Low-Power Tunable Analog Circuit Blocks Based on Nanoscale Double-Gate MOSFETs

We illustrate unique examples of low-power tunable analog circuits built using independently driven nanoscale DG-MOSFETs, where the top gate response is altered by application of a control voltage on the bottom gate. In particular, we provide examples for a single-ended CMOS amplifier pair, a Schmitt trigger circuit and a operational transconductance amplifier C filter, circuit blocks essential for low-noise high-performance integrated circuits for analog and mixed-signal applications. The topologies and biasing schemes explored here show how the nanoscale DG-MOSFETs may be used for efficient, tolerant and smaller circuits with tunable characteristics.     

一种基于忆阻器的可重配置逻辑电路

分析了具有阈值特性的双极性忆阻器模型的阈值电压和高低阻态开关特性,提出了一种基于该模型的可重配置逻辑电路。与基于忆阻器的蕴含逻辑门电路相比,可重配置逻辑电路具备逻辑运算的完备性,在实现“非”、“或”、“与”运算时,运算速度更快、功耗更低。仿真实验验证了电路逻辑功能的正确性,为设计运算速度更快、功耗更低的全加器和数选器等逻辑电路提供了参考。     

PVHArray:一种流水可伸缩的层次化可重构密码逻辑阵列结构

针对密码算法的高效能实现问题,该文提出了一种基于数据流的粗粒度可重构密码逻辑阵列结构PVHArray.通过研究密码算法运算及控制结构特征,基于可重构阵列结构设计方法,提出了以流水可伸缩的粗粒度可重构运算单元、层次化互连网络和面向周期级的分布式控制网络为主体的粗粒度可重构密码逻辑阵列结构及其参数化模型.为了提升可重构密码逻辑阵列的算法实现效能,该文结合密码算法映射结果,确定模型参数,构建了规模为4×4的高效能PVHArray结构.基于55nm CMOS工艺进行流片验证,芯片面积为12.25mm²,同时,针对该阵列芯片进行密码算法映射.实验结果表明,该文提出高效能PVHArray结构能够有效支持分组、序列以及杂凑密码算法的映射,在密文分组链接（CBC）模式下,相较于可重构密码逻辑阵列REMUS_LPP结构,其单位面积性能提升了约12.9%,单位功耗性能提升了约13.9%.     

粗粒度可重构密码逻辑阵列智能映射算法研究

针对粗粒度可重构密码逻辑阵列密码算法映射周期长且性能不高的问题,该文通过构建粗粒度可重构密码逻辑阵列参数化模型,以密码算法映射时间及实现性能为目标,结合本文构建的粗粒度可重构密码逻辑阵列结构特征,提出了一种算法数据流图划分算法.通过将密码算法数据流图中节点聚集成簇并以簇为最小映射粒度进行映射,降低算法映射复杂度;该文借鉴机器学习过程,构建了具备学习能力的智慧蚁群模型,提出了智慧蚁群优化算法,通过对训练样本的映射学习,持续优化初始化信息素浓度矩阵,提升算法映射收敛速度,以已知算法映射指导未知算法映射,实现密码算法映射的智能化.实验结果表明,本文提出的映射方法能够平均降低编译时间37.9%并实现密码算法映射性能最大,同时,以算法数据流图作为映射输入,自动化的生成密码算法映射流,提升了密码算法映射的直观性与便捷性.     

A Low-Power Digit-Based Reconfigurable FIR Filter

In this brief, we present a digit-reconfigurable finite-impulse response (FIR) filter architecture with a very fine granularity. It provides a flexible yet compact and low-power solution to FIR filters with a wide range of precision and tap length. Based on the proposed architecture, an 8-digit reconfigurable FIR filter chip is implemented in a single-poly quadruple-metal 0.35-$muhbox m$CMOS technology. Measurement results show that the fabricated chip operates up to 86 MHz when the filter draws 16.5 mW of power from a 2.5-V power supply.     

