This section provides an overview for comparator as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 23 comparator manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked comparator companies as of November, 2024: 1.Ashcroft, Inc., 2.Analog Devices, Inc., 3.Texas Instruments.
Table of Contents
A Comparator is an element that compares two input signals and produces different outputs depending on the results. Generally, two inputs are provided: an input of the signal to be measured and a reference signal.
This makes it possible to perform conditional branching in the circuit, such as to perform a specific operation when a signal (current or voltage) that exceeds the reference value is input.
The input of the comparator is analog, but the output signal is digital. Therefore, comparators are sometimes used as an interface between analog and digital circuits.
Comparators can be used to build logic circuits that perform comparisons between input signals (current and voltage) and reference signals. For example, they can monitor excessive rises or drops in voltage and alert you if they are out of range, or control the operation of equipment.
Other if/then conditional branching can also be performed, such as automatically adjusting the temperature of a refrigerator or air conditioner, or limiting the performance of a cell phone or PC when the battery is low.
A comparator has five pins, each consisting of a positive and negative power supply pin, two inputs, and an output pin. It has almost the same configuration as an operational amplifier, with the only difference being whether or not inverting amplification is performed. Originally, operational amplifiers have the property of outputting the voltage of the power supply when there is a difference in input voltage, and comparators make use of this property.
Conversely, if a circuit is built to apply feedback from the output terminal of a comparator to the negative input terminal, it can be used as an operational amplifier. Since comparators do not have a mechanism for inverting amplification, they do not provide phase compensation to prevent oscillation like operational amplifiers do.
Therefore, the most important feature of comparators is that comparators have superior responses compared to operational amplifiers. Moreover, if multiple comparators are used and the reference value is set in steps, they can be used as AD converters. AD converters with this structure can perform high-speed conversions.
When a comparator has a single threshold for comparison, unexpected external noise superimposed on the analog signal causes the comparator to repeat High/Low in response to the noise. This causes a malfunction instead of switching with the original input value, so a comparator called a hysteresis comparator was invented.
Hysteresis comparators are characterized by having two threshold values depending on the output state. When the output switches, it switches to another threshold value different from the previous threshold value, thus preventing unexpected noise-induced malfunctions.
The circuit configuration of the hysteresis comparator applies positive feedback from the output terminal of a conventional comparator to the input terminal via a resistor or the like. Incidentally, this circuit is called a Schmitt trigger after the inventor's name (Otto Schmitt).
Schmitt triggers are generally combined with active elements such as Zener diodes to prevent supply voltage fluctuations, making the circuit more versatile. The hysteresis comparator threshold can be set symmetrically plus or minus with respect to 0 V, or asymmetrically, but the important point here is that the hysteresis width should not be too large.
This is because a large hysteresis width improves immunity to external noise, but deteriorates the sensitivity to the input value that you originally want to judge. Therefore, care should be taken not to increase the hysteresis width beyond the actual noise value. For a more balanced design, the ratio of the threshold voltage to the comparator supply voltage should also be considered.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Ashcroft was founded in 1852 in Bridgeport, Connecticut to create instruments to protect steam-powered industry workers and today is a manufacturer in pressure and temperature measurement instrumentation.Ashcroft serves the chemical, food & beverage, metals & minerals, oil & gas, pharmaceutical & research, power, and water & wastewater markets. Ashcroft products include pressure instruments including pressure gauges, switches, sensors, and isolators; test instruments including calibrators, controllers, testers, and test gauges; and temperature instruments including thermometers, thermowells, RTDs, thermocouples, multipoint temperature sensors, and OEM temperature sensors.
TESA Technology established in Switzerland, in 1941, is a manufacturer of sensors, software and autonomous solutions. Their product range include calipers, micrometers, dial gauges, lever-type dial test indicators and inductive probes. The company has a global distribution network, and their products are used in industries such as mechanical engineering, micromechanical, automotive, aerospace, watchmaking and medical. The company also provides training for the product installation, product customization for special requirements and customer support.
Microchip Technology Incorporated was incorporated in 1989 and is headquartered in Chandler, Arizona. The company is a developer and manufacturer of control solutions for global markets including the automotive, industrial, communications, human-machine interface, and connectivity industries. The company’s products include microcontrollers, field-programmable gate array products, MOSFET and radio frequency products, and both wired and wireless communications products. The company’s services include wafer foundry and assembly services, test subcontracting manufacturing services, development tools for enabling system designers to program microcontrollers and processors, and timing system products.
Diodes Incorporated is a supplier for the consumer electronics, computing, communications, industrial, and automotive markets. Diodes Incorporated designs, manufactures, and supplies application-specific standard products in the discrete, logic, analog, and mixed-signal semiconductor markets worldwide. It focuses on low pin count semiconductor devices. Diodes specializes in semiconductor products, such as MOSFET, TVS, and performance Schottky rectifiers, transient voltage suppressors and other devices. It also provides analog products, such as power management devices comprising AC-DC and DC-DC converters, signaling devices, CMOS devices, and analog switches. Diodes Incorporated was incorporated in 1959 and is headquartered in Plano, Texas.
