Sigma-delta Modulators (SigmaDeltaMs) are cornerstone elements in oversampled analog-to-digital converters and digital-to-analog converters (DAC). Although transistor-level simulation is the most ...accurate approach known for these components, this method becomes impractical for complex systems due to its long computational time requirements. Behavioral modeling has become a viable solution to this problem. In this paper, we study styles and issues in the accurate modeling of low-power, high-speed SigmaDeltaMs and introduce two new behavioral models for switched-capacitor (SC) integrators. The first model is based on the SC integrator transient response, including the effects of the amplifier transconductance, output conductance, and the dynamic capacitive loading effect on the settling time. The second model is based on a symbolic node admittance matrix representation of the system. Nonidealities such as jitter, thermal noise, and DAC mismatch are also addressed and included in a dual-band, GSM/WCDMA, second-order, multibit SigmaDeltaM model with individual level averaging. VHDL-AMS and MATLAB Simulink were used as modeling languages. Both models are validated against experimental data, showing competitive results in the signal-to-noise-plus-distortion ratio. A comparative analysis between the proposed and a traditional model is presented, with emphasis on the degrading effects due to the integrator dynamics. Moreover, a general simulation speed analysis of the proposed models is addressed.
The impact of high-order integrator dynamics on switched-capacitor sigma-delta modulator (¿¿M) performances is investigated in this paper. An advanced generic integrator-settling model to take into ...account high-order dynamic effects is presented and validated by means of transistor-level simulations of circuits implemented in a commercial 0.35 ¿m CMOS technology. The model is used through the paper to carry out an exhaustive behavioral analysis for second-order single-bit ¿¿Ms characterized by first-, second-, and third-order integrator dynamics, showing how high-order poles and zeros can affect the ¿¿M characteristics remarkably. The proposed analysis provides useful guidelines to fix a convenient integrator poles/zeros placement in order to achieve an effective ¿¿M design flow.
Continuous-time bandpass (BP) sigma-delta modulators (SigmaDeltaMs) employing surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators as loop filters are presented. Compared with the loop filters realized with G m -C ...and LC resonators, the SAW resonator has the advantage of high-Q factor, wide resonant frequency range and accurate resonant frequency without the need for automatic tuning. With the proposed anti-resonance cancellation and loop filter phase compensation techniques, a second- and a fourth-order BP SigmaDeltaMs are demonstrated in a 0.35-mum CMOS technology. Both modulators are tested with 47.3-MHz off-chip SAW resonators. The second-order modulator attains a dynamic range of 57 dB and peak signal-to-noise distortion ratio (SNDR) of 54 dB and the fourth-order one achieves a dynamic range of 69 dB and peak SNDR of 66 dB, both in a 200-kHz signal bandwidth. The fourth-order modulator is also measured in a 3.84-MHz signal bandwidth and achieves a dynamic range of 52.5 dB and peak SNDR of 50 dB, an effective 8-bit resolution
A bandpass (BP) sigma-delta modulator (SigmaDeltaM)-based direct digital frequency synthesizer (DDS) architecture is presented. The DDS output is passed through a single-bit, second-order ...BPSigmaDeltaM, shaping quantization noise out of the signal band. The single-bit BPSigmaDeltaM is then injection locked to an LC-tank oscillator, which provides a tracking BP filter response within its locking range, suppressing the BPSigmaDeltaM out of band quantization noise. The instantaneous digital frequency control word input of the DDS is used to tune the noise shaper center frequency, achieving up to 20% tuning range around the fundamental. The BPSigmaDeltaM-based synthesizer is fabricated in a 0.25-mum digital CMOS process with four layers of metal. With a second-order BP noise shaper and a 44-MHz LC tank oscillator, an SFDR of 73 dB at a 2-MHz bandwidth and phase noise lower than -105 dBc/Hz at a 10-kHz offset is achieved