High Speed ADC & DAC Testing

China AEO: Deng Liang Sun

High Speed DAC Testing Agenda
- DAC architecture & transfer curve
- Static and Dynamic parameters
- DAC testing setup and example
High Speed ADC Testing
- ADC architecture & transfer curve
- Static and Dynamic parameters
- ADC testing setup and example
Testing Instruments
- AWG, Sine-Wave Generator, Logic Analyzer, Pattern Generator, Pulse
Generator, Spectrum Analyzer, Multi-Meter, Power Supply, Oscilloscope
Backup Material
- Oscilloscope effective bits spec
- ADC static and dynamic parameters defined
Agilent Confidential Page 2
High Speed DAC Testing
 DAC Block Diagram

Example of a 3-bit DAC

2R 4R 8R
Vref Rf

Vo

a0 a1 a2
digital code

Rf a0 a1 a2
Vo = ( + + ) Vref
R 2 4 8

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 DAC Transfer Curve

Discrete Analog Discrete Analog

Output Voltage Output Voltage

Digital input code Digital input code

Ideal DAC Non-Ideal DAC

1 Device LSB = step size

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DAC Static Performance Specifications

•Differential
•Differential Non-Linearity
Non-Linearity (DNL)
(DNL)
•Integral
•Integral Non-Linearity
Non-Linearity (INL)
(INL)
•Gain
•Gain Error
Error
•Offset
•Offset Error
Error
•Gain
•Gain Mismatch
Mismatch

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DAC Dynamic Performance Specifications

• Total harmonic distortion (THD)

• Signal-to-noise plus distortion (SND)

• Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)

• Spurious free dynamic range (SFDR)

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 DAC Testing Setup

DMM
Pattern Generator DUT
Spectrum Analyzer

Power Supply

PC with Analysis Software

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 DAC Testing Example (From Japan)
81130A
81131A

PG
PG
Sampling
Clock

Sampling Clock
（For DUT DAC）
Analog Signal
16903A
16903A DA
16720A DA 3458A
16720A Converter
Logic
LogicAnalyzer
Analyzer Converter
N bits data E4401B
(Digital in)

Agilent VEE GP-IB

LAN

PC(GP-IB)

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 DAC Solution Results （DNL/INL）
）

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 （Spectrum）
DAC Solution Results（ ）

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High Speed ADC Testing
 Flash ADC Block Diagram

+Vref
n
2 -1 comparators
R
Analog
input n n lines
R

Output register
Decode logic
R

朧 ref Sampling clock

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 3- Bit ADC
code
width

111

110
code
101
Binary Output Code

center code transition

100
1 LSB
011

010

001

000
1/8 1/4 3/8 1/2 5/8 3/4 7/8 FS

Analog Input

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 ADC Ideal vs. Real

Ideal
111
Real
110

101
Binary Output Code

100

011

010

001

000
1/8 1/4 3/8 1/2 5/8 3/4 7/8 FS

Analog Input

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ADC Static Performance Specifications

•Differential
•Differential Non-Linearity
Non-Linearity (DNL)
(DNL)
•Integral
•Integral Non-Linearity
Non-Linearity (INL)
(INL)
•Offset
•Offset Error
Error
•Full
•Full Scale
Scale Gain
Gain Error
Error

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ADC Dynamic Performance Specifications

• Total harmonic distortion (THD)

• Signal-to-noise plus distortion (SND)

• Effective Number of Bits (Neff)

SND=6.02 * Neff + 1.76

• Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)

• Spurious free dynamic range (SFDR)

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 ADC Testing Setup

Pulse Generator

AWG
DUT Logic Analyzer
Sine-Wave Generator

Power Supply

PC with Analysis Software

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 ADC Testing Example (From Japan)

81130A

10MHz Reference
PG
PG
Sampling Sampling
Clock Clock
Sine Wave （For ADC） （For LA）
(to Analog input)
16903A
AD
AD 16903A
SG
SG Filter
Filter Converter
16911A
16911A
Converter N bits data
Logic
LogicAnalyzer
Analyzer
(Digital out)

PSG Agilent VEE

GP-IB LAN
PC(GP-IB)

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ADC Solution Result （DNL/INL）
）

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ADC Solution Result （Spectrum）
）

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 Summary

• Agilent provides total solution for high speed ADC&DAC testing

• Frequency Domain Instruments: Performance Spectrum Analyzer,

Low Phase Noise Signal Generator
• Time Domain Instruments: Logic Analyzer, AWG, Low Jitter Pulse
Generator
• Graphical Programming Software: VEE Pro with Matlab Script

Agilent Confidential Page 22

 Backup Material

1.Oscilloscope effective bits spec

2.ADC static & dynamic parameters defined
ADC Static & Dynamic Parameters Defined
ADC Static Performance Specifications

•Differential
•Differential Non-Linearity
Non-Linearity (DNL)
(DNL)
•Integral
•Integral Non-Linearity
Non-Linearity (INL)
(INL)
•Offset
•Offset Error
Error
•Full
•Full Scale
Scale Gain
Gain Error
Error

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ADC DNL

111
110
Binary Output Code

missing code
101 DNL
100
011
DNL
010
001
000
1/4 FS 1/2 FS 3/4 FS FS
Analog Input

Data[i+1] - Data[i] Data(N-1) - Data(0)

DNL(i) = - 1.0; DeviceLSB =
DeviceLSB N-1

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ADC INL
111

Binary Output Code

110
101
100
011 INL
010
001
000
1/4 FS 1/2 FS 3/4 FS FS
Analog Input

Data[i] - (DeviceLSB * i + Data[0])

INL(i) = ;
DeviceLSB
Data(N-1) - Data(0)
DeviceLSB =
N-1
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ADC Gain Error
Gain Error

Actual code center line

111
110
Binary Output Code

Ideal code center line

101
100
011
010
001
000
1/4 FS 1/2 FS 3/4 FS FS
Analog Input

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ADC Offset Error

Ideal code center line

111
110
Binary Output Code

101
100 Actual code center line
011
010
001
000
1/4 FS 1/2 FS 3/4 FS FS
offset
Error Analog Input

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ADC Dynamic Performance Specifications

• Total harmonic distortion (THD)

• Signal-to-noise plus distortion (SND)

• Effective Number of Bits (Neff)

SND=6.02 * Neff + 1.76

• Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)

• Spurious free dynamic range (SFDR)

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Total Harmonic Distortion, THD

The total harmonic distortion (THD) is the ratio of the rms sum of
the first N harmonic components (typically up to the 5th harmonic)
to the rms value of a full-scale input signal.
THD is expressed in dB.

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Signal-to-Noise plus Distortion, SND (SINAD)
Signal to Noise & Distortion is the ratio of the rms value of the input
signal to the rms sum of all other spectral components below Nyquist
frequency, including everything but DC.

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 Effective Number of Bits, Neff
(ENOB)
• Neff or ENOB says that the ADC is equivalent to this (ENOB) number of bits as far
as SIND is concerned. That is, a converter with an ENOB of 7.0 has the same
SINAD as a theoretically perfect 7-bit converter.

SND=6.02 * Neff + 1.76

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Signal-to-Noise Ratio, SNR

Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) is the ratio of the rms value of the input
signal to the rms sum of all other spectral components below Nyquist
frequency, excluding harmonics and DC.

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Spurious Free Dynamic Range, SFDR
Spurious free dynamic range (SFDR) is the ratio of the largest
spectral component excluding DC to the rms value of the full-
scale input signal.
A max
SFDR = -20 * log
Hf
A is the amplitude of the maximum spurious component of either
harmonics or noise
Hf is the fundamental of the output signal

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