Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y.

Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Data Converter Basics

–1–
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

A/D and D/A Conversion

A/D Conversion

Analog Digital
DSP
in out

AAF S/H Quantization

D/A Conversion

Digital Analog
DSP
in out

Smoothing
D/A S/H
filter

–2–
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Quantization
Vref

bn

...
A/D
b1
Analog input Digital output

 N Vin 
Division : Dout = 2  
 VFS 

• Quantization = division + normalization + truncation

• Full-scale range (VFS) is determined by Vref

–3–
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Quantization Error
Dout
7 VFS
6 Δ= = LSB
2N
5

Vin  0, VFS 

4
3 Vin
VFS VFS
2 2 2
V 
1 ε = Dout Δ - Vin = Dout  FS
N 
- Vin
0  2 
-3Δ -2Δ -Δ 0 Δ 2Δ 3Δ
Δ Δ
N=3 - ε
ε 2 2
Δ/2
0 Vin “Random” quantization error
-Δ/2 is usually regarded as noise
-3Δ -2Δ -Δ 0 Δ 2Δ 3Δ

–4–
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Quantization Noise
ε
Assumptions:
Δ/2
0 Vin
• N is large
-Δ/2 • 0 ≤ Vin ≤ VFS and Vin >> Δ
Δ 2Δ 3Δ 4Δ 5Δ 6Δ 7Δ VFS
• Vin is active
• ε is Uniformly distributed
Pε
• Spectrum of ε is white
1/Δ
Δ/2
1 Δ2
σ ε =  ε   dε =
2 2

ε -Δ/2
Δ 12
-Δ/2 0 Δ/2

Ref: W. R. Bennett, “Spectra of quantized signals,” Bell Syst. Tech. J., vol. 27, pp. 446-
472, July 1948.

–5–
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Signal-to-Quantization Noise Ratio (SQNR)

Assume Vin is sinusoidal with Vp-p = VFS, N SQNR

(bits) (dB)
 2N Δ  / 8
2
2
VFS / 8 8 49.9
SQNR = = =1.5  22N,
σε2 Δ 2
10 62.0
12
12 74.0
SQNR = 6.02 N+1.76 dB 14 86.0

• SQNR depicts the theoretical performance of an ideal ADC

• In reality, ADC performance is limited by many other factors:
– Electronic noise (thermal, 1/f, coupling/substrate, etc.)
– Distortion (measured by THD, SFDR, IM3, etc.)

–6–
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

FFT Spectrum of Quantized Signal

PSD

• N = 10 bits
0 SQNR = 61.93 dB
ENOB = 9.995 bits • 8192 samples, only
-20
f = [0, fs/2] shown
-40 • Normalized to Vin
• fs = 8192, fin = 779
dB

-60
• fin and fs must be
-80
incommensurate
-100

SQNR -1.76 dB
-120 ENOB =
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 6.02 dB
Frequency

Ref: W. R. Bennett, “Spectra of quantized signals,” Bell Syst. Tech. J., vol. 27, pp. 446-
472, July 1948.
–7–
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Commensurate fs and fin

PSD PSD

0 0
fs = 8192 fs = 8192
-20
fin = 256 -20
fin = 2048

-40 -40
dB

dB
-60 -60

-80 -80

-100 -100

-120 -120
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000
Frequency Frequency

• Periodic sampling points result in periodic quantization errors

• Periodic quantization errors result in harmonic distortion

–8–
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Spectrum Leakage
PSD PSD

0 0
fs = 8192 fs = 8192
-20
fin = 779.3 -20
fin = 779.3
w/
-40 -40 Blackman
window
dB

dB
-60 -60

-80 -80

-100 -100

-120 -120
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000
Frequency Frequency

• TD samples must include integer number of cycles of input signal

• Windowing can be applied to eliminate spectrum leakage
• Trade-off b/t main-lobe width and sideband rejection for different windows
–9–
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

