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Title: An ISI Scrambling Technique for Dynamic Element Matching Current-Steering DACs
The linearity of high-resolution current-steering digital-to-analog converters (DACs) is often limited by inter-symbol interference (ISI). While dynamic element matching (DEM) can be applied to convert a portion of the ISI to uncorrelated noise instead of nonlinear distortion, DEM alone fails to prevent ISI from at least introducing strong second-order nonlinear distortion. This paper addresses this problem by proposing, analyzing, and experimentally demonstrating a low-cost add-on technique, called ISI scrambling, that, in conjunction with DEM, causes a DAC’s ISI to be free of nonlinear distortion. The ISI scrambling technique is demonstrated in a 1-GS/s, 14-bit DEM DAC implemented in 90 nm CMOS technology. The DAC’s measured linearity is in line with the state of the art and its measured output power spectra closely match those predicted by the paper’s theoretical results.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1909678
PAR ID:
10251768
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
IEEE journal of solidstate circuits
ISSN:
0018-9200
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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