Flexible Digital-to-Analog Converters Concept

This chapter proposes a new concept for flexibility of Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs). This concept is realized in a new flexible current-steering DAC architecture. The architecture is based on a modular design approach that uses unary functional segmentation (i.e. parallel sub-DAC units) to realize flexible design, functionality and performance. The architecture includes circuit redundancy, benefiting from the reduced cost per transistor that comes with CMOS technology scaling. The parallel sub-DAC units form a mixed-signal platform that is capable of a number of DAC correction methods, including calibration, error mapping, data reshuffling, and harmonic distortion cancellation. The proposed new DAC flexibility concept is expected to assist FPGA digital platforms in their continual expansion into the mixed-signal domain.