基于自路由互连网络的粗粒度可重构阵列结构

互连网络在粗粒度可重构结构(Coarse-Grained Reconfigurable Array, CGRA)中非常重要,对CGRA的性能、面积和功耗均有较大影响。为了减小互连网络导致的面积开销和功耗并提升CGRA的性能,该文提出一种具有自路由和无阻塞特性的互连网络,构建了一种层次型的网络拓扑结构。通过这种互连网络,任意一对处理单元之间均可以建立连接和交换数据,而且这种连接是自路由和无阻塞的。实验结果显示,与已有结构相比,该结构以至多增加14.1%的面积开销为代价,获得最高可达46.2%的整体性能提升。     

Impact of Line-Edge Roughness on Double-Gate Schottky-Barrier Field-Effect Transistors

The impact of line-edge roughness (LER) on double-gate (DG) Schottky-barrier field-effect transistors (SBFETs) in the level of device and circuit was investigated by a statistical simulation. The LER sequence is statistically generated by a Fourier analysis of the power spectrum of the Gaussian autocorrelation function. The results show that SBFETs are more sensitive to the LER effect in the high-$V_{rm gs}$ region and less sensitive in the subthreshold region compared with DG FinFETs. The aggressive fluctuation of drive current can be attributed to the variation of tunneling barrier width. Lowering the Schottky-barrier height and increasing the silicon-body thickness can suppress the parameter fluctuations from the LER effect. The simulation also shows that a 6T SRAM cell consisting of SBFETs is more vulnerable to noise disturbance than its counterpart consisting of FinFETs, particularly for the read operation, which is due to a larger mismatch of drivability of SBFETs within the cell.      

Strained-Si Channel Super-Self-Aligned Back-Gate/Double-Gate Planar Transistors

We present a reproducible approach to the fabrication of super-self-aligned back-gate/double-gate n-channel and p-channel transistors with thin silicon channels and thick source/drain polysilicon regions. The device structure provides capability for scalable control of channel electrostatics, threshold variability without sacrificing source/drain series resistance, and capability of introducing strain to improve carrier transport. The separate device, circuit, and functional level back-gate access that is available through bottom interconnection also provides capability for adaptive power control and novel circuit design. Both n-channel and p-channel devices are demonstrated with the threshold tuning capability     

A Low-Power Field-Programmable Gate Array Routing Fabric

This paper describes a new programmable routing fabric for field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Our results show that an FPGA using this fabric can achieve 1.57 times lower dynamic power consumption and 1.35 times lower average net delays with only 9% reduction in logic density over a baseline island-style FPGA implemented in the same 65-nm CMOS technology. These improvements in power and delay are achieved by 1) using only short interconnect segments to reduce routed net lengths, and 2) reducing interconnect segment loading due to programming overhead relative to the baseline FPGA without compromising routability. The new routing fabric is also well-suited to monolithically stacked 3-D-IC implementation. It is shown that a 3-D-FPGA using this fabric can achieve a 3.3 times improvement in logic density, a 2.51 times improvement in delay, and a 2.93 times improvement in dynamic power consumption over the same baseline 2-D-FPGA.     

A Novel Low-Power Logic Circuit Design Scheme

This brief proposes a novel low-power digital logic design scheme based on the energy exchange in the switched inductor-capacitor (SLC) circuit. It presents a design paradigm which in ideal case may lead to a circuit capable of performing logic operations with no switching losses. In traditional integrated circuit design, the energy is stored in the output load capacitor through a pull-up path (corresponding to storing a logic 1). When the output changes its logic value, this stored energy is dissipated through the pull down path to the ground. In order to reduce this switching energy dissipation each time the load capacitor is discharged, we store its energy in the magnetic field of the inductor in the proposed SLC architecture. Whenever the output load needs to be charged again, we transfer the energy back from the inductor to the load capacitor. This significantly reduces the switching energy. We illustrated the operation of the SLC architecture through SPICE simulation. A brief discussion of some practical considerations for this architecture is also presented     

