Book excerpt: This book offers students and those new to the topic of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) a broad introduction, before going into details of the state-of-the-art design techniques for SAR and DS converters, including the latest research topics, which are valuable for IC design engineers as well as users of ADCs in applications. The book then addresses important topics, such as correct connectivity of ADCs in an application, the verification, characterization and testing of ADCs that ensure high-quality end products. Analog-to-digital converters are the central element in any data processing system and regulation loops such as modems or electrical motor drives. They significantly affect the performance and resolution of a system or end product. System development engineers need to be familiar with the performance parameters of the converters and understand the advantages and disadvantages of the various architectures. Integrated circuit development engineers have to overcome the problem of achieving high performance and resolution with the lowest possible power dissipation, while the digital circuitry generates distortion in supply, ground and substrate. This book explains the connections and gives suggestions for obtaining the highest possible resolution. Novel trends are illustrated in the design of analog-to-digital converters based on successive approximation and the difficulties in the development of continuous-time delta-sigma modulators are also discussed.