Pre-driver peaking technique for high-speed DACs

A method of pre-driver peaking for high-speed digital-to-analog converters (DACs), the method comprising:

• receiving, by a differential input circuit of a pre-driver circuit, a differential-input voltage;
• latching, by a latch circuit, voltage levels of output-voltage signals at a differential output port of the pre-driver circuit;
• enabling, peaking of the output-voltage signals for high-speed operation of the pre-driver circuit and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC)-driver circuit coupled to the pre-driver circuit, wherein the differential input circuit is coupled to the latch circuit via a pair of capacitors;
• and
• dividing the differential-input voltage at high frequencies using capacitor-voltage dividers including the pair of capacitors.

An apparatus comprising:

• a multiplexer configured to receive parallel input data and provide a differential-input voltage;
• and
• a peaking pre-driver circuit coupled to a driver circuit of a high-speed digital-to-analog converter (DAC), the circuit comprising:
• a differential input circuit configured to receive the differential-input voltage:
• a latch circuit configured to latch voltage levels of output-voltage signals at a differential output port of the peaking pre-driver circuit;
• and
• a pair of capacitors coupling the differential input circuit to the latch circuit,
• wherein the peaking pre-driver circuit is configured to enable peaking of the output-voltage signals for high-speed operation of the peaking pre-driver circuit and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC)-driver circuit coupled to the peaking pre-driver circuit, and wherein the peaking of the output-voltage signals is achieved by enabling a swing of the output-voltage signals at high frequencies to be larger than at low frequencies.