4.096 V shunt reference in SOT-23-3
It operates as a two-terminal shunt (Zener-like) device, requiring only a single external resistor to set the bias current from the supply rail. The SOT-23-3 package fits tight PCB layouts where a dedicated reference IC is needed for an ADC reference, comparator threshold, or DAC scaling.
Bias current and resistor sizing
The LM4040D41IDBZT requires a minimum cathode current of 88 µA to maintain regulation; the maximum continuous cathode current is 15 mA. The external series resistor must be chosen so that the current through the reference stays within this window over the full supply and load range. At 4.096 V output, a 1 kΩ resistor from a 5 V rail delivers roughly 900 µA — well above the 88 µA floor and below the 15 mA ceiling, leaving headroom for load transients.
Temperature drift and noise floor
For a 12-bit ADC with a 4.096 V reference (1 mV per LSB), this drift contributes less than 1 LSB of error across temperature — acceptable for most industrial and instrumentation designs.
