Flash analog-to-digital converter using resonant-tunneling multiple-valued circuits

Abstract

We have proposed a flash analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that uses resonant-tunneling complex gates not only as ternary quantizers but also as ternary-to-binary encoder circuits. The ternary quantizers, consisting of monostable-to-multistable transition logic (MML) circuits, convert the analog input signal into the ternary thermometer code. This code is then converted into the binary Gray-code output by a multiple-valued, multiple-input monostable-to-bistable transition logic element (M/sup 2/-MOBILE). By assuming InP-based resonant-tunneling diodes and heterojunction field-effect transistors, we have carried out SPICE simulation that demonstrates ultrahigh-speed ADC operation at a clock frequency of 5 GHz. Compact circuit configuration, which is due to the combination of MML and M/sup 2/-MOBILE, reduces the device count and power dissipation by a factor of two compared with previous RTD-based ADCs.