Current-Steering Digital-to-Analog Converters: Functional Specifications, Design Basics, and Behavioral Modeling

Abstract

Functional specifications and design basics for current-steering digital-to-analog converters (DACs) are covered. An outline of digital-to-analog conversion principles, together with fundamental current-steering DAC architectures, are briefly explained. A generalized design flow for DACs and design basics for current-steering architectures, together with a universal SIMULINK®-based behavioral model useful for the block-level simulation of a current-steering DAC, are described.