Optimized Design of a Double Tail Dynamic Comparator using 18nm FinFET Technology

The research work presented in this paper focuses on the optimized design of a dualtail dynamic comparator using 18 nm FinFET technology, aimed at achieving high-speed decision-making with significantly reduced power consumption. The primary objectives are to enhance comparator accuracy, minimize delay, reduce leakage, and ensure stable operation at low supply voltages. To achieve these goals, a dual-tail dynamic architecture is adopted, separating the pre-amplifier and latch stages to improve gain, reduce input referred offset, and minimize kickback noise. The circuit is implemented at the schematic level in Cadence Virtuoso, utilizing FinFET devices with optimized fin count and threshold voltage selection to achieve an optimal power–performance trade-off. The evaluation procedure includes DC operating-point analysis, transient simulations, delay characterization under differential input sweeps, and power measurement through current probing at the supply node. The results demonstrate substantial reductions in power consumption compared to the initial design, along with improved regeneration speed and reduced offset. The architecture maintains stable decision-making even at reduced supply voltages, highlighting the advantages of FinFET-based comparator implementations in nanoscale nodes. The optimized comparator is suitable for several high-performance applications, including high-speed and low-power ADCs, precision sensor front-ends, portable medical electronics, and next-generation mixed-signal integrated circuits. Future work may explore skewed-clock techniques, subthreshold operation for ultralow- power designs, and process-corner optimization to further enhance performance in advanced VLSI systems.