The dynamic range (DR) of digital-input closed-loop class-D amplifiers (CDAs) is typically limited by the noise introduced by their resistive DAC (RDAC) or current-steering DAC (IDAC). It could be improved by using tri-level cells in the IDAC, but this has not yet been realized in high-voltage (HV) CDAs due to the large difference in the common-mode levels between the DAC and the CDA. This article describes an HV CDA directly driven by an HV IDAC. By using the same output common mode for the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and CDA, the noise penalty associated with shifting the common mode is avoided. To address the distortion due to mismatch and intersymbol interference (ISI) in the IDAC, a transition-rate-balanced bidirectional real-time dynamic element matching (RTDEM) technique is also introduced. Fabricated in a 180-nm BCD process, the CDA prototype achieves a DR of 121.7 dB and a peak THD+N of -104.0 and -109.0 dB for 1- and 6-kHz inputs, respectively. It can deliver a maximum of 14 W into an 8-Ω load with a power efficiency of 90%.

This article presents a digital-input class-D amplifier (CDA) achieving high dynamic range (DR) by employing a chopped capacitive feedback network and a capacitive digital-to-analog converter (DAC). Compared with conventional resistive-feedback CDAs driven by resistive or current-steering DACs, the proposed architecture eliminates the noise from the DAC and feedback resistors. Intermodulation between the chopping, pulsewidth modulation (PWM), and DAC sampling frequency is analyzed to avoid negative impacts on the DR and linearity. Real-time dynamic element matching (RTDEM) is employed to address distortion due to mismatch in the DAC, while its intersymbol interference (ISI) is eliminated by deadbanding. The prototype, implemented in a 180-nm bipolar, CMOS, and DMOS (BCD) process, achieves 120.9 dB of DR and a peak total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N) of-111.2 dB. It can drive a maximum of 15/26 W into an 8-/4-Ω load with a peak efficiency of 90%/86%.

This paper reports a Class-D audio amplifier that uses multiloop feedback to suppress output LC filter nonlinearity by 49 dB, enabling the use of small, low-cost LC filters with ±30% spread while maintaining low distortion. Fabricated in a 180 nm BCD process, the prototype achieves a THD of-121.5 dB and a THD+N of-107.1 dB. It delivers 12W/21W into an 8-Ω/4-Ω load with 91%/87% efficiency.

This article presents a 28-W class-D amplifier for automotive applications. The combination of a high switching frequency and a hybrid multibit Δ Σ M-PWM scheme results in high linearity over a wide range of output power, as well as low AM-band EMI. As a result, only a small (150-kHz cutoff frequency), and thus low-cost, LC filter is needed to meet the CISPR-25 EMI average limit (150 kHz-30 MHz) with 10-dB margin. At 28-W output power, the proposed amplifier achieves 91% efficiency while driving a 4- Ω load from a 14.4-V supply. It attains a peak THD+N of 0.00077% (-102.2 dB) for a 1-kHz input signal.

This paper describes a class-D audio amplifier with a multilevel output stage that reduces both EMI and idle power. High loop gain, and thus high linearity, are enabled by a relatively high (4.2 MHz) switching frequency, which relaxes the requirements on its output LC filter. Fabricated in a 180nm BCD technology, it can drive 14 W into an 8-Ω load with state-of-the-art performance: -107.8 dB THD+N, 91% peak efficiency, and 7 mA quiescent current. It meets the CISPR 25 Class 5 radiated emission standard with a low-cost 580 kHz LC filter, improving the state-of-the-art by 5.8x.

Class-D amplifiers are often used in high-power audio applications due to their high power efficiency. They typically employ pulse-width modulation (PWM) at a fixed carrier frequency, which may cause electromagnetic interference (EMI). Setting this frequency f_PWM) below the AM band (535 to 1605kHz) helps mitigate this, but its harmonics still contain substantial energy and must be filtered out by bulky LC filters with low cut-off frequencies (f_c = 20 to 40 kHz), significantly increasing system cost and size. Stability considerations also constrain the amplifier's unity-gain frequency to be < mathrm{f} {mathrm{PWM}}/pi [1], compromising the audio-band loop gain required to suppress output-stage nonlinearity. Setting f_PWM above the AM band helps increase f_c and allows a higher loop gain [2]. However, this results in narrower pulses at higher power levels (higher modulation index), which cannot be faithfully produced by the output stage, thus exacerbating its non-linearity. Delta-sigma modulation (DeltaSigma M) has fixed pulse widths and does not suffer from these narrow-pulse artefacts. However, the out-of-band noise of 1bit modulators then requires larger LC filters. Moreover, high-order loop filters must be used to achieve sufficient SQNR, which then require additional techniques to maintain stability as the modulation range approaches 100% [3].