This book describes techniques for realizing wide bandwidth (125MHz) over-sampled analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) in nano meter-CMOS processes. The authors offer a clear and complete picture of system level challenges and practical design solutions in high-speed Delta-Sigma modulators. Readers will be enabled to implement ADCs as continuous-time delta-sigma (CT∆Σ) modulators, offering simple resistive inputs, which do not require the use of power-hungry input buffers, as well as offering inherent anti-aliasing, which simplifies system integration. The authors focus on the design of high speed and wide-bandwidth ΔΣMs that make a step in bandwidth range which was previously only possible with Nyquist converters. More specifically, this book describes the stability, power efficiency and linearity limits of ΔΣMs, aiming at a GHz sampling frequency.

Sigma-delta A/D converters are a key building block in wireless and multimedia applications. This comprehensive book deals with all relevant aspects arising during the analysis, design and simulation of the now widespread continuous-time implementations of sigma-delta modulators. The results of several years of research by the authors in the field of CT sigma-delta modulators are covered, including the analysis and modeling of different CT modulator architectures, CT/DT loop filter synthesis, a detailed error analysis of all components, and possible compensation/correction schemes for the non-ideal behavior in CT sigma-delta modulators. Guidance for obtaining low-power consumption and several practical implementations are also presented. It is shown that all the proposed new theories, architectures and possible correction techniques have been confirmed by measurements on discrete or integrated circuits. Quantitative results are also provided, thus enabling prediction of the resulting accuracy.

Delta-Sigma analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are traditionally used in high quality audio systems, instrumentation and measurement (I&M) and biomedical devices. With the continued downscaling of CMOS technology, they are becoming popular in wideband applications such as wireless and wired communication systems,high-definition television and radar systems. There are two general realizations of a [Delta-Sigma] modulator. One is based on the discrete-time (DT) switched-capacitor (SC) circuitry and the other employs continuous-time (CT) circuitry. Compared to a CT structure, the DT [Delta-Sigma] ADC is easier to analyze and design, is more robust to process variations and jitter noise, and is more flexible in the multi-mode applications. On the other hand, the CT [Delta-Sigma] ADC does not suffer from the strict settling accuracy requirement for the loop filter and thus can achieve lower power dissipation and higher sampling frequency than its DT counterpart. In this thesis, both DT and CT [Delta-Sigma] ADCs are investigated. Several design innovations, in both system-level and circuit-level, are proposed to achieve lower power consumption and wider signal bandwidth. For DT [Delta-Sigma] ADCs, a new dynamic-biasing scheme is proposed to reduce opamp bias current and the associated signal-dependent harmonic distortion is minimized by using the low-distortion architecture. The technique was verified in a 2.5MHz BW and 13bit dynamic range DT [Delta-Sigma] ADC. In addition, a second-order noise coupling technique is presented to save two integrators for the loop filter, and to achieve low power dissipation. Also, a direct-charge-transfer (DCT) technique is suggested to reduce the speed requirements of the adder, which is also preferable in wideband low-power applications. For CT [Delta-Sigma] ADCs, a wideband low power CT 2-2 MASH has been designed. High linearity performance was achieved by using a modified low-distortion technique, and the modulator achieves higher noise-shaping ability than the single stage structure due to the inter-stage gain. Also, the quantization noise leakage due to analog circuit non-idealities can be adaptively compensated by a designed digital calibration filter. Using a 90nm process, simulation of the modulator predicts a 12bit resolution within 20MHz BW and consumes only 25mW for analog circuitry. In addition, the noise-coupling technique is investigated and proposed for the design of CT [Delta-Sigma] ADCs and it is promising to achieve low power dissipation for wideband applications. Finally, the application of noise-coupling technique is extended and introduced to high-accuracy incremental data converters. Low power dissipation can be expected.

