MAX338EEE+ - 8:1 Low-Leakage CMOS Multiplexer | Maxim Integrated
MPN: MAX338EEE+ ✓ ActiveMAX338EEE+ Overview
An analog multiplexer is a semiconductor switching network that routes one selected input to a shared output. The MAX338 belongs to the CMOS analog switch and multiplexer hierarchy, where low leakage is valuable when measuring weak, high-impedance signals or when unused channels must contribute little error to the measurement system. It also supports positive-only and split-supply analog systems, allowing the same switching architecture to serve instrumentation, test, measurement, and signal-routing equipment.
Verified product information identifies one analog switch circuit, an 8:1 configuration, 400 ohm on-resistance, a 16-QSOP package, and low-leakage CMOS construction. The single-supply operating range is +4.5 V to +30 V, while dual-supply operation extends from ±4.5 V to ±20 V. These wide ranges permit use with legacy ±15 V analog circuits as well as modern single-rail systems. The EEE ordering code is associated with the industrial-grade 16-terminal surface-mount variant shown in distributor data.
Because the MAX338 is a monolithic CMOS multiplexer, its internal channels share one common output. This architecture minimizes the number of external signal paths in a multi-source measurement design, although it does not provide simultaneous access to all eight channels. Selection should therefore be based on required channel count, acceptable on-resistance, leakage limit, supply topology, and the voltage and current levels present at each switched node. Detailed leakage, bandwidth, charge-injection, and switching-time figures were not supplied in the verified excerpts and must be taken from the manufacturer datasheet.
Typical uses include automated test equipment, data-acquisition systems, sensor-signaling interfaces, process-control instrumentation, and laboratory measurement front ends. The device is particularly useful when many potential analog inputs must share one amplifier, converter, or data-acquisition channel. A suitable external circuit must also keep every input and output within the device's absolute maximum ratings during switching and fault conditions.
Designers should verify control logic levels, input overvoltage tolerance, analog signal range, and break-before-make behavior against the full datasheet before layout release. Care should be taken around unused channels, signal-source impedance, and injected charge because low leakage alone does not guarantee low measurement error. Input filtering may be appropriate when fast transients or high-energy events are possible.
This product record combines verified manufacturer and distributor information, explicit data-gap markers, same-family drop-in candidates, and practical selection guidance. It is intended to help engineers identify the correct 16-QSOP multiplexer while separating confirmed MAX338EEE+ attributes from parameters that still require direct datasheet verification.
Drop-in alternatives for MAX338EEE+ — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with MAX338EEE+ (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Mounting Type, Number of Channels, Package.
MAX337CPE+
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MAX328CPE+
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MAX329CPE+
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MAX339CPE+
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MAX338EPE+
✅ Drop-InContact for price
View Datasheet →MAX338EEE+ Specifications
| Multiplexer Configuration | 8:1 single-ended |
| Number of Switch Circuits | 1 circuit |
| Number of Channels | 8 channels |
| On-Resistance | 400 ohm |
| Switch Technology | CMOS |
| Single-Supply Operating Voltage | +4.5 V to +30 V |
| Dual-Supply Operating Voltage | ±4.5 V to ±20 V |
| Package | 16-QSOP |
| Terminal Count | 16 terminals |
| Mounting Type | Surface mount |
| Package Shape | Rectangular |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial |
| Product Family | MAX338/MAX339 8-channel/dual 4-channel low-leakage CMOS analog multiplexer family |
MAX338EEE+ rectangular Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for MAX338EEE+ (rectangular package). Pin numbering, functions, and connection diagrams are defined in the manufacturer datasheet. Refer to it for the exact footprint and soldering guidelines.
No detailed pinout data available for MAX338EEE+.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
MAX338EEE+ is suitable for 6 applications: Automated Test Equipment, Data Acquisition Systems, Industrial Sensor Multiplexing, Laboratory Signal Routing, Process Control Interfaces, Battery-Powered Portable Instruments.
Automated Test Equipment
The MAX338EEE+ fits automated test systems that route several analog test points to one shared measurement channel. Its 8:1 architecture reduces external routing hardware, while the verified 400 ohm on-resistance is suitable when the selected source has relatively low impedance and the downstream instrument provides suitable input loading. The device can operate from +4.5 V to +30 V or from ±4.5 V to ±20 V, allowing integration with legacy ±15 V fixtures. Before release, verify leakage, charge injection, switching time, control levels, and maximum signal excursion against the complete manufacturer datasheet.
