Improving bandwidth and error rate in flash converters

An B bit flash converter with 400 MEz analog bandwidth and new error correction circuitry is described. A unique cascoded input stage and a dense 1.0 x 1.4 um emitter, triple diffused bipolar process make the wide bandwidth possible. Three different strategies are employed to keep errors low, even at the full 200 Msps clock rate. An efficient error rate test system is also described.