ADC Static Characterization Using Nonlinear Ramp Signal

Vora, Santosh C and Satish, L (2010) ADC Static Characterization Using Nonlinear Ramp Signal. In: Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 59 (8). pp. 2115-2122.

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Abstract

Static characteristics of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) can be directly determined from the histogram-based quasi-static approach by measuring the ADC output when excited by an ideal ramp/triangular signal of sufficiently low frequency. This approach requires only a fraction of time compared to the conventional dc voltage test, is straightforward, is easy to implement, and, in principle, is an accepted method as per the revised IEEE 1057. However, the only drawback is that ramp signal sources are not ideal. Thus, the nonlinearity present in the ramp signal gets superimposed on the measured ADC characteristics, which renders them, as such, unusable. In recent years, some solutions have been proposed to alleviate this problem by devising means to eliminate the contribution of signal source nonlinearity. Alternatively, a straightforward step would be to get rid of the ramp signal nonlinearity before it is applied to the ADC. Driven by this logic, this paper describes a simple method about using a nonlinear ramp signal, but yet causing little influence on the measured ADC static characteristics. Such a thing is possible because even in a nonideal ramp, there exist regions or segments that are nearly linear. Therefore, the task, essentially, is to identify these near-linear regions in a given source and employ them to test the ADC, with a suitable amplitude to match the ADC full-scale voltage range. Implementation of this method reveals that a significant reduction in the influence of source nonlinearity can be achieved. Simulation and experimental results on 8- and 10-bit ADCs are presented to demonstrate its applicability.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement
Publisher:	IEEE
Additional Information:	Copyright 2010 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or to reuse any copyrighted component of this work in other works must be obtained from the IEEE.
Keywords:	Analog-to-digital converter (ADC) static characteristics; ADC testing; best segment identification; nonlinear ramp; quasi-static histogram testing; ramp testing
Department/Centre:	Division of Electrical Sciences > Electrical Engineering
Date Deposited:	11 Oct 2010 07:04
Last Modified:	11 Oct 2010 07:04
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/33138

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