FFT Spectrum with Distortion

PSD

-20

-40

HD3
dB

-60 HD9

-80

-100

-120
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000
Frequency

• High-order harmonics are aliased back, visible in [0, fs/2] band

• E.g., HD3 @ 779x3+1=2338, HD9 @ 8192-9x779+1=1182
– 10 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Dynamic Performance
SNDR Peak
[dB] SNDR
Circuit SNR
Overload
noise  Vin2 / 2 
= 10LOG10  2 2 
 Δ / 12 + σ N 

 Vin  dB

Vin
0 VFS [dB]
Dynamic
range

• Peak SNDR limited by large-signal distortion of the converter

• Dynamic range implies the “theoretical” SNR of the converter
– 11 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Dynamic Performance Metrics

• Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)
• Total harmonic distortion (THD)
• Signal-to-noise and distortion ratio (SNDR or SINAD)
• Spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR)
• Two-tone intermodulation product (IM3)
• Aperture uncertainty (related to the frontend S/H and clock)

• Dynamic range (DR) – misleading (avoid it if possible!)

• Idle channel noise or pattern noise in oversampled converters

– 12 –
 Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Evaluating Dynamic Performance

PSD
• Signal-to-noise
0 SNDR = 59.16 dB
THD = 63.09 dB plus distortion ratio
-20 SFDR = 64.02 dB (SNDR)
ENOB = 9.535 bits • Total harmonic
-40
distortion (THD)
HD3
dB

-60 HD9 • Spurious-free

dynamic range
-80 (SFDR)

-100
SNDR -1.76 dB
ENOB =
-120
6.02 dB
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000
Frequency

– 13 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Static Performance Metrics

• Offset (OS)
• Gain error (GE)
• Monotonicity
• Linearity (unique to converters)
– Differential nonlinearity (DNL)
– Integral nonlinearity (INL)

– 14 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Static Performance
of DAC

– 15 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

DAC Transfer Characteristic

Vref

bn Vout
• N = # of bits
...
D/A
b1
• VFS = Full-scale input
Digital input Analog output
• Δ = VFS/2N = 1LSB
• bi = 0 or 1
N N • Multiplication
bi
Vout = VFS   i = Δ   bi  2N-i
i=1 2 i=1

Note: Vout (bi = 1, for all i) = VFS - Δ = VFS(1-2-N) ≠ VFS

– 16 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Ideal DAC Transfer Curve

Vout

VFS-Δ

VFS
2

Din
000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111

– 17 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Offset

Vout

VFS-Δ

VFS
2

Vos Din
000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111

– 18 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Gain Error

Vout

VFS-Δ

VFS
2

Din
000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111

– 19 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Monotonicity

Vout

VFS-Δ

VFS
2

Din
000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111

– 20 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Differential and Integral Nonlinearities

Vout

VFS-Δ

ith Step Size - Δ

VFS DNLi =
Δ
2
INL
DNL < -1 ?

Din
000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111

• DNL = deviation of an output step from 1 LSB (= Δ = VFS/2N)

• INL = deviation of the output from the ideal transfer curve

– 21 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

DNL and INL

Vout

VFS-Δ

VFS i
2 INLi = DNL j
j=0

Din
000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111

INL = cumulative sum of DNL

– 22 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

DNL and INL

Vout Vout

VFS-Δ VFS-Δ

VFS VFS
2 2

Din Din
000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111 000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111

Smooth Noisy

• DNL measures the uniformity of quantization steps, or incremental (local)

nonlinearity; small input signals are sensitive to DNL.
• INL measures the overall, or cumulative (global) nonlinearity; large input
signals are often sensitive to both INL (HD) and DNL (QE).
– 23 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Measure DNL and INL (Method I)

Vout

VFS-Δ

VFS
2 Endpoint
stretch

Din
000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111

Endpoints of the transfer characteristic are always at 0 and VFS-Δ

– 24 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Measure DNL and INL (Method II)

Vout

VFS-Δ

VFS
2 Least-square
fit and stretch
(“detrend”)

Din
000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111

Endpoints of the transfer characteristic may not be at 0 and VFS-Δ

– 25 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Measure DNL and INL

Vout Vout

VFS-Δ VFS-Δ

VFS VFS
2 2

Din Din
000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111 000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111

Method I (endpoint stretch) Method II (LS fit & stretch)

