A novel current steering cell matrix DAC architecture with reduced decoder area

This paper presents a novel current steering cell matrix DAC(digital-to-analog converter) architecture to reduce decoder area. The current cell matrix of a existing architecture is selected by columns and lows thermometer code decoder of input bits. But The current cell matrix of a proposal architecture is divided 2n by the thermometer code decoder of upper input bits and are selected by the thermometer code decoder of middle and lower input bits. Because of this configuration, decoder numbers have increased. But the gate number that composed of decoder has decreased. In case of the designed 8 bit current steering cell matrix DAC, the gate number of decoder has decreased by about 55% in comparison with a existing architecture.