A 0.5-2.0 GHz Dual-Loop SAR-controlled Duty-Cycle Corrector Using a Mixed Search Algorithm

Abstract

This paper presents a fast-lock dual-loop successive approximation register-controlled duty-cycle corrector (SARDCC) circuit using a mixed (binary+sequential) search algorithm. A wider duty-cycle correction range, higher operating frequency, and higher duty-cycle correction accuracy have been achieved by utilizing the dual-loop architecture and the binary search SAR that achieves the fast duty-cycle correcting property. By transforming the binary search SAR into a sequential search counter after the first DCC lock-in, the proposed dual-loop SARDCC keeps the closed-loop characteristic and tracks variations in process, voltage, and temperature (PVT). The measured duty cycle error is less than +/- 0.86 % for a wide input duty-cycle range of 15-85 % over a wide frequency range of 0.5-2.0 GHz. The proposed dual-loop SARDCC is fabricated in a 0.18-mu m, 1.8-V CMOS process and occupies an active area of 0.075 mm(2).