Time-stretch preprocessing overcomes ADC limitations

DIGITAL signal processing (DSP) has come to dominate the design of modern c ommunications and radar systems. Unfortunately, the speed of commercial ana log-to-digital converters (ADCs) has yet to approach the digitization needs of these applications, especially at microwave frequencies. Fortunately, a new ADC concept has been developed wherein analog signals are slowed prior to conversion. By reducing the incoming signal bandwidth (the carrier and its modulation), this approach offers revolutionary enhancements in ADC per formance. This multipart series of articles will also explore time compress ion and its application to high-speed digital-to-analog converters (DACs).