Analog Devices International Unlimited Company

Asha Ganesan

Donald W Paterson

Sharvil Pradeep Patil

Hajime Shibata

Zhao Li

Victor Kozlov

Haiyang Zhu

Prawal Man Shrestha

Yue Yin

Nevena Rakuljic

CT ADCs based on continuous-time residue generation systems require accurate estimation of analog transfer functions. This is done by using a pseudo random bit sequence, injected using a DAC, that traverses the transfer function to be measured. Mismatch in the injection DAC introduces errors in the transfer function estimation and results in poor NSD at the ADC output. Techniques are described to improve the accuracy of the transfer function estimate despite DAC mismatch and despite the presence of an input signal.

Continuous-time ADC calibration techniques

Continuous-time (CT) analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) implementing digital correction of digital-to-analog converter (DAC) errors are disclosed. In a CT pipeline stage of a CT ADC, a CT analog input signal is sent to two different paths. A first path (a 'feedforward' path) includes a cascade of a sub-ADC and a sub-DAC. A second path (a “forward” path) includes an analog delay circuit to align the delays of the input signal in the feedforward and forward paths. A combiner subtracts the output of the analog delay of the forward path from the output of the sub-DAC in the feedforward path to generate a residue signal. Devices and methods disclosed herein are based on recognition that, if the errors introduced by the sub-DAC are known, they can be corrected in the digital domain during reconstruction, achieving superior NSD and distortion performance compared to conventional approaches.

Digital correction of digital-to-analog converter errors in continuous-time analog-to-digital converters

In one aspect, a transfer function (TF) estimation circuit configured to generate an estimate of a TF undergone by signals between an input of a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) of a feedforward path of a continuous-time (CT) stage of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and an output of a backend ADC of the ADC is disclosed. The TF estimation circuit includes one or more circuits configured to generate a first cross-correlation output by cross-correlating digital versions of signals based on a test signal provided to the CT stage and an output signal of the backend ADC, generate a second cross-correlation output by cross-correlating digital versions of signals based on the test signal and an output signal of a quantizer of the feedforward path of the CT stage, and generate the estimate of the TF based on the first and second cross-correlation outputs.

Digital estimation of transfer functions in continuous-time analog-to-digital converters

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Toronto, Canada

Asha Ganesan