Gigasample analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are needed in many fields, from advanced information processing systems to scientific instrumentation used in high energy Physics experiments. As higher speed ADCs become available, signal capture functions which were only possible in the analog domain, now become possible to achieve in the digital domain, where sophisticated (and far more accurate) signal processing functions may be applied. Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) technology promises a tenfold increase in conversion rate in addition to providing overall improvement in issues such as power dissipation, radiation resistance, operability at higher temperature, etc., as compared to silicon technology. However, GaAs ADC development has been plagued with problems for which no near term solution is foreseen. The thrust of this research is in the development of a technology driven architecture that draws upon the strengths of both GaAs and Si technologies. In particular, the research makes use of the significant difference between the signal bandwith ("rise time) and realizable current gain (or current drive) between the technologies to realize low- power high resolution ADCs. The work involves feasibility research, modeling and prototype building.
