Patent Abstract:
To date, bandwidth mismatch within time-interleaved (TI) analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) has been largely ignored because compensation for bandwidth mismatch is performed by digital post-processing, namely finite impulse response filters. However, the lag from digital post-processing is prohibitive in high speed systems, indicating a need for blind mismatch compensation. Even with blind bandwidth mismatch estimation, though, adjustment of the filter characteristics of track-and-hold (T/H) circuits within the TI ADCs can be difficult. Here, a T/H circuit architecture is provided that uses variations of the gate voltage of a sampling switch (which varies the “on” resistance of the sampling switch) to change the bandwidth of the T/H circuits so as to precisely match the bandwidths.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/857,674, filed Aug. 17, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The invention relates generally to analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and, more particularly, to time-interleaved (TI) ADCs. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Referring to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, the reference numeral  100  generally designates a conventional ADC. ADC  100  generally comprises a track-and-hold (T/H) circuit  102  and a sub-ADC  104  so that, in operation, the ADC  100  can sample an analog input signal X(t) at a plurality of sampling instants and convert the sampled signal into a digital signal Y[n]. As is shown in  FIG. 1 , though, the T/H circuit  104  generally comprises switches and capacitors. The switch has a non-zero resistance, which causes the T/H circuit  102  to function as a filter (typically a single pole low pass filter). 
         [0004]    Turning to  FIG. 2 , a model  200  of the ADC  100  is shown. In model  200 , the filter aspects of the ADC  100  are represented by filter  202 , while the remainder of the functionality of the ADC  100  is represented by ideal ADC  204 . Filter  202  has a transfer function in the time-domain of h a  (t), which can, in turn, be represented in the frequency-domain as: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
                     
                       
                         H 
                         a 
                       
                        
                       
                         ( 
                         ω 
                         ) 
                       
                     
                     = 
                     
                       
                         
                           g 
                           a 
                         
                          
                         
                            
                           
                              
                              
                             
                                 
                             
                              
                             ωΔ 
                              
                             
                                 
                             
                              
                             t 
                           
                         
                       
                       
                         1 
                         + 
                         
                            
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                             ( 
                             
                               ω 
                               
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                                 a 
                               
                             
                             ) 
                           
                         
                       
                     
                   
                   , 
                 
               
               
                 
                   ( 
                   1 
                   ) 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
         [0000]    where g a  is the gain of ADC  100 , Δt a  is the time delay relative to a reference, and ω a  is the cutoff frequency (bandwidth). This model  200  can be useful when determining mismatches for TI ADCs. 
         [0005]    In  FIG. 3A , an example of a TI ADC  300  can be seen. TI ADC  300  generally comprises ADCs  100 - 1  to  100 -M (where each of ADCs  100 - 1  to  100 -M generally has the same structure as ADC  100  from  FIG. 1 ) that are clocked by divider  302  so that the outputs from ADCs  100 - 1  to  100 -M can be multiplexed by multiplexer  304  to produce digital signal Y[n]. Yet, when building TI ADC  300 , ADCs  100 - 1  to  100 -M are not identical to each other; there are slight structural and operational variations. These slight variations result in Direct Current (DC) offset mismatches, timing skew, gain mismatches, and bandwidth mismatches between ADCs  100 - 1  to  100 -M. 
         [0006]    Of the different types of mismatches listed, the performance impact, as the result of bandwidth mismatches, are the weakest, and, to date, have largely been ignored, but, in order to build a high accuracy (generally greater than 6 bits), high speed (generally greater than 1 GS/s) TI ADCs, bandwidth mismatches between interleaved ADC branches need to be corrected. Looking to TI ADC  300 , the output spectrum when the input signal is a tone with frequency ω *  can be represented as follows: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
                     Y 
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                       ( 
                       
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         [0000]    Assuming a 2-way TI ADC (M=2), which generally represents the upper-bound or worst-case for bandwidth mismatch, equation (2) can be reduced to: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
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         [0000]    with a Spurious-Free Dynamic Range (SFDR) of 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   SFDR 
                   = 
                   
