A Built-In Characterization Technique for 1-Bit/Stage Pipelined ADC

In this paper, we present, for the 1-bit/stage pipelined ADC, a self-characterization technique that quantifies the per-stage capacitor ratio and comparator offset - the two main nonlinearity sources. In the proposed loop test, two adjacent pipelined stages are reconfigured to form a loop. Then, DC test stimuli are applied. The capacitor ratio and comparator offset of the stage under test are derived from the recorded output sequences. Numerical simulations are performed to validate the proposed technique.