Σ(INL) ≠ 0 Σ(INL) = 0

– 26 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Static Performance
of ADC

– 27 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Ideal ADC Transfer Characteristic

Dout

111
110
101
100
011
010
001
000 Vin
0 VFS/2 VFS

Note the systematic offset! (floor, ceiling, and round)

– 28 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

DNL and Missing Code

Dout

111
110
• DNL = ?
101
• Can DNL < -1?
100
011
ith Step Size - Δ
010 DNLi =
Δ
001
000 Vin
0 VFS/2 VFS

DNL = deviation of an input step width from 1 LSB (= VFS/2N = Δ)

– 29 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

DNL and Nonmonotonicity

Dout

111
110
101 • DNL = ?
100 • How can we even
011
measure this?
010
001
000 Vin
0 VFS/2 VFS

DNL = deviation of an input step width from 1 LSB (= VFS/2N = Δ)

– 30 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

INL
Dout

111
110
101 Any code
100 • Missing?
011 • Nonmonotonic?
010
001
000 Vin
0 VFS/2 VFS

INL = deviation of the step midpoint from the ideal step midpoint
(method I and II …)

– 31 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

10-bit ADC Example

DNL
2

• 1024 codes
LSB

-1 • No missing code!
-2
0 200 400 600 800 1000 • Plotted against
INL the digital code,
2
not Vin
1
• Code density test
LSB

0
(CDT)
-1

-2
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Code

DNL must always be greater or equal to -1 LSB!

– 32 –
 Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Code Density Test

Count

Count
Uniformly distributed 0 ≤ Vin ≤ VFS Uniformly distributed 0 ≤ Vin ≤ VFS

n n n n n n n n ni
Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ >Δ

000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111 000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111
Vin Vin
0 VFS 0 VFS

ith Step Size - Δ ni - ni

DNLi = 
Δ ni

Ball casting problem: # of balls collected by each bin (ni) is proportional to

the bin size (converter step size)
– 33 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

CDT and Nonmonotonicity

Dout

111
110
101
100
011
010
001
000 Vin
0 VFS/2 VFS

• Two transition steps for one code?! How to plot INL/DNL?

• CDT can be misleading in determining the static nonlinearity

– 34 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Nyquist-Rate ADC

– 35 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Nyquist-Rate ADC
• Digitizes input signal up to Nyquist frequency (fN=fs/2)
• Minimum sample rate (fs) for a given input bandwidth
• Each sample is digitized to the maximum resolution of converter
• Often referred to as the “black box” version of digitization

Vref

bn
A/D
...
b1
Analog input Digital output
fs

– 36 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Nyquist-Rate ADC (N-Bit, Binary)

• Word-at-a-time (1 step)† ← fast
– Flash
• Level-at-a-time (2N steps) ← slowest
– Integrating (Serial)
• Bit-at-a-time (N steps) ← slow
– Successive approximation
– Algorithmic (Cyclic)
• Partial word-at-a-time (1 < M ≤ N steps) ← medium
– Subranging
– Pipeline
• Others (1 ≤ M ≤ N step)
– Folding ← relatively fast
– Interleaving (of flash, pipeline, or SA) ← fastest
† the number in the parentheses is the “latency” of conversion, not “throughput”
– 37 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Accuracy-Speed Tradeoff
1 word/OSR*Tclk
Resolution 1 level/Tclk
[Bits]
1 bit/Tclk
20

Integrating Partial word/Tclk

Oversampling
15
Successive Approximation
Algorithmic 1 word/Tclk
Subranging
10 Pipeline
Folding & Interpolating
Interleaving
Flash
5 Nyquist
Oversampling

0
1k 10k 100k 1M 10M 100M 1G 10G 100G
Sample Rate [Hz]

– 38 –
Data Converters Data Converter Basics Professor Y. Chiu
EECT 7327 Fall 2014

Building Blocks for Data Converters

• Sample-and-Hold (Track-and-Hold) Amplifier
• Switched-Capacitor Amplifiers, Integrators, and Filters
• Operational Amplifier
• Comparators (Preamplifier and Latch)
• Voltage and Current DAC’s
• Current Sources
• Voltage/Current/Bandgap References

– 39 –