Subranging ADC using a Hybrid Pipelined Architecture

The objective of this project is to develop a novel superconductor-semiconductor hybrid pipelined analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that provides up to 30 dB dynamic range extension over the state-of-the-art. The pipelined ADC architecture includes both superconductor and semiconductor analog-to-digital converters and mixed-signal inter-range circuitry. The motivation behind this superconductor-semiconductor hybrid-technology approach is to circumvent the limitations of each technology while taking full benefits of their respective strengths. In addition to developing the ADC, the input/output subsystem of the cryocooled digital-RF receiver will be improved to deliver the best performance from the high-dynamic range ADC.