Ku-band subsampling track-and-hold amplifier with 8 ENOB resolution

Abstract

A wideband subsampling track-and-hold amplifier has been designed for input frequencies up to Ku-band and clock rates up to 2.5 GS/s. Circuits were fabricated in 1 µm InP SHBT technology. Spur-free dynamic range measured with two-tone input frequencies of 12.6 and 12.602 GHz and a 2.5 GS/s clock rate ranges from 53–69 dB at an input level of −1 dBFS for each tone. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) test results show that the master/slave (M/S) track-and-hold design provides 59 dB of SNR in a 1 GHz bandwidth at input frequencies up to at least 2.6 GHz. A single track-and-hold dissipates 1.5 W while the M/S configuration dissipates 2.5 W.