A 1V 14b self-timed zero-crossing-based incremental ΔΣ ADC

This paper introduces a clock-free self-timed incremental ΔΣ ADC. Unlike conventional ΔΣ ADCs, it does not require a dedicated clock signal, thus saving energy and reducing system complexity. As such, it has similar advantages as self-timed (or asynchronous) SAR ADCs [1]. It is particularly suited for use in energy-constrained sensor applications, in which conversions of a quasistatic input signal are triggered by infrequent and possibly irregular external events. As it autonomously powers down upon completion of a conversion, it can adapt to a wide range of conversion rates in an energy-efficient way.