A Circuit-Generator-Aided Design Methodology for GHz Pipelined SAR ADCs

This paper introduces a highly efficient approach for the rapid design of high-performance pipelined-SAR ADCs. We leverage manual design expertise to extract and implement key block functionalities within a Python program, resulting in a substantial boost to the design and system iteration efficiency. Additionally, we employ advanced techniques, including neural networks, particle swarm optimization, and a fast DC-to-HDx prediction method, to further enhance the design process. To validate our approach, we applied it to the design of a 12-bit 1 GS/s 3-stage pipelined-SAR ADC in a CMOS 28 nm technology. The performance achieved by this design is comparable to the state-of-the-art ADCs in the field.