"In recent years, Continuous-time Delta-Sigma(CT-[delta][sigma]) analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) have been extensively investigated for their use in wireless receivers to achieve conversion bandwidths greater than 15 MHz and higher resolution of 10 to 14 bits. This dissertation investigates the current state-of-the-art high-speed single-bit and multi-bit Continuous-time Delta-Sigma modulator (CT-[delta][sigma]M) designs and their limitations due to circuit non-idealities in achieving the performance required for next-generation wireless standards. Also, we presented complete architectural and circuit details of a high-speed single-bit and multi-bit CT-[delta][sigma]M operating at a sampling rate of 1.25 GSps and 640 MSps respectively (the highest reported sampling rate in a 0.13 [mu]m CMOS technology node) with measurement results. Further, we propose novel hybrid [delta][sigma] architecture with two-step quantizer to alleviate the bandwidth and resolution bottlenecks associated with the contemporary CT-[delta][sigma]M topologies. To facilitate the design with the proposed architecture, a robust systematic design method is introduced to determine the loop-filter coefficients by taking into account the non-ideal integrator response, such as the finite opamp gain and the presence of multiple parasitic poles and zeros. Further, comprehensive system-level simulation is presented to analyze the effect of two-step quantizer non-idealities such as the offset and gain error in the sub-ADCs, and the current mismatch between the MSB and LSB elements in the feedback DAC. The proposed novel architecture is demonstrated by designing a high-speed wideband 4th order CT-[delta][sigma] modulator prototype, employing a two-step quantizer with 5-bits resolution. The proposed modulator takes advantage of the combination of a high-resolution two-step quantization technique and an excess-loop delay (ELD) compensation of more than one clock cycle to achieve lower-power consumption (28 mW), higher dynamic range (>69 dB) with a wide conversion bandwidth (20 MHz), even at a lower sampling rate of 400 MHz. The proposed modulator achieves a Figure of Merit (FoM) of 340 fJ/level."--Boise State University ScholarWorks.

The emphasis of this book is on practical design aspects for broadband A/D converters for communication systems. The embedded designs are employed for transceivers in the field of ADSL solutions and WLAN applications. An area- and power-efficient realization of a converter is mandatory to remain competitive in the market. The right choice for the converter topology and architecture needs to be done very carefully to result in a competitive FOM. The book begins with a brief overview of basic concepts about ADSL and WLAN to understand the ADC requirements. At architectural level, issues on different modulator topologies are discussed employing the provided technology node. The design issues are pointed out in detail for modern digital CMOS technologies, beginning with 180nm followed by 130nm and going down to 65nm feature size. Beside practical aspects, challenges to mixed-signal design level are addressed to optimize the converters in terms of consumed chip area, power consumption and design for high yield in volume production. Thus, careful considerations on circuit- and architectural- level are performed by introducing a dynamic-biasing technique, a feed-forward approach and a resolution in time instead of amplitude resolution.

Among analog-to-digital converters, the delta-sigma modulator has cornered the market on high to very high resolution converters at moderate speeds, with typical applications such as digital audio and instrumentation. Interest has recently increased in delta-sigma circuits built with a continuous-time loop filter rather than the more common switched-capacitor approach. Continuous-time delta-sigma modulators offer less noisy virtual ground nodes at the input, inherent protection against signal aliasing, and the potential to use a physical rather than an electrical integrator in the first stage for novel applications like accelerometers and magnetic flux sensors. More significantly, they relax settling time restrictions so that modulator clock rates can be raised. This opens the possibility of wideband (1 MHz or more) converters, possibly for use in radio applications at an intermediate frequency so that one or more stages of mixing might be done in the digital domain. Continuous-Time Delta-Sigma Modulators for High-Speed A/D Conversion: Theory, Practice and Fundamental Performance Limits covers all aspects of continuous-time delta-sigma modulator design, with particular emphasis on design for high clock speeds. The authors explain the ideal design of such modulators in terms of the well-understood discrete-time modulator design problem and provide design examples in Matlab. They also cover commonly-encountered non-idealities in continuous-time modulators and how they degrade performance, plus a wealth of material on the main problems (feedback path delays, clock jitter, and quantizer metastability) in very high-speed designs and how to avoid them. They also give a concrete design procedure for a real high-speed circuit which illustrates the tradeoffs in the selection of key parameters. Detailed circuit diagrams, simulation results and test results for an integrated continuous-time 4 GHz band-pass modulator for A/D conversion of 1 GHz analog signals are also presented. Continuous-Time Delta-Sigma Modulators for High-Speed A/D Conversion: Theory, Practice and Fundamental Performance Limits concludes with some promising modulator architectures and a list of the challenges that remain in this exciting field.