Incorporated in 1965, Analog Devices, Inc. designs, manufactures, tests, and markets integrated circuits (ICs), software, and subsystems that leverage analog, mixed-signal, and digital signal processing technologies. The company provides data converter products, power management and reference products for power conversion, driver monitoring, sequencing, and energy management applications in the automotive, communications, industrial, and high-end consumer markets. In addition, the company provides digital signal processing and system products for high-speed numeric calculations. It serves clients in the industrial, automotive, consumer, instrumentation, aerospace, and communications markets.
Advanced Linear Devices Inc., founded in 1985 with headquarters in the USA, is a manufacturer of CMOS linear integrated circuits. The company's product line includes ultra-low input signal power rail-to-rail CMOS operational amplifiers, ultra-low charge injection low voltage analog switches, precision CMOS voltage comparators with high output current drivers, and low drift CMOS timers with high discharge output for OEM manufacturers of industrial controls, instrumentation, computers, medical devices, automotive, and telecommunications products. The company also offers custom solutions for linear circuit designers and engineers.
Rochester Electronics, LLC is a manufacturer stocking distributor of end-of-life semiconductors and the broadest range of active semiconductors that is headquartered in Newburyport, Massachusetts, and was founded in 1981. The company caters to manufacturing services ranging from design, wafer processing, testing, reliability, and IP Archiving. These specifically include OCM, build-to-order products, process flows, and standard packaging creation. The company pivots on manufacturing and distributing semiconductors that are no longer produced by its original manufacturer.
Stanhope-Seta, is a laboratory test instrument designer and manufacturer that has been operating since 1938 from its headquarters in Surrey, UK. It offers both in-house and on-site servicing for its instruments and has been honored with three Queen's Awards, including one for International Trade. Its product range comprises over 100 quality control instruments, measuring parameters like flash point, vapor pressure, viscosity, penetration, and contaminants. The company exports its instruments globally, reaching over 120 countries, and holds ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 accreditation for environmental management.
Palintest, founded in the UK, is a manufacturer of equipment for water quality monitoring and disinfection control. The company's product portfolio includes state-of-the-art sensors and analyzers for real-time water quality assessment, advanced control panels, and automation solutions for disinfection processes, cloud-based platforms for remote monitoring and data analysis, and custom solutions. The company has offices in Australia, China, and the United States, and its products are used by municipalities and enviormental agencies.
SAM Outillage, established in 1921 and located in Auvergne Rhone Alpes, France, is a manufacturer of hand tools and smart connected storage solutions. The company offers a range of products including screwdrivers, sockets, wrenches, and hammers. It also provides smart tools that allow operators to manage their settings via a single interface. The company's screw extractor allows the extraction of screws to the left and right and not overlooking the carrier in the concrete anchor. In 2023, the company won the Ecovadis bronze medal, and serves industries such as automotive, aeronautics, defense, and more.
Renesas Electronics Corporation was established in 2002 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Renesas is a global research, design, and manufacturer of semiconductors used in industries spanning automotive, consumer electronics, the internet of things, power & energy, and industrial sectors. Renesas manufactures both analog and digital products. Analog products include amplifiers, audio & video devices, data converters, PLC, and switches & multiplexers. Digital products include microcontrollers, memory components, sensors, wireless connectivity products, and others. Renesas also offers design resources such as kits, development tools, partner programs, and design tools.
Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation is a division of Toshiba focusing on providing designs for end-product developers as well as semiconductor and drive equipment for automotive, industrial equipment, green energy, and consumer and personal electronic devices. Toshiba’s storage products include cloud-scale and enterprise-level products, and PC hard drives. Semiconductor products include Si Cower devices, MOSFETs, IGBTs, IEGTs, isolators, solid state relays, power management and intelligent power ICs, diodes, bipolar transistors, microcontrollers, automotive devices, ICs for wireless communication equipment, general purpose logic ICs, radio-frequency devices, sensors, and linear image sensors.
Unisonic Technologies Company Limited, established in 1990 in Asia, is a manufacturer and supplier of high-tech semiconductor devices and IC design, specializing in Power Management and Audio Power Amplifier IC. The company's product portfolio includes good quality semiconductor devices and ICs such as Power management ICs, Audio Power Amplifier ICs, and car radios. These products cater to various industries including PC, telecom, and consumer markets across Asia. Unisonic's integrated service model ensures competence in R&D, design, manufacturing, and marketing. Additionally, the company provides vital market information, relevant technology support, and a great customer experience to enhance its clients' success.
AMETEK Sensors, Test & Calibration, founded in 1961 and based in Massachusetts, USA, is a manufacturer, distributor, and supplier of instruments and process control solutions for advanced manufacturing processes. The company provides a range of standard and customized solutions for various industries such as calibration, temperature measurement, and weighing solutions. Its products are constantly used throughout the oil and gas, power, and wastewater industries, helping to save and produce energy, ensure safety in hazardous areas, and control temperatures.
