[chapter] Near-Threshold Digital Circuits for Nearly-Minimum Energy Processing

Near-Threshold Digital Circuits for Nearly-Minimum Energy Processing

Massimo Alioto

Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore

in Enabling the Internet of Things; pp 95-148 

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-51482-6_4

This chapter addresses the challenges and the opportunities to perform computation with nearly-minimum energy consumption through the adoption of logic circuits operating at near-threshold voltages. Simple models are provided to gain an insight into the fundamental design tradeoffs. A wide set of design techniques is presented to preserve the nearly-minimum energy feature in spite of the fundamental challenges in terms of performance, leakage and variations. Emphasis is given on debunking the incorrect assumptions that stem from traditional low-power common wisdom at above-threshold voltages. The traditional EKV model is very useful for quick estimates, but it oversimplifies the IV characteristics that is observed in actual nanometer CMOS technologies [read more...]