Recommended
Data Acquisition Systems
MAX338EEE+ allows a data-acquisition board to select among eight analog inputs without duplicating the amplifier, converter, or front-end circuitry. The single-ended 8:1 arrangement is appropriate for multiplexed pressure, temperature, or process-control signals whose source impedance keeps the 400 ohm on-resistance from dominating the measurement. Its wide supply range supports both modern single-rail electronics and split-supply instrumentation. Guard against channel-selection transients by checking the datasheet for charge injection, leakage, and bandwidth before selecting input impedance and sampling rate.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Multiplexing
The MAX338EEE+ is applicable when multiple industrial sensor outputs must be presented to a common controller input. Its 8:1 configuration supports a compact sensor interface, while operation from +4.5 V to +30 V is useful in industrial control cabinets using a 24 V nominal supply. The industrial-grade ordering variant aligns with equipment operating outside consumer-only temperature conditions, although the exact temperature limits remain unverified here. Confirm signal amplitude, common-mode range, isolation needs, leakage, and fault-state behavior before deploying it with high-impedance sensors.
Recommended
Laboratory Signal Routing
MAX338EEE+ can route one of eight laboratory analog sources into a common oscilloscope, DMM, or amplifier input. The 8:1 channel count is valuable when an instrument has limited analog inputs, and the 400 ohm on-resistance should be checked against the source impedance and expected bandwidth. Both +4.5 V to +30 V single-supply and ±4.5 V to ±20 V dual-supply operation provide flexibility across laboratory instruments. For precision measurements, review leakage and charge-injection specifications and account for settling time after each selection change.
Recommended
Process Control Interfaces
The MAX338EEE+ can consolidate pressure, flow, level, or valve-feedback analog signals onto a single controller or data-conversion channel. Its 8:1 topology reduces analog fanout while the broad supply range permits use in 24 V-based industrial systems. The low-leakage CMOS design is potentially beneficial when sources have high output impedance, but engineers must confirm leakage, on-resistance accuracy, and switching transients from the full data sheet. Fail-safe behavior also matters because an unintended switched path could connect an external process signal to instrumentation circuitry.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Portable Instruments
MAX338EEE+ can reduce analog front-end complexity in portable measurement instruments by selecting among multiple sensor inputs with one multiplexer. Although its verified supply range includes low-voltage single-rail operation, the +4.5 V minimum prevents direct operation from a single Li-ion cell below 4.5 V. A boost or buck-boost rail may therefore be required, adding conversion noise and efficiency considerations that can offset the multiplexer's low-leakage benefits. Validate shutdown current, signal loading, leakage, and settling behavior before choosing it for low-power designs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MAX338EEE+ — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MAX337CPE+ | MAX328CPE+ | MAX329CPE+ | MAX339CPE+ | MAX338EPE+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Maxim Integrated | Maxim Integrated | Maxim Integrated | Maxim Integrated | Maxim Integrated | Maxim Integrated |
| Package | 16-QSOP | 16-QSOP | 16-QSOP | 16-QSOP | 16-QSOP | 16-QSOP |
| Switch Technology | Low-leakage CMOS | CMOS | Low-leakage CMOS with lower leakage than MAX338 | CMOS | Low-leakage CMOS | Low-leakage CMOS |
Key Differentiators
- Single 8:1 architecture in a 16-QSOP package (vs MAX339CPE+)
- Lower on-resistance than the explicitly identified MAX328 alternative (vs MAX328CPE+)
- Wide single- and dual-supply operating range (vs MAX338EPE+)
Design Notes
Confirm source impedance, acquisition bandwidth, charge injection, and settling time before fixing the input network. The verified 400 ohm on-resistance can be acceptable for low-impedance sources, but it may form a significant divider with a high-impedance sensor or sample-and-hold input. Verify the complete manufacturer data sheet for leakage and injection limits because those values were not present in the supplied excerpts.
Route analog inputs and the common output as short traces away from digital select and clock lines, and place the common output close to the destination amplifier or converter when practical. Keep unused-channel connections defined according to the datasheet rather than allowing them to float if leakage is significant. Use a solid ground reference and avoid placing the analog trace beneath switching-regulator or digital-logic routing.
The verified supply range of +4.5 V to +30 V or ±4.5 V to ±20 V provides flexibility, but the multiplexer does not remove the need for stable analog rails. Bypass the supply pins according to the manufacturer recommendations, account for control-logic levels referenced to the applicable supply, and ensure every selected analog node remains within the absolute maximum ratings during startup and fault conditions.
Do not treat the MAX338 as a simultaneous eight-channel sampler; only one input connects to the common output at a time. Also, the manufacturer statement that MAX338 and MAX339 are upgrades for DG508A and DG509A does not establish a reverse drop-in relationship. Confirm channel mapping, address logic, break-before-make behavior, and pin names for any substitution against the manufacturer pin table.
Compliance Information
The supplied verified excerpts do not state RoHS, REACH, AEC-Q100, lead-free, halogen-free, or conflict-minerals status. Obtain the current manufacturer compliance declarations before production release.
