Sample and hold
In electronics, a sample and hold (S/H, also "follow-and-hold"[1]) circuit is an analog device that samples (captures, grabs) the voltage of a continuously varying analog signal and holds (locks, freezes) its value at a constant level for a specified minimal period of time. Sample and hold circuits and related peak detectors are the elementary analog memory devices. They are typically used in analog-to-digital converters to eliminate variations in input signal that can corrupt the conversion process.[2]
A typical sample and hold circuit stores electric charge in a capacitor and contains at least one fast FET switch and at least one operational amplifier.[1] To sample the input signal the switch connects the capacitor to the output of a buffer amplifier. The buffer amplifier charges or discharges the capacitor so that the voltage across the capacitor is practically equal, or proportional to, input voltage. In hold mode the switch disconnects the capacitor from the buffer. The capacitor is invariably discharged by its own leakage currents and useful load currents, which makes the circuit inherently volatile, but the loss of voltage (voltage drop) within a specified hold time remains within an acceptable error margin.
Purpose
The reasons for using such a circuit are varied. In some kinds of analog-to-digital converters, the input is often compared to a voltage generated internally from a digital-to-analog converter. The circuit tries a series of values and stops converting once the voltages are "the same" within some defined error margin. If the input value was permitted to change during this comparison process, the resulting conversion would be inaccurate and possibly completely unrelated to the true input value. Such successive approximation converters will often incorporate internal sample and hold circuitry. In addition, sample and hold circuits are often used when multiple samples need to be measured at the same time. Each value is sampled and held, using a common sample clock.
Implementation
In order that the input voltage is held constant for all practical purposes, it is essential that the capacitor have very low leakage, and that it not be loaded to any significant degree which calls for a very high input impedance.
A true sample and hold circuit is connected to the buffer for a short period of time; a track and hold circuit is designed to track input continuously.
In popular culture
- Sample and Hold is the title of a song by Neil Young, from his Trans album. The lyrics speak of some form of love with robots, with multiple references to electronics. The song is sung through a Sennheiser Vocoder and many electronic effects are also added.
- Sample and Hold is the name of a remix album by Simian Mobile Disco, containing remixes of the album Attack Decay Sustain Release. Both album titles are named after features commonly found in analog and modular synthesizers.
See also
Notes
References
- Paul Horowitz, Winfield Hill (2001 ed.). The Art of Electronics. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-37095-7.
- Alan P. Kefauver, David Patschke (2007). Fundamentals of digital audio. A-R Editions, Inc. ISBN 0-89579-611-2.
- Analog Devies 21 page Tutorial "Sample and Hold Amplifiers" http://www.analog.com/static/imported-files/tutorials/MT-090.pdf
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