Design and Verification of High-Speed, Low-Power Flash ADC for Mixed Signal Applications

Nowadays modern semiconductor devices and system-on-chip (SoC)'s has mixed signal (Intellectual Property (IP)'s. So, a device is required which can convert one form of data into another form. ADC serves as a bridge between the analog world (sensor capturing real-world signals) and digital processing units. This research presents a detailed design methodology for a Flash-type ADC, utilizing the collaborative capabilities of Cadence for analog circuit design, SPICE for electrical simulation, and System Verilog with Real Number Modeling (RNM) for digital verification. The research focuses on the architectural optimization of a flash ADC, targeting enhancements in speed, power and efficiency by utilizing the suitable comparator. Furthermore, a reference voltage ladder is also designed to achieve high precision. The digital encoding logic, a vital component for translating comparator outputs into binary code is designed using System Verilog and modeled with RNM. Extensive simulations conducted in the Cadence environment, corroborated by SPICE analyses, demonstrate the ADC's robust performance, confirming its potential for deployment in high-speed applications such as digital communication, Mixed signal IPs, and instrumentation. The research culminates with a comprehensive evaluation of the ADC's performance metrics including Resolution, speed, and power consumption, highlighting its competitive edge in the ADC landscape.