Digital techniques for improving the accuracy of data converters

This article provides a tutorial overview of some previously developed methods for enhancing the accuracy and linearity of data converters (analog-to-digital as well as digital-to-analog) by introducing auxiliary digital circuitry which calibrates, cancels and/or corrects the errors introduced by the unavoidable inaccuracy of the analog components used in the conversion. Simple but practical examples are used to illustrate the various improvement techniques. Using the described methods, the inherent accuracy and linearity of the data conversion can be extended from about 10 bits to 16 bits and more.