Abstract

With analog input or output bandwidth in high demand, understanding converter bandwidth, also known as a passband flatness measurement, is paramount. Passband flatness measurements can sometimes be confusing or misleading. Whether a user is sampling in the MSPS- or GSPS frequencies, the same principles apply in uncovering the required bandwidth of the converter, the analog input and output network connecting to the converter, or both.

In this two-part series, this document discusses the fundamental frequency response measurement method as this applies to both analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and digital-to-analog converters (DACs), with or without internal digital downconverter (DDC) or digital upconverter (DUC) functions. This method a user to measure and characterize the analog bandwidth for the converter in a receiver design.