High-speed Analog-to-digital Converters For Modern Satellite Receivers: Design Verification Test And Sensitivity Analysis

Abstract

Mixed-signal System-on-chip devices such as analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) have become increasingly prevalent in the semiconductor industry. Since the complexity and applications are different for each device, complex testing and characterization methods are required. Specifically, signal integrity in I/O interfaces requires that standard RF design and test techniques must be integrated into mixed signal processes. While such techniques may be difficult to implement, on-chip test-vehicles and RF circuitry offer the possibility of wireless approaches to chip testing. This would eliminate expensive wafer probing solution to verify the design of high-speed ADC functionality currently required for high-speed product evaluation.

This thesis describes a new high-speed analog-to-digital converter test methodology. The target systems used on-chip digital de-multiplexing and clock distribution. A detail sequence of performance testing operations is presented. Digital outputs are post processed and fed into a computer-aided ADC performance characterization tool which is custom-developed in a MATLAB GUI. The problems of high sampling rate ADC testing are described. The test methodologies described reduce test costs and overcome many test hardware limitations. As our focus is on satellite receiver systems, we emphasize the measurement of inter-modulation distortion and effective resolution bandwidth. As a primary characterization component, Fourier analysis is used and we address the issue of sample window adjustment to eliminate spectral leakage and false spur generation. A 6-bit 800 MSamples/sec dual channel SiGe-based ADC is used as a target example and investigated on the corner lot process variations to determine the impact of process variations and the sensitivity of the ADCs to critical process parameter variations.