Multiple channel programmable timing generators with single cyclic delay line

In this paper, we present the design and measurement results of multiple channel programmable timing generators (TGs) using single cyclic delay line for high-speed automatic test equipment (ATE) with 37.5 ps resolution and 5 ms programmable delay range. There are three TGs, and each one consists of a 19-bit 360-MHz count-up counter, a 19-bit cycle comparator, a zero cycle detector, a control word splitter, and an output selector with an 8X-interpolator. A 32-stage cyclic delay line is constructed via a pulsewidth self-controlled delay cell (PWSCDC). The proposed timing generator uses the TSMC 0.35 μm 1P4M process with a die size of 2.33 mm ×2.17 mm. The dynamic nonlinearity (DNL) is less than ±0.6 LSB (37.5 ps). The integral nonlinearity (INL) is between -1 LSB and 7 LSB before calibration, and is between ±0.4 LSB after root-mean-square (rms) value calibration. The multichannel phase mismatch (MCPM) is 19 ps (rms), and jitter is 13.7 ps (rms).