System Logic Semiconductor, founded in Seoul, Korea in 1999 is a manufacturer of Semiconductors. The company's product portfolio includes Microcontrollers and Microprocessors, Analog and Digital Integrated Circuits, Memory Solutions, Power Management Devices and RF and Wireless Components. The company serves industries such as Oil and Gas, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Construction, and Power Generation. The company has a national distribution network, technical service and a customer support center.
ABLIC, Inc. is a manufacturer of analog semiconductors and integrated circuits (ICs) based in Minato-ku, Tokyo. Originally established in 2016, the company is a subsidiary of Seiko Instruments, Inc., and was renamed SII Semiconductor Corporation in 2018. The company produces memory, logic, and power management ICs, as well as various sensors for use in mobile computers, industrial equipment, wearable tech, and automotive systems. These supply clients in the consumer electronics, factory automation, and medical equipment industries.
ST Micro Electronics is a global semiconductor company serving customers with innovations to have a positive impact on people's lives. Their product line is micro electronic systems, such as switches, controllers, sensors and drivers. The main selling point of ST Micro Electronics is its provision of sustainable products, and introducing their electronics to create a more sustainable world. The company, as well as providing the electronic devices, also provides software and support, ensuring that all fields are covered to provide a fully provide a supported and strong relationship with their customer base. ST Micro Electronics believe that technology plays a key role in helping to solve environmental and social challenges, which is why their semiconductor technologies start with their employees, their customers and partners.
Texas Instruments Incorporated was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Texas Instruments is a producer of high tech equipment for industrial, automotive, personal electronics, communications equipment industries. Texas Instruments designs, manufactures, and sells semiconductors to electronics designers and manufacturers in the United States and internationally. Texas Instruments operates in two segments: analog and embedded processing. The Analog segment offers power products, including battery-management solutions, DC/DC switching regulators, power switches, linear regulators, voltage references, and lighting products. The Embedded Processing segment offers microcontrollers that are used in fields such as electronic equipment and digital signal processors for mathematical computations.
Metrica, founded in 1949 and headquartered in San Donato, Italy, is a manufacturer and distributor of professional measuring tools, offering a broad spectrum of traditional and instruments. Its product catalog encompasses Angled Gauges for measuring angles, Length Measures for measuring distances, advanced Laser Measuring Tools for precise measurements, Levels for establishing the horizontal plane, and robust Telefix Telescopic Poles used in height measurements for buildings, awnings, doors, and trees. These tools cater to the construction and mechanical industries, enhancing accuracy and efficiency.
Taiwan Semiconductor, established in 1979 in Taiwan, is a manufacturer and distributor of integrated circuits and wafer semiconductor devices for commercial and industrial customers worldwide. The company's product line includes discrete power rectifiers, power transistors, LED driver ICs, analog ICs, and ESD protection devices. Taiwan Semiconductor has production facilities in China and Taiwan that are compliant with automotive and environmental standards, including IATF 16949, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001. Taiwan Semiconductor is also a member of the ECIA and the PSMA.
ROHM Semiconductor was incorporated in 1940 and is headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. ROHM manufactures and sells electronic components worldwide. ROHM operates through the segments ICs, discrete semiconductor devices, and modules. ROHM provides ICs comprising memory, amplifiers and linear, power management, clocks and timers, switches and multiplexers, logic, data converters, sensors and MEMS, display drivers, motor/actuator drivers, interfaces, communication and speech synthesis LSI, audio and video, and microcontrollers. ROHM also offers discrete semiconductor products include MOSFETs, bipolar transistors, and diodes; power devices, including power transistors and diodes, SiC power devices, IGBT, and IPM; passive devices, such as resistors, and conductive polymer and tantalum capacitors; and various modules among others.
Shenzhen Shengyu Electronics Technology Ltd., founded in 2008 and headquartered in Shenzhen, China, is an electric component distributor that is ISO 9001 certified. The company stocks several components, including switches, capacitors, and resistors, which it sources from multiple manufacturers like Seiko Instruments, Inc., Renesas Electronics America, and Nuvoton Technology Corporation America. Depending on the size and configuration of the customer’s components, the company provides a full range of packaging services. It accepts single or multiple-part quotations, and its website allows customers to search hundreds of products ranging from ICs to computer accessories.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Ashcroft, Inc. |
6.3%
|
2 | ABLIC Inc. |
6.3%
|
3 | Analog Devices, Inc. |
6.3%
|
4 | System Logic Semiconductor Co. |
5.6%
|
5 | Texas Instruments |
5.6%
|
6 | TESA Technology |
5.6%
|
7 | Metrica |
4.8%
|
8 | Unisonic Technologies Company Limited |
4.8%
|
9 | Advanced Linear Devices, Inc |
4.8%
|
10 | Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage |
4.8%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the comparator page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 7 | 43.8% |
Japan | 3 | 18.8% |
United Kingdom | 2 | 12.5% |
Taiwan | 2 | 12.5% |
France | 1 | 6.3% |
Italy | 1 | 6.3% |