An Integrated Ultra-Wideband Timed Array Receiver in 0.13 μm CMOS Using a Path-Sharing True Time Delay Architecture

A fully integrated CMOS ultra-wideband 4-channel timed array receiver for high-resolution imaging application is presented. A path-sharing true time delay architecture is implemented to reduce the chip area for integrated circuits. The true time delay resolution is 15 ps and the maximum delay is 225 ps. The receiver provides 11 scan angles with almost 9 degrees of spatial resolution for an antenna spacing of 3 cm. The design bandwidth is from 1 to 15 GHz corresponding to less than 1 cm depth resolution in free space. The chip is implemented in 0.13 mum CMOS with eight metal layers, and the chip size is 3.1 mm by 3.2 mm. Measurement results for the standalone CMOS chip as well as the integrated planar antenna array and the CMOS chip are reported.     

A high-resolution CMOS time-to-digital converter utilizing aVernier delay line

This paper describes a CMOS time-to-digital converter (TDC) integrated circuit utilizing tapped delay lines. A technique that allows the achievement of high resolution with low dead-time is presented, The technique is based on a Vernier delay line (VDL) used in conjunction with an asynchronous read-out circuitry. A delay-locked loop (DLL) is used to stabilize the resolution against process variations and ambient conditions. A test circuit fabricated in a standard 0.7-μm digital CMOS process is presented. The TDC contains 128 delay stages and achieves 30-ps resolution, stabilized by the DLL, with the accuracy exceeding ±1 LSB. Test results show that even higher resolutions can be achieved using the VDL method, and resolutions down to 5 ps are demonstrated to be obtainable     

A high-speed 64K CMOS RAM with bipolar sense amplifiers

A TTL-compatible 64K static RAM with CMOS-bipolar circuitry has been developed using a 1.2-/spl mu/m MoSi gate n-well CMOS-bipolar technology. Address access time is typically 28 ns, with 225 mW active power and 100 nW standby power. A CMOS six-transistor memory cell is used. The cell size is 18/spl times/20 /spl mu/m, and the chip size is 5.95/spl times/6.84 mm. The n-p-n transistors are used in the sense amplifiers, voltage regulators, and level clamping circuits. The bipolar sense amplifiers reduce the detectable bit line swing, thus improving the worst-case bit line delay time and the sensing delay time. In order to reduce the word line delay, the MoSi layer, which has 5 /spl Omega//sheet resistivity, was used for the gate material. The n-well CMOS process is based on a scaled CMOS process, and collector-isolated n-p-n transistors and CMOS are integrated simultaneously without adding any extra process steps and without causing any degradation of CMOS characteristics. The n-p-n transistor has a 2-GHz cutoff frequency at 1 mA collector current.     

A fully parallel CMOS analog median filter

A fully integrated CMOS implementation of a continuous-time analog median filter is presented. The median filter uses two compact analog circuits as building blocks to implement the variable delay and median detection. Median detectors are based on current saturating transconductance comparators, while the time delay is implemented using first-order all-pass filters. Both circuits allow modular expansion for the implementation of large median filter array processors. Based on these blocks, a new fast technique for parallel image processing is presented. It is shown that an image of 91/spl times/80 pixels can be processed in less than 8 /spl mu/s using an array of median filter cells. Experimental results of a test chip prototype in 2-/spl mu/m CMOS MOSIS technology are presented.     

A high-speed programmable CMOS interface system combining D/Aconversion and FIR filtering

This paper describes the design, integrated circuit realization, and experimental characterization of a high-speed programmable interface system combining the functions of digital-to-analog (D/A) conversion and FIR filtering. The system comprises four high-speed digital delay lines, with programmable delay length, together with four high-speed steering-current D/A converters with independent digitally-programmable gains. A demonstration prototype chip has been fabricated in a 1.2-μm digital CMOS technology. At 54 MHz conversion rate and digital delay lines clocked at 18 MHz, it consumes 115 mW for a full-scale output current of 13.3 mA at 5 V supply     

一种基于目标延迟约束缓冲器插入的互连优化模型

基于分布式RLC传输线,提出在互连延迟满足目标延迟的条件下,利用拉格朗日函数改变插入缓冲器数目与尺寸来减小互连功耗和面积的优化模型. 在65nm CMOS工艺下,对两组不同类型的互连线进行计算比较,验证该模型在改善互连功耗与面积方面的优点. 此模型更适合全局互连线的优化,而且互连线越长,优化效果越明显,能够应用于纳米级SOC的计算机辅助设计和集成电路优化设计.     

Compact modeling of response time and random-dopant-fluctuation-induced variability in nanoscale CMOS inverter

As MOSFETs are scaled down to nanometer feature size, random dopant fluctuation (RDF) severely affects CMOS digital integrated circuits (ICs). This paper proposes compact models for estimation of response time and RDF-induced variability in nanoscale CMOS inverter by solution of differential equation considering both input rise time and gate–drain coupling capacitance. The timing characteristics, including propagation delay, overshooting time and transition time, as well as its variability, are accurately modeled in analytical expressions. The proposed models are verified with HSPICE simulations. Monte Carlo analysis also confirms that the models are simple and effective in different design decisions such as width length ratios, load capacitances and source voltages. The studies show that a 7.59% spread in V_T variation due to RDF results in about 5% spread in delay variability for the 65 nm CMOS inverter.     