                     20 
                      
                     
                         
                     
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                         log 
                         10 
                       
                        
                       
                         ( 
                         
                           
                             
                               
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                   4 
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         [0000]    The SFDR for an M-way interleaved TI ADC, therefore, can then be determined to be: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
                     SFDR 
                     = 
                     
                       
                         max 
                         k 
                       
                        
                       
                         ( 
                         
                           20 
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                            
                           
                             
                               log 
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                    
                   
                     
 
                   
                    
                   where 
                 
               
               
                 
                   ( 
                   5 
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                       k 
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                         = 
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                         - 
                         1 
                       
                     
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         [0000]    Now, equation (1) can be applied to TI ADC  300  for the purposes of simulation so 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
                     
                       
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                         a 
                       
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                             a 
                           
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                    
                   
                     
                       
                         for 
                          
                         
                             
                         
                          
                         
                           T 
                           S 
                         
                       
                       &gt; 
                       
                         τ 
                         a 
                       
                     
                     = 
                     
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                         ω 
                         a 
                       
                     
                   
                   , 
                 
               
               
                 
                   ( 
                   7 
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         [0000]    where T S  is the period of clock signal CLK. Such a simulation yields that variations in bandwidth mismatches are dependent on gain mismatches and timing skews and that (with high accuracy, high speed TI ADCs) bandwidth mismatch can significantly affect performance. An example of a simulation of the effect bandwidth mismatch can be seen in  FIG. 3B  for different gain and skew compensations. Thus, to achieve the desired SFDR (i.e., greater than 70 dB) for a TI ADC, the bandwidths of ADCs within the TI ADC should be matched to be within 0.1% to 0.25%. 
         [0007]    To date, however, no estimation algorithm or circuit exists to blindly determine bandwidth mismatches. The two most relevant conventional circuits, though, are described in the following: Satarzadeh et al., “Bandwidth Mismatch Correction for a Two-Channel Time-Interleaved A/D Converter,”  Proceedings of  2007  IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems,  2007; and Tsai et al., “Bandwidth Mismatch and Its Correction in Time-Interleaved Analog-to-Digital Converters,”  IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II: Express Briefs,  Vol. 53, No. 10, pp. 1133-1137, Oct. 23, 2006. Neither of these circuits, though, adequately addresses blind bandwidth mismatch estimation. 
         [0008]    Assuming, however, that one is able to adequately perform blind bandwidth mismatch estimation, adjustment of bandwidths of the T/H circuits (like T/H circuit  102 ) in TI ADC  300  can be difficult due at least in part to the precision of the bandwidth matching. A switched capacitor arrangement included within the T/H circuit  102  would be undesirable because it would be difficult to implement, and capacitive tuning (such as with a varactor and a tuning voltage) would also be undesirable because of signal dependencies. Thus, there is a need for a bandwidth adjustment circuit that can be adjusted from a blind bandwidth mismatch estimation. 
