4 Linearity Error

There are two forms of non-linearity: differential (DNL) and integral (INL). Both DNL and INL should be calculated when the gain and offset errors have been nullified in order to get an accurate representation for the ADC’s linearity performance.

1. DNL Error (Left), INL Error (Right). These graphs demonstrate linearity error for a 3-bit ADC. The same description applies to a 12-bit ADC.

Figure 8. Linearity Error