Abstract: Many digital devices incorporate analog circuits. For instance, microprocessors, applicationspecificintegrated circuits (ASICs), and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) may have internalvoltage references, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) or digital-to-analog converters (DACs). However,there are challenges when you integrate more analog onto a digital design. As with all things in life, inelectronics we must always trade one parameter for another, with the application dictating the propertrade-off of analog function. In this application note, we examine how the demand for economy of spaceand cost pushes analog circuits onto digital substrates, and what design challenges emerge.