         [0009]    Some other conventional circuits are: U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,612; U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,804; U.S. Pat. No. 6,255,865; U.S. Patent Pre-Grant Publ. No. 2004/0070439; U.S. Patent Pre-Grant Publ. No. 2004/0239545; U.S. Patent Pre-Grant Publ. No. 2009/0009219; and Abo et al. “A 1.5-V, 10-bit, 14.3-MS/s CMOS Pipeline Analog-to-Digital Converter,”  IEEE J. of Solid State Circuits,  Vol. 34, No. 5, pp. 599-606, May 1999; 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention, accordingly, provides an apparatus. The apparatus comprises a clock divider that receives a clock signal; a plurality analog-to-digital converter (ADC) branches that each receive an analog input signal, wherein each ADC branch includes: a delay circuit that is coupled to the clock divider; an ADC having: a bootstrap circuit that is coupled to the delay circuit; a sampling switch that is coupled to the bootstrap circuit; and a controller that is coupled to the bootstrap circuit to provide a control voltage to the bootstrap circuit so as to control a gate voltage of the sampling switch to adjust the impedance of the sampling switch when the sampling switch is actuated; a sampling capacitor that is coupled to the sampling switch; and a correction circuit that is coupled to the ADC; and a mismatch estimation circuit that is coupled to each delay circuit, each correction circuit, and each controller, wherein the mismatch estimation circuit provides a control signal to each controller to adjust for relative bandwidth mismatches between the ADC branches. 
         [0011]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises a multiplexer that is coupled to each ADC branch. 
         [0012]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the correction circuit adjusts the output of its ADC to correct for DC offset and gain mismatch. 
         [0013]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bootstrap circuit further comprises: a boost capacitor that is charged during a hold phase of the ADC; a transistor having first passive electrode, a second passive electrode, and a control electrode, wherein the first passive electrode of the transistor is coupled to the boost capacitor, and wherein the second passive electrode of the transistor is coupled to the sampling switch; a passgate circuit that is coupled to the delay circuit, that is coupled to the control electrode of the transistor, and that receives the control voltage; and a skew circuit that is coupled to sampling switch and that is controlled by the control voltage. 
         [0014]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the transistor further comprises a first transistor, and wherein the passgate circuit further comprises: a second transistor having a first passive electrode, a second passive electrode, and a control electrode, wherein the first passive electrode of the second transistor is coupled to the controller so as to receive the control voltage, and wherein the control electrode of the second transistor is coupled to the delay circuit, and wherein the second passive electrode of the second transistor is coupled to the control electrode of the first transistor; a third transistor having a first passive electrode, a second passive electrode, and a control electrode, wherein the first passive electrode of the third transistor is coupled to the second passive electrode of second transistor, and wherein the control electrode of the third transistor is coupled to the delay circuit; and a fourth transistor having a first passive electrode, a second passive electrode, and a control electrode, wherein the first passive electrode of the fourth transistor is coupled to the control electrode of the first transistor, and wherein the control electrode of the fourth transistor is coupled to the sampling switch, and wherein the second passive electrode of the fourth transistor is coupled to the second passive electrode of the third transistor. 
         [0015]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the skew circuit further comprises a fifth transistor having a first passive electrode, a second passive electrode, and a control electrode, wherein the first passive electrode of the fifth transistor is coupled to the sampling switch, and wherein the control electrode of the fifth transistor is coupled to the controller so as to receive the control voltage. 
         [0016]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller is a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). 
         [0017]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller is a charge pump. 
         [0018]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprising a clock divider that receives a clock signal; a plurality ADC branches that each receive an analog input signal, wherein each ADC branch includes: a delay circuit that is coupled to the clock divider; an ADC having: a bootstrap circuit that is coupled to the delay circuit; a sampling switch that is coupled to the bootstrap circuit; a controller that is coupled to the bootstrap circuit to provide a control voltage to the bootstrap circuit so as to control a gate voltage of the sampling switch to adjust the impedance of the sampling switch when the sampling switch is actuated; a sampling capacitor that is coupled to the sampling switch; an output circuit that is coupled to the sampling capacitor; and a sub-ADC that is coupled to the output circuit; and an correction circuit that is coupled to the ADC; a mismatch estimation circuit that is coupled to each delay circuit, each correction circuit, and each controller, wherein the mismatch estimation circuit provides a control signal to each controller to adjust for relative bandwidth mismatches between the ADC branches; and a multiplexer that is coupled to each ADC branch. 
