Non-traditional ADC and DAC testing with poly-harmonic signals

Abstract

This thesis summarizes the results from research in the field of dynamic testing Analog to Digital and Digital to Analog Converters using poly-harmonic signals. The aim of the work is to analyze and verify properties of non-traditional methods for dynamic converters testing. The goal is to measure these parameters effectively and quickly in broader frequency range at the same time. When searching for new methods, this work was inspired with Amplitude Modulated, Frequency Modulated signals, Multi-Tone signals with Uniformly Distributed Amplitude Spectral Lines, and impulse signals such as Damped Sine Wave and (sinx/x) signal. Previously mentioned signals were chosen to reflect measurement or generation in the real conditions. Modulated and Multi-Tone signals are common signals in radio engineering. A Damped Sine Wave signal corresponds with a step response of the second order system. Sinc (sinx/x) signal contains uniformly distributed amplitude lines in its frequency spectrum. Signals which are stated here have one common link. Their amplitude spectra contain more than one frequency. This feature gives us complex information in one measurement and significantly reduces the time for estimation of converter’s dynamic parameters. This fact is significant in end of line testing during manufacturing of converters. Attributes of new proposed methods using multi-harmonic signals were analyzes theoretically then simulated and finally verified by measurement on the real devices like digitizers or generators. Results from tests using Multi-Tone signals are evaluated both in time domain and frequency domain. The dynamic parameters Effective Number of Bits (ENOB) and Signal to Noise and Distortion (SINAD) were chosen as the main parameters for methods evaluation. Non-traditional test’s results are compared with results from standard methods like Best Sine Wave Fit Test evaluating converters in time domain or Sine Wave DFT Test testing converters in frequency domain according to a standards IEEE 1241 and IEEE1658. The