The ADS1262IPWR is a precision 32-bit delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter from Texas Instruments that brings laboratory-grade measurement capability to industrial sensor applications. With an integrated programmable gain amplifier, a high-accuracy voltage reference, and a flexible analog front end featuring eleven multifunction inputs, this single device replaces the multi-chip signal chain traditionally required for precision sensor digitization. For engineers designing weigh scales, thermocouple measurement systems, strain-gauge data acquisition, or resistance temperature detector (RTD) interfaces, the ADS1262IPWR offers a complete, sensor-ready measurement solution in a compact 28-pin TSSOP package.

32-Bit Precision with Exceptional DC Accuracy

The ADS1262IPWR employs a delta-sigma architecture that achieves remarkable noise and drift performance. At a data rate of 2.5 SPS with the PGA configured for a gain of 32, the device delivers just 7 nV RMS of input-referred noise. Offset drift is specified at only 1 nV/°C, while gain drift is held to 0.5 ppm/°C. Integral nonlinearity is limited to 3 ppm, ensuring that the ADC's transfer function remains essentially ideal across its entire input range. These specifications make the device capable of resolving signal changes well below one microvolt, a level of precision that was previously achievable only with dedicated instrumentation amplifiers and high-resolution ADCs operating at much slower throughput.

Integrated Programmable Gain Amplifier

The on-chip CMOS PGA provides binary gain steps from 1 V/V to 32 V/V, allowing small sensor outputs to be amplified to utilize the full input range of the delta-sigma modulator. The PGA features a high-impedance input, which is critical for directly interfacing with high-output-impedance sensors such as thermocouples and piezoresistive bridges without introducing loading errors. Integrated signal fault detection monitors the input path for open or short conditions, improving system reliability in safety-conscious applications.

High-Precision Internal Voltage Reference

The 2.5-V internal reference exhibits a temperature drift of just 2 ppm/°C, eliminating the need for an external precision reference in most applications. The reference's stability directly determines the accuracy of absolute measurements, and this specification positions the ADS1262IPWR for ratiometric and non-ratiometric measurement alike. For applications requiring even higher stability, an external reference can be connected through dedicated pins.

Flexible Analog Front End

Eleven multifunction analog inputs provide substantial multiplexing flexibility. The inputs can be configured as up to five fully differential channels or ten single-ended channels, with an additional input available for internal monitoring functions. Two independent sensor excitation current sources are integrated on-chip, enabling direct RTD measurement and AC bridge excitation without external current source circuitry.

Digital Filtering and Line Cycle Rejection

The programmable digital filter supports data rates from 2.5 SPS to 38,400 SPS. At data rates of 60 SPS and below, the filter provides 130 dB of rejection at both 50 Hz and 60 Hz, effectively eliminating power-line coupled noise in industrial environments. The single-cycle settling characteristic maximizes throughput in multiplexed multi-channel scanning, as the filter fully settles within one conversion cycle after a channel change.

Precision Weigh Scales

The TIPD188 reference design demonstrates a weigh-scale solution achieving greater than 50,000 noise-free counts of resolution using the ADS1262. AC bridge excitation, combined with the ADC's low offset and offset drift, nearly eliminates offset errors that would otherwise limit accuracy. The high PGA gain allows low-sensitivity load cells to be digitized without external amplification.

Thermocouple Measurement

Thermocouples produce small differential outputs—typically tens of millivolts—that must be amplified and digitized with high accuracy. The ADS1262IPWR's integrated temperature sensor supports cold-junction compensation, while the PGA gain of 32 brings a 60-mV thermocouple signal to a level well within the modulator's optimal input range. The 50-Hz and 60-Hz rejection simplifies filter design in electrically noisy industrial settings.

RTD and Resistance Temperature Detection

The two integrated excitation current sources allow direct 3-wire or 4-wire RTD measurements without external analog switches or current sources. The ADC's high input impedance and low noise floor ensure that the small voltage developed across the RTD is digitized with sufficient precision to resolve temperature changes on the order of millikelvins.

Strain-Gauge and Pressure Sensor Interfaces

Bridge-based sensors require both excitation and precise differential voltage measurement. The ADS1262IPWR provides both functions on a single chip, reducing component count and board space while improving channel-to-channel matching in multi-sensor systems.

Texas Instruments provides the ADS126xEVM-PDK evaluation platform, which pairs the ADS1262 or ADS1263 with the MMB0 motherboard and the ADCPro software environment for Windows operating systems. ADCPro includes built-in analysis tools for time-domain, frequency-domain, and histogram analysis, allowing engineers to characterize noise, linearity, and effective resolution without writing custom analysis code. The EVM features configurable inputs, references, supplies, and clock sources, with test points and headers providing easy access to critical signals. For embedded development, an Arduino library supporting SPI communication with ADS126x-based boards is available through third-party sources, while TI's own application notes provide reference firmware and design examples for common sensor interfaces.

The ADS1262IPWR represents a significant integration milestone in precision data conversion. By combining a 32-bit delta-sigma modulator, a low-noise PGA, a 2-ppm/°C voltage reference, dual excitation current sources, and a 130-dB line rejection digital filter into a single TSSOP package, Texas Instruments has created a measurement solution that simplifies signal chain design while delivering performance that meets the most exacting sensor application requirements. For engineers tasked with extracting microvolt-level signals from thermocouples, load cells, and RTDs in electrically noisy environments, the ADS1262IPWR provides a well-supported, production-ready path to achieving laboratory-grade measurement accuracy in field-deployed systems.