In the rapidly evolving field of high-speed digital-to-analog converters (DACs), a groundbreaking innovation has emerged from the collaborative efforts of researchers and industry leaders. On September 20, 2024, a patent titled "Adaptive Cancellation of Inter-Symbol Interference in High-Speed Continuous-time DACs" was filed, marking a significant milestone in the quest for superior signal integrity and performance in high-speed DACs.

The innovation, spearheaded by Ian Galton from UC San Diego and Subin Kim, a dedicated PhD scholar, is part of the AMS-CSD project "Adaptive Digital Cancellation of Dynamic Error from Clock Skew, Component Mismatches, and ISI in High-Resolution RF DACs" (ID 2810.082). This project has garnered the attention and collaboration of industry liaisons from MediaTek and NXP. The project can be viewed in its entirety on Pillar or in the resulting research publication on IEEE.

One of the most remarkable achievements of this project is the promise of record-setting Signal-to-Noise and Distortion Ratio (SNDR) of 70 dB for a 3 GS/s RF DAC. This exceptional performance is made possible through the development of a fast simulation technique for high-speed current-steering DACs, a critical advancement that has set new benchmarks in the industry.

In December 2024, the design was successfully taped out in GlobalFoundries' 22FDX technology. This milestone not only demonstrated the feasibility of the design but also paved the way for its potential commercialization and widespread adoption.

The collaboration between academia and industry in this project exemplifies the power of technology transfer in driving innovation and advancing the state-of the art. With the support of MediaTek and NXP, the adaptive cancellation technique developed by Ian Galton and Subin Kim is poised to revolutionize the performance of high-speed DACs, offering unprecedented levels of signal integrity and efficiency. Gabriele Manganaro from MediaTek said "I believe that this is a very valuable project addressing a topic relevant to Mediatek. Myself and my colleagues have, and are, benefitting from it already. The collaboration with the PI and the students is excellent."

As this technology continues to evolve, it holds the promise of transforming various applications, from telecommunications to consumer electronics, by enabling faster and more reliable data transmission. The successful transfer of this technology from the research lab to the commercial sector underscores the importance of collaborative efforts in pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the world of high-speed digital-to-analog conversion.