THERMO-COMPENSATED INTERPOLATOR WITH REDUCED DEAD-TIME FOR TIME-TO-CODE CONVERTER

摘要

The proposed interpolator can be used for the accurate conversion a time of an event into a code with the reduced “dead” time. The principal of operation of the interpolator is based on the generation of a secondary analog signal with the constant shape obtained by charging-discharging of a capacitor, which is done at the event instance. The initial voltage across the capacitor is maintained by means of a directly biased main diode. At the same time, by means of current source and a compensated diode, which is parametrically close to the main diode, a compensating voltage is produced. The voltage change across the compensating diode caused by temperature change is close to that of the main diode. Due to that and the fact that the difference between two voltages across the diodes is digitized by an analog-to-digital converter, the thermo-compensation of the secondary analog signal is achieved. The application of this mechanism of the thermo-compensation in the proposed interpolator allows simplifying the implementation of the interpolator and reducing of the interpolation “dead” time as well, because the time of the recovery of the main diode voltage could be considerably reduced.