Voltage references are electronic devices that provide a fixed voltage. They provide a constant voltage regardless of external factors like the load on the device or fluctuations in the power supply. Voltage references have different characteristics depending on their purpose. Voltage references used in laboratory applications are designed to have extremely high precision and accuracy, whereas those used as regulators for computer power supplies are much cheaper but less precise.
Types of voltage references
There are many different kinds of voltage references, generally categorised by type, tolerance, rated voltage, reference voltage and rated current. The most common tolerances are ±2%, ±1% and ±0.5%, but voltage references are available even up to ±40%.
What are voltage references used for?
Voltage references can be used for a variety of different precision measurement and control systems such as power supplies in personal computers and analog-to-digital converters. They are also used in scientific applications and in medical equipment where voltage variations need to be tested regularly.