high - performance , digital - to - analog conversion suitable for use in systems implemented with low - voltage , low - power integrated circuit fabrication processes is disclosed . encoder circuitry receives a binary number for which an analog representation is sought . segments of the binary number are thermometer encoded and complemented to provide signals to drive analog conversion circuitry . the analog conversion circuitry includes sets of current cells , with each cell in a set contributing an equal amount to one or the other of the complementary legs of the analog output of the converter . each current cell is a fully differential current switch with charge canceling , fed by a regulated cascode current source . the regulated cascode current source offers uncharacteristically high impedance that contributes to good circuit performance even in low - voltage , low - power implementations . other design factors of the current cell contribute significantly to overall performance . hierarchical gradient symmetry cancellation techniques are also employed to reduce integral non - linearity attributable to process - related surface gradients .