On the static test of Analogue-to-Digital Converters

The performance of analog to digital front ends of electronic systems affects the interpretation of signals converted from the real world into the digital domain. ADCs behavior influence decisively the accuracy and bandwidth of instruments. In this paper after an overview of the standardized ADC testing techniques, a new procedure aimed to speed up the static test of analog-to-digital converters is presented. It is based on the use of uniformly distributed noise, added to a variable DC level to stimulate the converter. It leads to a dramatic reduction of the duration of the test, especially when the rms value of noise present on the experimental setup is significant when compared with the quantization step, as it is usual in actual test conditions of high resolution ADCs.