. Analog IC vs Digital IC.

Chances are you have heard of digital and analog in the world of  electronics. What do the two terms imply when it comes to microchips and should the difference matter in any way?

Keep reading as we break down the differences between analog vs digital integrated circuits. We will also discuss when to use each type of these two circuits.

What are analog integrated circuits?

Analog integrated circuits are designed to work with signals that keep changing constantly over time.

The parameters of these signals such as amplitude and frequency keep changing. This is different from other signals which operate in two major states: On and Off.

Such signals include temperature sound and even light signals.

Analog ICs have a way to work perfectly with such signals. They can easily perform various functions such as mixing, modulating, demodulating, conversion among many other operations depending on the application areas.

So, think of any electronic device whose parameters keep varying. Chances are most of its integrated circuits are active.

What are digital integrated circuits?

Digital ICs on the other hand tend to contradict analog integrated circuits. They are designed to operate discrete signals whose working operations comprise of two major states, High and Low.

These two working states tend to represent binary data, so it is the function of the digital circuits to manipulate the input signals so as to get the desired outcome.

Binary signals are mostly used  for performing logical operations which represent various behaviors in the actual circuits. These operations include addition, division, subtraction and multiplication.

Examples of digital integrated circuits

Now that you know what these two types of microchips are, let’s look at some examples of digital ICs. We will also highlight what each of these chips do.

• Digital signal processors: As the name suggests, the primary function of digital logic processors is to process digital signals. They are designed to do the processing in real time, especially in applications where the generation of the signals is continuous. The chips are able to manipulate these digital signals in order to obtain the desired output. Examples of applications that rely on digital signal processors include video processing, audio processing and most of the telecommunication applications. For instance, just think of any application that entails relaying data in the real time. Chances are the devices in such applications have digital signal processors.
• Microprocessors: The first thing that comes into mind when we think of microcprossors is computers where they are known as central processing units (CPUs). Micoprocessors are designed to perform both the arithmetic and logic operations on their target devices (ALU). The microprocessor also has control unit and registers. Microprocessors   have a wide range of applications in digital electronics.
• Communication chips: Also known as communication ICs, these digital chips are commonly found in networking devices. They facilitate exchange of data between devices over different network protocols such as Ethernet and Bluetooth. When we mention connected devices, the first thing that comes to mind is the IoT.  Communication ICs are the backbone of the Internet of Things devices.
• Memory integrated circuits:  Also known as  memory chips, these digital chips are mainly designed for data storage and management. They are  are used in all applications that utilize the power of data. There are different types of memory chips. They include Random Access Memory chips (RAM), Read-only Memory (ROM) and Flash memory. From their names, each of these memory chip types is designed to handle a particular type of data.
• Programmable Logic Devices (PLD): These are digital chips that have to be programmed to execute specific logic functions. The fact  that they are programmable means that they can easily fit into any application. All you need is to program them to fit into that application area.

From the example above of digital chips, it is clear that they are crucial when it comes to implementing logical functions in circuits. They enhance the processing power capability and data management of their devices.

Examples of analog integrated circuits

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As we have already defined, analog chips are mainly used in applications  where signals keep changing continuously.

Here are the main examples and applications of analog integrated circuits:

• Voltage and current regulators: These two chips are commonly used in power circuits where they regulate they regulate the output voltage given the changing nature of the input voltage. The regulators ensure that the output voltage remains constant, as it is required in most applications. In terms of application areas, you are likely to find voltage regulators in all power supply systems
• Operational amplifiers (op-amps): Op-amps are also quite popular analog integrated circuits. As their names suggests, they are mainly used for the amplification purpose. They are designed  to amplify the input signals to higher levels as required by the loads. They also have the filtering capabilities whereby the filter off the unwanted signals from the circuits. The most common application area of operational amplifier chips is in audio amplifiers.
• Data  Converter ICs: These data chips are mainly used for data conversion from one form to another. In most cases, they convert data from analog form to digital form. These are usually known as Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADC). In some cases they can also convert from digital to analog form These are known as Digital-to Analog converters (DAC). Data converter ICs are installed in circuits where the incoming data streams continuously and so the conversion must be fast and timely. The most common application areas of data convertersis in temperature signals and sound signals.
• Radio frequency amplifier ICs (RF IC): These are also analog integrated circuits that are mainly used for amplifying radio frequency. They accept the low input frequency and raise it to a higher level that is required by the circuit. These chips are commonly used in communication  systems.Keeep in mind that the frequency of the incoming signal is continuous and keeps varying hence the need for analog chips.
• IC temperature sensor: This is a digital microchip that is designed to produce output current that is directly proportional to the temperature which is considered to be the input signal. It is quite sensitive to the temperature changes and is considered to work as a data converter to some extend.

Analog IC vs Digital IC comparison

Now that you know what these two types of integrated circuits are, what they do and where they are used, it will be prudent to do a side-by-side comparison of the two.

• Functions and application: From the definition, analog ICs are used in applications where the signals are continuous and and can change instantaneously. On the other hand, digital ICs are used in applications that have well-defined signals-high and low. However, some devices may have both the analog chip and digital chip.
• Size: In terms of size, analog chips tend to be relatively bigger and bulkier than the digital ICs. This could be due to the fact that they have more components. However, there are some digital ICs that are also larger than analog. We can conclude that when it comes to sizing, it all boils down to the application area of the chip.
• Design: Just like for in size, the design difference between analog and digital IC depends on the features and application areas of the specific IC. However, analog chips tend to feature more complex designs than the digital ICs. Most digital chips are simple and can be easily integrated into circuits.
• Noise levels: Analog chips tend to be more susceptible to the electrical noise than the digital chips. This is mainly due to the nature signals that they work on. Analog ICs are designed  to work on continuous signals which have more noise levels than for signals with defined state(High or Low)
• Price: Just like in the other differences, the price will also depend on the specifications of the integrated circuit. We cannot conclude that neither analog nor digital IC is more expensive or cheaper than the other.

Conclusion

I hope that from this in-depth guide you are now able to draw clear differences between analog IC vs digital IC.

So, let’s say you are working on a project, which of the two IC type are you going to use?

From the comparison, each type has unique features and special purpose. So, it will depend on what you intend to use the microchip for.

Regardless of the type, ensure that you choose the right chip, ensure that you get genuine ones and from the right sources.

This is where the importance of buying from reputable IC suppliers and distributors comes in.

Also, ensure that the specifications of the microchip that you buy match with needs of the applications.

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