This paper describes an algorithm for Successive Approximation Register (SAR) ADCs with overlapping steps that allow comparison decision errors (due to, such as DAC incomplete settling) to be digitally corrected. We generalize this non-binary search algorithm, and clarify which decision errors it can digitally correct. This algorithm requires more SAR ADC conversion steps than a binary search algorithm, but we show that the sampling speed of an SAR ADC using this algorithm can be faster than that of a conventional binary-search SAR ADC -- because the latter must wait for the settling time of the DAC inside the SAR ADC.

This brief paper describes design-for-testability (DFT) circuitry that reduces testing time and thus cost of testing DC linearity of SAR ADCs. We present here the basic concepts, an actual SAR ADC chip design employing the proposed DFT, as well as measurements that verify its effectiveness. Since the DFT circuit overhead is small, it is practicable.