A 10-Bit 1026-Channel Column Driver IC with Partially Segmented Piecewise Linear Digital-to-Analog Converters for Ultra-High-Definition TFT-LCDs with One Billion Color Display

Abstract

Herein, a 10-bit 1026-channel column driver IC with partially segmented piecewise linear digital-to-analog converters (DACs) is designed, simulated, and prototyped. This device is intended to improve the color depth and gamut of ultra-high-definition thin-film transistor liquid-crystal displays. The proposed column driver can output a precise gamma-corrected transfer curve without loss of effective bit resolution. An area-efficient two-voltage selector, a level shifter with a two-to-four decoder function, and a linearity-enhancing DAC-embedded operational amplifier are included in the design to minimize the overall chip area. The die dimensions of the 1026-channel column driver IC are only 18.14 mm × 1.2 mm. The prototype achieves a maximum settling time of 5.6 μs for driving a load with 5-KΩ resistance and 300-pF capacitance within 10-mV tolerance of the final voltage.