Comparative analysis of CMOS circuits of a thermometer-to-binary encoder for integrated flash analog-to-digital converters

The speed of a flash analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is limited by both the comparator response time in the input analog part of the circuit and the delay time of the encoder that converts the thermometer code on the comparator outputs into the output straight binary code. In this paper, we consider the problems of the synthesis of CMOS circuits of encoders for integrated flash ADCs. New encoder circuit designs with a reduced delay are proposed. The comparative analysis of the main characteristics of CMOS circuits of encoders based on the data of circuit simulation for the 180 nm MOSFET technology is presented.     

S-parameter-measurement-based high-speed signal transientcharacterization of VLSI interconnects on SiO2-Si substrate

A new S-parameter-based signal transient characterization method for very large scale integrated (VLSI) interconnects is presented. The technique can provide very accurate signal integrity verification of an integrated circuit (IC) interconnect line since its S-parameters are composed of all the frequency-variant transmission line characteristics over a broad frequency band. In order to demonstrate the technique, test patterns are designed and fabricated by using a 0.35 μm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process. The time-domain signal transient characteristics for the test patterns are then examined by using the S-parameters over a 50 MHz to 20 GHz frequency range. The signal delay and the waveform distortion presented in the interconnect lines based on the proposed method are compared with the existing interconnect models. Using the experimental characterizations of the test patterns, it is shown that the silicon substrate effect and frequency-variant transmission line characteristics of IC interconnects can be very crucial     

A Digitally Controlled Shunt Capacitor CMOS Delay Line

Delay-controlled CMOS delay lines have been proved useful in a number of applications, notably the digitization of short time intervals. This paper introduces a new kind of CMOS delay line, in which the delay element is an array of capacitors controlled by a digital signal vector. This choice allows for a robust implementation of the circuitry controlling the delay generation, while the maximum speed attainable by the line is high compared to the maximum speed achieved by other delay line architectures. The delay line presented here was designed to produce an accurately tunable 16 × 0.5ns delay under large temperature, supply voltage, and technological process quality variations.     

群时延精确设计的全差分四阶Bessel滤波器

采用MOS管有源电阻,提出了一种全差分R-MOSFET-C四阶Bessel有源低通滤波器,.通过调节工作于亚阈值区的CMOS管的沟道导纳补偿电阻值的大小,能抵消集成电路制造工艺中电阻值的一致偏差,实现Bessel有源滤波器群时延的精确设计.根据无源滤波器的状态方程完成有源滤波器的综合,应用3.3V,0.5μm CMOS工艺完成了群时延大小为0.75μs的四阶Bessel低通滤波器的管极计算机仿真,仿真结果表明所提电路正确有效,适于全集成.     

Analysis of crosstalk interference in CMOS integrated circuits

The authors show how crosstalk coupling between transmission lines inside CMOS integrated circuits can provoke faulty behavior by affecting the propagation delay of the logic and analog cells. A simplified model for the evaluation of parasitic capacitive coupling effects is proposed, and the influence of crosstalk on the behavior of basic functions such as logic gates, latches, RAM memory, and analog-to-digital converters is evaluated     

A low-power CMOS time-to-digital converter

A time-to-digital converter, TDC, with 780 ps lsb and 10-μs input range has been integrated in a 1.2-μm CMOS technology. The circuit is based on the interpolation time interval measurement principle and contains an amplitude regulated crystal oscillator, a counter, two pulse-shrinking delay lines, and a delay-locked loop for stabilization of the delay. The TDC is designed for a portable, low-power laser range-finding device. The supply voltage is 5±0.5 V, and the operating temperature range is -40 to +60°C. Single-shot accuracy is 3 ns and accuracy after averaging is ±120 ps with input time intervals 5-500 ns. In the total input range of 10 μs, the final accuracy after averaging is ±200 ps. Current consumption is 3 mA, and the chip size is 2.9 mm×2.5 mm     

An 8 ns 4 Mb serial access memory

A new architecture for serial access memory is described that enables a static random access memory (SRAM) to operate in a serial access mode. The design target is to access all memory address serially from any starting address with an access time of less than 10 ns. This can be done by all initializing procedure and three new circuit techniques. The initializing procedure is introduced to start the serial operation at an arbitrary memory address. Three circuit techniques eliminate extra delay time caused by an internal addressing of column lines, sense amplifiers, word lines, and memory cell blocks. This architecture was successfully implemented in a 4-Mb CMOS SRAM using a 0.6 μm CMOS process technology. The measured serial access time was 8 ns at a single power supply voltage of 3.3 V     