         [0019]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a clock divider that receives a clock signal; a plurality ADC branches that each receive an analog input signal, wherein each ADC branch includes: a delay circuit that is coupled to the clock divider; an ADC having: a bootstrap circuit that is coupled to the delay circuit; a PMOS transistor that is coupled to the bootstrap circuit; a controller that is coupled to the bootstrap circuit to provide a control voltage to the bootstrap circuit so as to control a gate voltage of the sampling switch to adjust the impedance of the sampling switch when the sampling switch is actuated; a sampling capacitor that is coupled to the PMOS transistor at its drain; an output circuit that is coupled to the sampling capacitor; and a sub-ADC that is coupled to the output circuit; and an correction circuit that is coupled to the ADC, wherein the correction circuit adjusts the output of its ADC to correct for DC offset and gain mismatch; a mismatch estimation circuit that is coupled to each delay circuit, each correction circuit, and each controller, wherein the mismatch estimation circuit provides a control signal to each controller to adjust for relative bandwidth mismatches between the ADC branches; and a multiplexer that is coupled to each ADC branch. 
         [0020]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the PMOS transistor further comprises a first PMOS transistor, and wherein the bootstrap circuit further comprises: a boost capacitor that is charged during a hold phase of the ADC; a second PMOS transistor that is coupled to the boost capacitor at its source and the gate of the first PMOS switch at its drain; a passgate circuit that is coupled to the delay circuit, that is coupled to the gate of the second PMOS transistor, and that receives the control voltage; and a skew circuit that is coupled to sampling switch and that is controlled by the control voltage. 
         [0021]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the passgate circuit further comprises: a third PMOS transistor that is coupled to the controller at its source, the delay circuit at its gate, and the gate of the second PMOS transistor at its drain; a first NMOS transistor that is coupled to the drain of the third PMOS transistor at its drain and the delay circuit at its gate; and a second NMOS transistor that is coupled to the drain of the third PMOS transistor at its drain, the source of the first NMOS transistor at its source, and the gate of the first PMOS transistor at its gate. 
         [0022]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the skew circuit further comprises a third NMOS transistor that is coupled to the gate of the first PMOS transistor at its drain and the controller at its gate. 
         [0023]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller is a DAC or a charge pump. 
         [0024]    The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0026]      FIG. 1  is a circuit diagram of a conventional ADC; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a model of the ADC of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3A  is a circuit diagram of a convention TI ADC using the ADC of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 3B  is an example of a simulation showing the effect of bandwidth mismatch on the Spurious-Free Dynamic Range (SFDR) of a TI ADC; 
           [0030]      FIG. 4  is a circuit diagram of a TI ADC in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 5  is a circuit diagram of the T/H circuit of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 6  is a circuit diagram of the bootstrap circuit of  5 ; and 
           [0033]      FIG. 7  is a graph depicting the bandwidth for the T/H circuit of  FIG. 5  versus “on” resistance of the sampling switch of the T/H circuit of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0034]    Refer now to the drawings wherein depicted elements are, for the sake of clarity, not necessarily shown to scale and wherein like or similar elements are designated by the same reference numeral through the several views. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 4  of the drawings, the reference numeral  400  generally designates a TI ADC in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. ADC  400  generally comprises ADC branches  402 - 1  to  402 -M, divider  404 , multiplexer or mux  408 , and a mismatch estimation circuit  410 . Each ADC branch  402 - 1  to  402 -M also generally comprises (respectively) ADC  410 - 1  to  410 -M, correction circuit  416 - 1  to  416 -M, and adjustable delay element or circuit  418 - 1  to  418 -M. Additionally, each ADC  410 - 1  to  410 -M generally comprises (respectively) a T/H circuit  410 - 1  to  410 -M and a sub-ADC  414 - 1  to  414 -M. 
