What is Differential Non-Linearity (DNL)?
In Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADC), Differential Non-Linearity (DNL) is the measure of the maximum deviation from the ideal step size of 1 LSB. DNL is commonly measured at the rated clock frequency with a ramp input. In Digital-to-Analog Converters (DAC), DNL is a measure of the worst case deviation from the ideal 1LSB step. Ideally, any two adjacent digital codes correspond to output analog voltages that are exactly one LSB apart. A differential nonlinearity greater than 1 LSB will lead to a non-monotonic transfer function in a DAC.
