The world's first temperature converter to integrate thermocouple electromotive forces, simplifying design, space and cost requirements

     Microchip Technology, a global leader in integrated single-chip, mixed-signal, emulator and flash patented solutions, announced the MCP9600, the world's first thermocouple conditioning integrated circuit. It integrates precision instrumentation, a precise temperature sensor, a high-precision and high-resolution digital-to-analog converter (ADC), and a mathematical engine with pre-programmed firmware.

     The mathematical engine supports a wide range of standard thermocouple models (K, J, T, N, S, E, B and R). Thermocouples are one of the most commonly used temperature measurement components because of their robustness and accuracy in harsh high temperature environments and their extremely wide temperature measurement range. The MCP9600 integrates many discrete components into a single chip, simplifying thermocouple design and reducing board area, cost, and power consumption.

     Thermocouples are widely used for temperature measurement in industrial, consumer, automotive/aerospace and petrochemical industries. The MCP9600 provides the world's first plug-and-play solution for designers to create thermocouple-based designs because with the MCP9600, there is no need to have the expertise required to implement discrete components, such as developing firmware using the mathematical engine of a single chip computer.

     Designers no longer need to create precision instrument circuits to accurately measure microvolt-level signals of thermocouples, nor do they need to design ADC circuits to accurately calculate temperature. With the MCP9600's integrated cold end compensation, the reference temperature of the "cold" end of the thermocouple can be accurately measured by calculating the temperature of the "hot" end of the thermocouple without the need for professional thermal design.

     "The MCP9600 is currently the only system-on-chip thermocouple conditioning integrated circuit on the market," said Bryan J. Liddiard, Microchip's vice president of marketing for Analog and Interface Products. It provides a fully integrated plug and play solution for critical applications, helping customers save R&D time and resources."

     Other features of the MCP9600 include a digital filter for temperature data that minimizes temperature fluctuations, system noise, and electromagnetic interference. Its turn-off mode reduces overall system power consumption, while its four user-programmable temperature alert outputs further simplify the design by reducing the overhead of the system's microcontrollers and reducing the code footprint. The MCP9600 is packaged in a 20-pin 5x5 mm mQFN package, further reducing board area and production costs.