         [0036]    In operation, TI ADC  400  converts analog input signal X(t) to a digital signal Y[n]. To accomplish this, divider  402  divides a clock signal CLK (with a frequency of F S  or period of T S ) into M clock signals (each with a frequency of F S /M) that are staggered by delay circuits  418 - 1  to  418 -M and provided to ADCs  410 - 1  to  410 -M. This allows each of ADCs  410 - 1  to  410 -M to convert the analog signal X(t) to digital signals X 1 (k) to X M (k). The gain and DC offset adjustments are applied to digital signals X 1 (k) to X M (k) by correction circuits  416 - 1  to  416 -M to generate digital signals Y[1] to Y[M], which can then be multiplexed by mux  408  to generate a digital signal Y[N]. 
         [0037]    To generally ensure that signals Y[ 0 ] to Y[M−1] are matched, mismatch estimation circuit  410  calculates and compensates for gain mismatches, DC offset mismatches, timing skews, and bandwidth mismatches. The mismatch estimation circuit  410  is generally a digital signals processor (DSP) or dedicated hardware, which determines the gain mismatches, DC offset mismatches, timing skews, and bandwidth mismatches and which can provide adjustments for gain, DC offset, timing skew, and bandwidth to correction circuits  416 - 1  to  416 -M and T/H circuits  412 - 1  to  412 -M. A more complete explanation of the mismatch estimation circuit  410  can be found in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/572,717, which is entitled “BANDWIDTH MISMATCH ESTIMATION IN TIME-INTERLEAVED ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTERS,” and which is incorporated by reference for all purposes. 
         [0038]    Turning now to  FIG. 5 , T/H circuits  412 - 1  to  412 -M (hereinafter referred to as  412  for the sake of simplicity) can be seen in greater detail. T/H circuit  412  generally comprises a bootstrap circuit  502 , a controller  504 , a sampling switch S 1  (which is typically an NMOS transistor or NMOS switch), a sampling capacitor CSAMPLE, and an output circuit  506 . In operation, the bootstrap circuit  502  controls the actuation and de-actuation of the sampling switch S 1  based at least in part on a clock signal CLKIN (which is received from a respective delay circuit  418 - 1  to  418 -M) and a control voltage VCNTL from controller  504 . Generally, the mismatch estimation circuit  406  provides a control signal to the controller  504  (which may be a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) or charge pump) to generate the control voltage VCNTL. The control voltage VCNTL, through the bootstrap circuit  502 , is able to control the gate voltage of the sampling switch S 1  to adjust the impedance or “on” resistance of the sampling switch S 1  when the sampling switch S 1  is actuated. 
         [0039]    Looking to  FIG. 6 , the bootstrap circuit  502  can be seen in greater detail. When the clock signal CLKIN is logic low (such as during a hold phase), inverter  508  turns transistor Q 1  (which is typically an NMOS transistor) “on,” while passgate circuit (which generally comprises transistors Q 2 , Q 3 , and Q 5 ) maintains transistor Q 4  (which is generally a PMOS transistor) in an “off” state. Assuming that signal CLKZ is logic high so that transistors Q 8  and Q 9  (which are typically NMOS transistors) are in an “on” state and during this logic low period of clock signal CLKIN, supply voltage VDD charges the boost capacitor CBOOST. When clock signal CLKIN transitions to logic high, passgate circuit turns transistor Q 4  “on,” while transistors Q 1  is turned “off.” At this point, a voltage is applied to the gate of sampling switch S 1  to turn it “on.” This gate voltage for sampling switch S 1  is generated at least in part from the discharge of capacitor CBOOST, the input signal IN (which is applied through transistor Q 6 ), and the control voltage VCNTL (which is applied through the passgate circuit and the skew circuit (which generally comprises transistors Q 7  and Q 8 )). Generally, this control voltage VCNTL is applied to the source of transistor Q 2  (which is generally a PMOS transistor) and the gate of transistor Q 7  (which is generally an NMOS transistor) so as to adjust the gate voltage of sample switch S 1 . Thus, the gate voltage of the sampling switch S 1  can be easily controlled by varying control voltage VCNTL. Additionally, because the sampling switch S 1  is generally a NMOS switch operating in a linear region, variation of this gate voltage varies the “on” resistance of the sampling switch S 1 , which adjusts the filter characteristics (and bandwidth) of the filter created by the sampling switch S 1 , resistor R 1 , and sampling capacitor CSAMPLE. 
         [0040]    To illustrate the operation to bootstrap circuit  502  and sampling switch S 1 , a graph depicting bandwidth of T/H circuit  412  versus “on” resistance for the sampling switch S 1  can be seen in  FIG. 7 . As can be seen, the bandwidth for T/H circuit  502  varies between about 2.956 GHz at for a VCNTL DAC code of zero to about 3.051 GHz for a VCNTL DAC code of 1023Ω. Thus, the bandwidths for multiple T/H circuits  412  (such as  412 - 1  to  412 -M) with nominal bandwidths of 3 GHz can be adjusted to match one another to between about 0.25% and about 0.1%. 
         [0041]    Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7