GaAs for ADCs: system needs and device requirements

Analog to Digital Converters (ADCs) are the key components at the border between the analog and digital world. They put the most stringent requirements on technology in terms of speed, integration density and matching. The impact of different types of system applications on the ADCs' key performance data will be described. Different ADC architectures for a wide range of resolution and sampling rates will be presented as well as their performance limiting constraints. A few examples of implementation in GaAs technologies are shown to derive the technological requirements necessary for being a good candidate for ADCs.