Method and apparatus for optimizing crossover voltage for differential pair switches in a current-steering digital-to-analog converter or the like

The present invention relates generally to data conversion systems, and more particularly to digital-to-analog converters. A method and apparatus for optimizing crossover voltage for differential pair switches in a current-steering digital-to-analog converter or the like are disclosed. An array of at least one or more MOSFET switches may be utilized to control the crossover voltage of a differential pair of transistors such that the off time overlap of the differential pair transistors is optimized. In one embodiment, the pull-up and pull-down times of the input for the differential pair transistors are optimized such that the differential pair transistors are not turned off simultaneously. The array of switches may be n-channel MOSFETs when the differential pair are p-channel MOSFETs. Likewise, the array of switches may be p-channel MOSFETs when the differential pair are n-channel MOSFETs. The output of the diflerential pair is free of crossover glitches and is capable of being utilized in a data converter such as a current-steering digital-to-analog converter (DAC).