A 150-MHz graphics rendering processor with 256-Mb embedded DRAM

A 150-MHz graphics rendering processor with an integrated 256-Mb embedded DRAM, delivering a rendering rate of 75 M polygons/s, is presented, 287.5 M transistors are integrated on a 21.3×21.7 mm ² die in a 0.18-μm embedded DRAM CMOS process with six layers of metal. Design methodologies for hierarchical electrical and physical design of this very large-scale IC, including power distribution, fully hierarchical timing design, and verification utilizing a newly developed nonlinear model, clock design, propagation delay, and crosstalk noise management in multi-millimeter RC transmission lines, are presented     

可编程SAW滤波器CMOS集成电路的研究

本文介绍了一种采用1 μm CMOS工艺实现的可编程声表面波滤波器的八位取样、加权、控制、叠加集成电路,并对电路的性能进行了模拟和测试,同时与延迟线型、多组IDT型的声表面波滤波器以多芯片模式进行在线功能测试.该电路由两个三明治电容和两个高宽长比的高跨导NMOS晶体管组成.该电路结构简单,制造工艺与传统的CMOS工艺兼容.该集成电路的工作频率范围为15MHz~250MHz时,插入损耗为-8dB~-20dB,加权电路开关比(on/off ratio)为7dB~18dB左右.     

Design methodology for synthesizing clock distribution networksexploiting nonzero localized clock skew

An integrated top-down design methodology is presented in this brief for synthesizing high performance clock distribution networks based on application dependent localized clock skew. The methodology is divided into four phases: (1) determining an optimal clock skew schedule composed of a set of nonzero clock skew values and the related minimum clock path delays; (2) designing the topology of the clock distribution network with delays assigned to each branch based on the circuit hierarchy, the aforementioned clock skew schedule, and minimizing process and environmental delay variations; (3) designing circuit structures to emulate the delay values assigned to the individual branches of the clock tree; and (4) designing the physical layout of the clock distribution network. The clock distribution network synthesis methodology is based on CMOS technology. The clock lines are transformed from distributed resistive capacitive interconnect lines into purely capacitive interconnect lines by partitioning the RC interconnect lines with inverting repeaters. Variations in process parameters are considered during the circuit design of the clock distribution network to guarantee a race-free circuit. Nominal errors of less than 2.5% for the delay of the clock paths and 7% for the clock skew between any two registers belonging to the same global data path as compared with SPICE Level-3 are demonstrated     

An analog beam-forming circuit for ultrasound imaging usingswitched-current delay lines

A mixed-signal integrated circuit implements 1120 analog memory points arranged in 16 independent fully programmable delay lines in a 0.8 μm CMOS technology. It demonstrates the feasibility of large scale mixed-mode circuits using the switched current technique. The die area of the chip is 72 mm² and incorporates 16 rather large and complex analog blocks, which take advantage of special design techniques developed in order to keep power consumption at a reasonable level and to eliminate second-order effects due to long power and signal lines. At the nominal 64 MHz sampling rate, harmonic distortion is -48 dB, dynamic range is above 60 dB, and power consumption is 1.22 W from a single 5 V supply     

Effects of inductance on the propagation delay and repeaterinsertion in VLSI circuits

A closed-form expression for the propagation delay of a CMOS gate driving a distributed RLC line is introduced that is within 5% of dynamic circuit simulations for a wide range of RLC loads. It is shown that the error in the propagation delay if inductance is neglected and the interconnect is treated as a distributed RC line can be over 35% for current on-chip interconnect. It is also shown that the traditional quadratic dependence of the propagation delay on the length of the interconnect for RC lines approaches a linear dependence as inductance effects increase. On-chip inductance is therefore expected to have a profound effect on traditional high-performance integrated circuit (IC) design methodologies. The closed-form delay model is applied to the problem of repeater insertion in RLC interconnect. Closed-form solutions are presented for inserting repeaters into RLC lines that are highly accurate with respect to numerical solutions. RC models can create errors of up to 30% in the total propagation delay of a repeater system as compared to the optimal delay if inductance is considered. The error between the RC and RLC models increases as the gate parasitic impedances decrease with technology scaling. Thus, the importance of inductance in high-performance very large scale integration (VLSI) design methodologies will increase as technologies scale     

An integrated pre-access architecture for CMOS SRAM

A proposed architecture for CMOS SRAM, random pre-access memory (RPM), allows any single word address to provide simultaneous access to multiple consecutive words starting at the given address. RPM has this pre-access feature integrated into its circuit design in order to minimize access time and increase organizational flexibility. A technique for implementing RPMs of practical size is described, and the characteristics of the memory are examined. Integrating its pre-access function in a CMOS SRAM results in no significant access time penalty, and an area cost of 2% to 8%, depending on the memory organization and size. This architecture is well suited to integrated memory whose requirements necessitate unaligned, multiword access with minimal delay penalty and no power-of-two access restrictions. In particular, such memory finds application in the instruction caches of high-performance superscalar processors, since these require multiple instruction prefetches in a single cycle