Analysis of the ADC resolution for radio astronomy applications

Author

Zailer, Eugene ; Graham, T. ; Belostotski, Leonid ; Plume, Rene ; Taylor, Russell

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Univ. of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

fYear

2014

fDate

13-16 July 2014

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

4

Abstract

This paper discusses the optimization procedure and the selection of the resolution of the analog/digital converter (ADC) for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) receiver chain. Once the optimum input voltage levels of ADCs with different resolutions are selected, the maximum interference levels and correlator integration time are investigated for a two-antenna system. The selection methodology, based on comparison with an ideal ADC, is outlined using the SKA as an example. This selection methodology can also be applied to other receivers with a different criteria. This work determines that the minimum required number of bits for an SKA ADC is 4 bits provided that the input signal level to the ADC is set properly.

Keywords

analogue-digital conversion; antenna arrays; optimisation; radioastronomy; radiofrequency interference; ADC resolution; SKA receiver chain; analog-digital converter; correlator integration time; interference levels; optimization procedure; radio astronomy applications; square kilometre array receiver chain; two-antenna system; word length 4 bit; Arrays; Correlation; Degradation; Interference; Noise; Receivers; Temperature; Analog to digital converters (ADCs); Dynamic Range (DR); Radio Astronomy; Radio Frequency Interferences (RFIs); Square Kilometre Array (SKA);

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Antenna Technology and Applied Electromagnetics (ANTEM), 2014 16th International Symposium on

Conference_Location

Victoria, BC

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ANTEM.2014.6887738

Filename

6887738