A low-power 6-bit MOS CML flash ADC with a novel multi-segment encoder for UWB applications

This paper introduces a novel structure of multi-segment encoder with MOS current mode logic (MCML) multiplexers. As the benefit, the more segments would lead higher performance speed. Moreover, in the high-resolution flash analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the encoder structure will be simpler compared to conventional ones. As the simplest type, the two-segment encoder is used in this paper. By assistance of some MCML multiplexers, each segment encodes the most significant bits (MSBs) and the least significant bits (LSBs) separately. The figure of merit (FOM) of the proposed ADC is 0.225 pJ/conversion-step.