Data Conversion With Subgate-Delay Time Resolution Using Cyclic-Coupled Ring Oscillators

An integrated circuit that measures time intervals with high precision and accuracy has a wide range of applications including data conversion, ranging, 3-D imaging. The resolution which are quantized by ring oscillator or delay line is limited the minimum an inverter in technology. We propose use cyclic-coupled oscillators (CCROs) as time-domain quantizer to achieve combination subgate-delay together short conversion time, thereby enabling well bandwidth. resolution-power tradeoff coupled studied. Simulation indicates up factor-of-13 13 oscillators. A real-time quantizing time-to-digital converter designed for analog-to-digital converter. Powered factor-of-8 1.6 ps obtained nine oscillators, sample 4 ns 11-bit delivers 9.9-bit ENOB over signal bandwidth 125 MHz SFDR 88 dB. Results demonstrate CCROs attractive candidate high-precision high-linearity converters.