Modeling DAC output waveforms

Digital-to-analog converters (DACs) are widely employed in control and automation, test and measurement, and communication systems. However, guidelines for the definition of static and dynamic features of DACs, as well as models capable of describing the different effects of the major nonidealities or drawbacks the DAC can suffer from, are still incomplete. This paper presents a new model capable of describing the functioning of a real DAC affected by horizontal quantization, clock modulation, vertical quantization and integral nonlinearity. The model permits evaluating the effects of the aforementioned nonidealities through straightforward formulas, which are characterized by a low computational burden. Results of experiments conducted on a real DAC to verify the reliability of the model are also shown.