The number of comparator circuits required to build a three - bit simu...
Flash type (or) Parallel type (or) Simultaneous ADC:
The following figure shows a 3-bit flash ADC circuit.

- It is formed of a series of comparators, each one comparing the input signal to a unique reference voltage.
- The comparator outputs connect to the inputs of a priority encoder circuit, which then produces a binary output.
- Vref is a stable reference voltage provided by a precision voltage regulator as part of the converter circuit.
- As the analog input voltage exceeds the reference voltage at each comparator, the comparator outputs will sequentially saturate to a high state.
- The priority encoder generates a binary number based on the highest-order active input, ignoring all other active inputs.
- Flash type ADC is fastest ADC
- Flash type ADC requires no counter
- For an n-bit ADC, flash type ADC requires (2n – 1) comparators
- Conversion time: Tclk
Calculation:
Given that, n = 3
Number of required comparators, N = 23 – 1 = 7
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The number of comparator circuits required to build a three - bit simu...
Understanding A/D Converters
An Analog-to-Digital (A/D) converter transforms an analog signal into a digital representation. In a three-bit A/D converter, the output can represent values from 0 to 7 (2^3 - 1).
The Role of Comparator Circuits
Comparator circuits are crucial in determining the threshold levels of the input signal. Each comparator compares the input voltage with a reference voltage to decide if the input is above or below that level.
Calculating the Number of Comparators
For a three-bit A/D converter, you need to differentiate between 8 distinct levels (0-7). The number of comparators required can be derived from the formula:
- The number of comparators needed = 2^n - 1, where n is the number of bits.
For n = 3:
- Number of comparators = 2^3 - 1 = 8 - 1 = 7
Conclusion
Thus, to build a three-bit simultaneous A/D converter, 7 comparator circuits are required. This is because each comparator is needed to establish each of the thresholds that separate the digital output levels.
Correct Answer
Hence, the correct answer is option B: 7.