Measurement and Representation of the ADC Integral Nonlinearity in the Time Domain

In this paper a new approach to the measurement and compensation of the soft components of the integral nonlinearity (INL) of the ADC in the time domain is presented, using both sine and triangular waves. Connection will be established between the user oriented nonlinear description based on memoryless nonlinear models using orthogonal polynomial series and the manufacturer oriented specification, the INL. Using the orthogonal series representation it will also be shown how the nonlinearity of the generator can be compensated a posteriori in the ADC characterization, allowing for a better assessment of the ADC. Finally, simulation results will be presented that portray the applicability of these methods and representations.