Reduced Complexity Linearity Improved Threshold Quantized Comparator Based Flash ADC

Abstract

This paper describes a standard cell-based new approach of comparator design for flash ADC. Conventional flash ADC comparator consumes up to 60% of the power due to resistive ladder network and analog comparators. Threshold inverter quantized (TIQ) comparators reported earlier have improved speed and provide low-power, low-voltage operation. But they need feature size variation and have non-linearity issues. Here, a new standard cell comparator is proposed which retains all advantages of TIQ comparator and provides improved linearity with reduced hardware complexity. A 4-bit ADC designed using the proposed comparator requires 206 minimum-sized transistors and provides large area saving compared to previously proposed designs. Thermometer code is partitioned using algebraic division theorem. This conversion is used for mathematical modeling and complexity reduction of decoder circuit using semi-parallel organization of comparators. Circuit is designed using 90 nm technology which exhibits satisfactory performance even in process variation.