Method and system for digital-to-analog converter performance measurement using equivalent-time sampler

Abstract

A system and method: provide a digital input signal to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) which, in response to a DAC clock signal, converts the digital input signal to an analog output signal; generate from the DAC clock signal a sampling clock signal having pulses spaced apart from each other in time by a plurality of DAC clock periods, wherein a timing of at least one of the pulses is offset with respect to the DAC clock signal by a first fraction of a DAC clock period, and a timing of at least an other one of the pulses of the sampling clock signal is offset with respect to the DAC clock signal by a second fraction of the DAC clock period; sample-and-hold the analog output signal in response to the sampling clock signal; and digitize the sampled-and-held analog output signal to output digital values representing the sampled-and-held analog output signal.