Correlation-based Calibration Research Articles

A 1.25-GS/s 10-bit single-channel ring amplifier-based pipelined ADC in 28-nm CMOS

This paper proposed a pipelined analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that utilizes a high-linearity input buffer and a two-step input-split fully differential ring amplifier (ringamp). The implemented input buffer based on a gain-boost cascode current source, is optimized for linearity over a wider frequency range by suppressing fluctuations in tail current. To save power consumption without compromising common-mode and power-supply rejection, a fully differential ring amplifier is employed as the residue amplifier. Additionally, a correlation-based calibration is implemented, which involves injecting pseudo-random dither signals into each multiplying digital-to-analog converter (MDAC) stage to enhance linearity. Fabricated in a 28-nm CMOS process, the 1.25-GS/s 10-bit ADC achieves a spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) of 70.7 dB and a signal-to-noise-and-distortion ratio (SNDR) of 50.3 dB at Nyquist input. The core conversion circuits of the ADC consume only 30.2 mW from a single 1-V supply. This translates to a Walden figure of merit (FoM) of 90 fJ/conversion-step and a Schreier FoM of 153.5 dB, respectively.

Correlation-Based Calibration for Nonlinearity Mismatches in Dual-Channel TIADCs

Mismatches affect the dynamic performance of time-interleaved analog-to-digital converters (TIADCs). Linear mismatches can be calibrated by many mature methods, but if higher performance is required, nonlinearity mismatches have to be suppressed. The background calibration method based on input-free band (IFB) functions poorly for narrow-band signals. This brief proposes a correlation-based calibration method for nonlinearity mismatches in dual-channel TIADCs which behaves well for both wide-band and narrow-band signals. The output samples are calibrated by reducing the residual distortions which are approximated by multiplying the pseudo distortions and the estimated mismatch coefficients. The pseudo distortions are acquired by using a frequency-shifter, a differentiator, and multipliers. The coefficients which indicate the mismatch strength are estimated by eliminating the cross-correlation of the calibrated output samples and the calibrated pseudo distortions at zero lag. Simulations show that the proposed method can improve the SFDR by dozens of dBc for narrow-band input signals, compared with the IFB method. For the 16-QAM signal, the error vector magnitude improvement over the IFB method is 35.48 dB.

Intensity Correlation-Based Calibration of FRET

Dual-laser flow cytometric resonance energy transfer (FCET) is a statistically efficient and accurate way of determining proximity relationships for molecules of cells even under living conditions. In the framework of this algorithm, absolute fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiency is determined by the simultaneous measurement of donor-quenching and sensitized emission. A crucial point is the determination of the scaling factor α responsible for balancing the different sensitivities of the donor and acceptor signal channels. The determination of α is not simple, requiring preparation of special samples that are generally different from a double-labeled FRET sample, or by the use of sophisticated statistical estimation (least-squares) procedures. We present an alternative, free-from-spectral-constants approach for the determination of α and the absolute FRET efficiency, by an extension of the presented framework of the FCET algorithm with an analysis of the second moments (variances and covariances) of the detected intensity distributions. A quadratic equation for α is formulated with the intensity fluctuations, which is proved sufficiently robust to give accurate α-values on a cell-by-cell basis in a wide system of conditions using the same double-labeled sample from which the FRET efficiency itself is determined. This seemingly new approach is illustrated by FRET measurements between epitopes of the MHCI receptor on the cell surface of two cell lines, FT and LS174T. The figures show that whereas the common way of α determination fails at large dye-per-protein labeling ratios of mAbs, this presented-as-new approach has sufficient ability to give accurate results. Although introduced in a flow cytometer, the new approach can also be straightforwardly used with fluorescence microscopes.

Comments on the paper: “Accurate quantitative analysis of gold alloys using multi-pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and a correlation-based calibration method”

The problem of finding new methods for the analysis of precious alloys has stimulated, in recent years, a number of different proposals for improving the analytical procedures introducing more robust calibration (or calibration-free) methods. In the paper “Accurate quantitative analysis of gold alloys using multi-pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and a correlation-based calibration method” by G. Galbács, N.Jedinski, G.Cseh, Z. Galbács and L. Túri [Spectrochimica Acta Part B, Volume 63, Issue 5, 591–597 (May 2008)] the authors proposed the use of multiple-pulse LIBS and a correlation-based method for building calibration curves for quantitative analysis of gold alloys. The method is proposed for gold alloys prepared using a fixed proportion of the alloying element. The general case where the relative concentration of the elements of the matrix is not a priori known is not discussed in the paper. In this communication, we will demonstrate that the method proposed is extremely fragile against matrix effects, and therefore cannot be usefully applied for the purpose of actual analytical measurements on gold alloys without a previous knowledge of the matrix composition.

Accurate quantitative analysis of gold alloys using multi-pulse laser induced breakdown spectroscopy and a correlation-based calibration method

Multi-pulse laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), in combination with the generalized linear correlation calibration method (GLCM), was applied to the quantitative analysis (fineness determination) of quaternary gold alloys. Accuracy and precision on the order of a few thousandths (‰) was achieved. The analytical performance is directly comparable to that of the standard cupellation method (fire assay), but provides results within minutes and is virtually non-destructive, as it consumes only a few micrograms of the sample.