Mixed-signal compensation and calibration techniques for high-speed DACs

Future optical and electrical interconnects will require DACs operating at unprecedented sampling rates while maintaining high linearity, wide bandwidth, and low energy consumption. In advanced CMOS technologies, however, circuit non-idealities and PVT variations increasingly limit achievable performance. This PhD proposes the development of mixed-signal compensation and calibration techniques that enable high-speed DACs to autonomously detect, track, and correct performance degradations in real time. Combining analog and mixed-signal monitoring and correction methods with digital signal processing, the research will investigate adaptive techniques for mitigating mismatch, timing errors, frequency-response limitations, and nonlinear distortion. The work will leverage imec's world-leading expertise in advanced CMOS technologies and high-speed wireline DAC design to explore scalable calibration architectures for next-generation data converters.