Current-Mode Logic in Organic Semiconductor Based on Source-Gated Transistors

Due to the low mobility and the abundance of trap states in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), the operation of conventional logic circuits-based OFETs needs a large voltage swing, and suffers large switching noise and low speed. In this letter, current-mode logic (CML) circuits composed of organic source-gated transistors (OSGTs) are proposed for high-speed signaling based on existing material and process technologies. Mixed-mode simulations show that CML circuits using simple resistive loads can still be operated much faster than an ideal conventional inverter with perfect active loads and OFETs free of traps. With the same supply voltage and device parameters, CML circuits can work with a wide range of signal swings. The superior analog performance of OSGTs is also shown to fit well with the design requirements for CML circuits in terms of low power supply, high output impedance, and stability.      

Low-Power High-Performance Asymmetrical Double-Gate Circuits Using Back-Gate-Controlled Wide-Tunable-Range Diode Voltage

This paper presents a new power-reduction scheme using a back-gate-controlled asymmetrical double-gate device with robust data-retention capability for high-performance logic/SRAM power gating or variable/dynamic supply applications. The scheme reduces the transistor count, area, and capacitance in the header/footer device and provides a wide range of virtual ground (GND) or supply voltage. Physical analysis and numerical mix-mode device/circuit-simulation results confirm that the proposed scheme can be applied to low-power high-performance circuit applications in 65-nm technology node and beyond. Variable/dynamic supply or GND voltage using the proposed scheme improves read and write margins in scaled SRAM without degrading read and write performance.     

基于忆阻器的1T1M可重构阵列结构

忆阻器(Memristor)或者阻变存储器(ReRAM)是一种具有存储和计算功能的新型非易失性存储器(NVM),可以用作存算一体(PIM)的非冯·诺依曼计算机体系架构的基础器件。针对可重构阵列处理器数据计算速度和存储速度不匹配的问题,该文采用电压阈值自适应忆阻器(VTEAM)模型,经过凌力尔特通用模拟电路仿真器(LTSPICE)仿真验证,可以实现布尔逻辑完备集。在此基础上,设计了一种1T1M忆阻器交叉阵列,具有结构简单、可重构性和高并行性的特点,利用蒙特卡罗(MC)法进行容差分析,计算精度达到0.998。该阵列与现有的先进阵列相比,能有效提升芯片的性能,降低处理延迟与能耗,可以与可重构阵列处理器结合以应对“存储墙”问题。     

A Low-Power Reconfigurable Analog Filter for UMTS/WLAN Receivers

A low-power analog filter able to be reconfigured in order to be used in UMTS and WLAN applications is reported. The 4th order low-pass continuous-time filter is going to be included in the receiver path of a reconfigurable terminal. The filter is made up by the cascade of two Active-G$_m$-RC low-pass biquadratic cells. The unity-gain-bandwidth of the opamps embedded in the Active-G$_m$-RC cells is comparable to the filter cut-off frequency. Thus, the power consumption of the opamp can be strongly reduced. In addition, the filter can be programmed in order to process UMTS and WLAN signals, while a little area overhead is required since the filter can share capacitors as well as opamps in both operations modes. The cut-off frequency deviation due to the technological spread, aging and temperature variation is adjusted by using a tuning circuit.The full device in a 0.13 μ$m CMOS technology occupies a 2.8 mm²area.     

可重构分组密码逻辑阵列加权度量模型及高能效映射算法

针对基于粗粒度可重构阵列结构的分组密码算法映射情况复杂、难以实现统一度量的问题,该文采用多目标决策手段,以性能及功耗参数为决策目标,基于分组密码算法轮运算及粗粒度可重构阵列结构特征约束,提出了一种面向分组密码算法映射的加权度量模型.同时,采用主客观综合分析法,定义了模型权重参数的计算方式,从而通过配置合理的权重参数,以高能效映射算法实现差异化的映射.为了降低决策时间,该文进一步提出了基于二进制编码的枚举搜索算法,实现了最优映射结果搜索与映射矩阵建立的并行,使决策的时间复杂度降至O（2ⁿ）.实验结果表明,该文提出的加权度量模型能实现高效的分组密码算法映射方案决策,单位面积性能提升了约14.2%,能效提升了约一倍.     

