A high‐speed and power efficient CMOS dynamic comparator for data converter circuits

Abstract

Complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) comparators play a pivotal role in analog and mixed‐signal circuits, finding diverse applications across electronic systems. In data converter circuits, the significance of high‐speed, low‐power comparators is pronounced. They ensure swift and precise signal comparisons, minimizing energy usage for dependable analog‐to‐digital and digital‐to‐analog conversions. This paper introduces an advanced CMOS dynamic comparator, optimized for data converter circuits using a 45 nm CMOS process. The comparator integrates two novel designs tailored for operation at 0.8 and 1 V power supplies, functioning at 1 GHz. One design incorporates a cascode differential amplifier in the pre‐amplifier stage, enhancing speed and sensitivity by augmenting gain, linearity, and output swing. This approach achieves a delay of 73.53 ps and consumes 9.95 μW at a 1 V supply voltage. The second design employs a simple charge pump in the pre‐amplifier stage, further elevating speed and sensitivity through amplified voltage levels and enhanced slew rate, resulting in a 57.24 ps delay and 9.03 μW power consumption at 1 V. Simulations underscore the proposed comparator's superiority over conventional counterparts, showcasing significant enhancements in speed and power efficiency, all while preserving precision and dependability.