Microchip MCP4231

The Microchip MCP41XX and MCP42XX devices offer a variety of products using an SPI interface.

The MCP41/423X devices are volatile, 7-bit (129 wiper steps) digital potentiometers with an SPI-compatible interface. The MCP41/42XX family is available with end-to-end resistor values of 5 kΩ, 10 kΩ, 50 kΩ and 100 kΩ.

These devices come in a variety of configurations that will simplify your design while minimizing cost, package size and pin count.

Key features

• Single or dual resistor network options
• Potentiometer or rheostat configuration options
• RAB resistance options of 5kΩ, 10 kΩ, 50 kΩ and 100 kΩ
• Zero scale to full-scale wiper operation

Additional features

• Single or dual resistor network options
• Potentiometer or rheostat configuration options
• Resistor network resolution 7-bit: 128 resistors (129 steps) / 8-bit: 256 resistors (257 steps)
• RAB resistance options of 5kΩ, 10 kΩ, 50 kΩ and 100 kΩ
• Zero scale to full-scale wiper operation
• Low wiper resistance of 75Ω (typical)
• Low temperature coefficient: Absolute (rheostat): 50 ppm typical (0°C to 70°C)
• Ratiometric (potentiometer): 15 ppm typical 
• SPI interface (10 MHz, modes 0,0 & 1,1) High-speed read/writes to wiper registers
• Serial Data In (SDI)/Serial Data Out (SDO) multiplexing (MCP41X1 only) 
• Resistor network terminal disconnect feature via Shutdown pin (SHDN) and Terminal Control (TCON) register
• Brown-out reset protection (1.5V typical)
• Serial interface inactive current (2.5 uA typical)
• High-voltage-tolerant digital inputs of up to 12.5V
• Support split rail applications
• Internal weak pull-up on all digital inputs 
• Wide operating voltage: Device characteristics-specified voltage range of 2.7V to 5.5V
• Device operation voltage range of 1.8V to 5.5V 
• Wide bandwidth (-3 dB) operation of 2 MHz (typical) for 5 kΩ device
• Extended temperature range of −40°C to +125°C

Applications

• Instrumentation
• Automotive infotainment
• Medical
• Audio

Available tools

MCP42XX Evaluation board

The MCP42XX Evaluation Board allows the system designer to quickly evaluate the operation of our MCP4261 digital potentiometer device. The board uses the TSSOP20EV generic PCB and has been populated for the MCP4261. The 6-pin header (PICkit™ serial interface) has been jumpered to the MCP4261's appropriate pins. This allows the PICkit serial interface to communicate with the device.