新型电控可重构天线阵全向单元设计

该文提出了一种性能良好的新型方向图可重构天线阵全向印刷单元天线。该天线由两对半波振子背靠背印刷在介质板上构成,结构简单紧凑。相对带宽达50%(VSWR<2),在工作频带内,增益6.44 dBi,不圆度小于2.0 dB。文中给出了仿真设计结果和实测的电参数数据,两者有较好地一致性。本天线适用于WiMax(802.16)终端及WLAN基站或中继站天线。     

基于粗粒度可重构阵列结构的多标准离散余弦变换设计

在视频信号的编解码流程中,离散余弦变换(DCT)是一个至关重要的环节,其决定了视频压缩的质量和效率。针对88尺寸的2维离散余弦变换,该文提出一种基于粗粒度可重构阵列结构(Coarse-Grained Reconfigurable Array, CGRA)的硬件电路结构。利用粗粒度可重构阵列的可重配置的特性,实现在单一平台支持多个视频压缩编码标准的88 2维离散余弦变换。实验结果显示,这种结构每个时钟周期可以并行处理8个像素,吞吐率最高可达1.157109像素/s。与已有结构相比,设计效率和功耗效率最高可分别提升4.33倍和12.3倍,并能够以最高30帧/s的帧率解码尺寸为40962048,格式为4:2:0的视频序列。     

Low-Power Rotary Clock Array Design

Rotary clock is a recently proposed clock distribution technique based on wave propagation in transmission lines. In this paper, we investigate the problem of power minimization of rotary clock designs. Specifically, we have developed a software tool based on the method of partial element equivalent circuit that is capable of extracting the SPICE netlist from the layout specification of a rotary clock design. Using our tool, we have performed extensive analysis that links various design parameters of a rotary clock design to its oscillation frequency and power dissipation. Based on the results of our analysis, we then propose a power minimization algorithm. Our algorithm derives a rotary clock structure that dissipates the minimal power while satisfying the clock dimension requirement and oscillating at the target frequency with the given clock load. Experimental results have demonstrated that, for target operating frequencies ranging from 0.5 to 5 GHz, rotary clock designs can achieve power savings of up to 80% in comparison with conventional clock tree implementations     

A Low-Power Wideband Reconfigurable Integrated Active-RC Filter With 73 dB SFDR

In this paper, a low-power, highly linear, integrated, active-RC filter exhibiting a reconfigurable transfer function (Chebyshev, Elliptic) and bandwidth (5 MHz, 10 MHz), is presented. The filter exploits digitally-controlled polysilicon resistor banks and a digital automatic tuning scheme to account for process and temperature variations. The operational amplifiers used are based on a new compensation technique that allows optimized high-frequency filter performance and minimized current consumption. A filter prototype has been fabricated in a 0.12-$muhbox m$CMOS process, occupies 0.25$hbox mm^2$(tuning circuit included), and achieves an IIP3 of approximately$+hbox20~dBm$, whereas its spurious free dynamic range (SFDR) reaches 73 dB. The dissipation of the filter core and the tuning circuit is 4.6 mW and 1.5 mW, respectively.     

Dynamic Context Compression for Low-Power Coarse-Grained Reconfigurable Architecture

Most of the coarse-grained reconfigurable architectures (CGRAs) are composed of reconfigurable ALU arrays and configuration cache (or context memory) to achieve high performance and flexibility. Specially, configuration cache is the main component in CGRA that provides distinct feature for dynamic reconfiguration in every cycle. However, frequent memory-read operations for dynamic reconfiguration cause much power consumption. Thus, reducing power in configuration cache has become critical for CGRA to be more competitive and reliable for its use in embedded systems. In this paper, we propose dynamically compressible context architecture for power saving in configuration cache. This power-efficient design of context architecture works without degrading the performance and flexibility of CGRA. Experimental results show that the proposed approach saves up to 39.72% power in configuration cache with negligible area overhead (2.16%).