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Abstract: One of the industry's first ultra high-speed, 8-bit data converters with highest AC performance and a GHz input bandwidth, the MAX104/6/8 family of data converters offers both sampling speed and signal bandwidth for applications where these parameters are of the utmost importance. At their introduction in 1999, this family of high-speed analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) set a new standard for dynamic performance requirements in high-frequency, wide-bandwidth applications. The following article outlines the advantages of this family of ADCs and describes their impact and importance on digital communications, DSOs and fast data acquisition systems. The MAX104 processes analog input bandwidths that exceed 2.2GHz with 8-bit resolution. It sets a new standard for performance in high-frequency, high-bandwidth digital communications receivers, digital oscilloscopes, and high-speed data-acquisition systems. The MAX104 is a fast silicon monolithic analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that integrates a high-bandwidth track/hold (T/H) amplifier (Figure 1) with a high-speed quantizer that supports accurate digitizing of wideband analog input signals from DC to 2.2GHz. It is based on Maxim's GST-2 Giga-Speed silicon-bipolar process technology. This high-speed, self-aligned double-polysilicon process has been developed for high-density, high-performance circuits. It employs many of the features, such as trench isolation, that ar