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Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics

A GHz-Level RSFQ Clock Distribution Technique with Bias Current Control in JTLs

W Cho, Jeong‐Gyu Lim, Gunhwi Moon

Published May 1, 2006• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

A novel clock distribution technique for pipelined-RSFQ logics using variable Bias Currents of JTLs as delay-medium is newly proposed. RSFQ logics consist of several logic gates or blocks connected in a pipeline structure. And each block has variable delay difference. In the structure, this clock distribution method generates a set of clock signals for each logic blocks with suitable corresponding delays. These delays, in the order of few to tens of pS, can be adjusted through controlling bias current of JTL of delay medium. While delays with resistor value and JJ size are fixed at fabrication stage, delay through bias current can be controlled externally, and thus, is heavily investigated for its range as well as correct operation within current margin. Possible ways of a standard delay library with modular structure are sought for further modularizing Pipelined-RSFQ applications. Simulations and verifications are done through WRSpice with Hypres 3-um process parameters.

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Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference (APMC)•Mar 22, 2006•0 citations
A novel clock distribution technique for pipelined-RSFQ logics using variable Bias Currents of JTLs as delay-medium is newly proposed. RSFQ logics consist of several logic gates or blocks connected in a pipeline structure. And each block has variable delay difference. In the structure, this clock distribution method generates a set of clock signals for each logic blocks with suitable corresponding delays. These delays, in the order of few to tens of pS, can be adjusted through controlling bias current of JTL of delay medium. While delays with resistor value and JJ size are fixed at fabrication stage, delay through bias current can be controlled externally, and thus, is heavily investigated for its range as well as correct operation within current margin. Possible ways of a standard delay library with modular structure are sought for further modularizing Pipelined-RSFQ applications. Simulations and verifications are done through WRSpice with Hypres 3-um process parameters.
At the typical operating temperature of 4.2 K, the theoretical upper limit of the clock frequency of the Low-Temperature Superconductive (LTS) Nb based Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) digital circuits is several hundred GHz. Nevertheless, the few middle-scale RSFQ circuits reported on up to now operate at only some tens of GHz. An important performance-limiting factor is in this case the clock signal distribution, so nowadays asynchronous RSFQ designs are often considered. Our previous studies have shown that it is an important advantage of a given asynchronous RSFQ cell library to contain gates with tunable delays. We have already shown by simulations that the RSFQ gate delays are best adjusted by changing the Stewart-McCumber parameter /spl beta//sub c/ of the Josephson junctions-this method tunes the delay within a large interval of values while scarcely affecting the margins and the fabrication yield of the RSFQ gates. In order to prove this statement experimentally, we have designed, fabricated, and tested several ring-shaped oscillators with identical topologies but different Stewart-McCumber parameters of the Josephson junctions. Their operating speeds and margins are measured and compared.
Delay analysis for superconductive Single Flux Quantum (SFQ) logic is performed for Self-Timing-Aligned Clock Synchronization Technique (STAC). With its pipelined-structure, the SFQ generates and propagates pulses that are to be processed sequentially through serial-connected functional logic blocks, and thus it is critical to acquire a ultra-high-speed and exactly synchronized clock/control signals with a few pico-second resolution. Both passive and Josephson-Junction circuits are investigated for the delay control. These delays, being connected in parallel with input line, and to the clocked-power/control node, produce a self-timing-aligned synchronization. Ways to achieve precision delays are seek by using Mo resistors along with junction inherent capacitors. Both current margins for the bias and critical timing information for the maximum throughput are also investigated. Layouts for the test SFQ circuits, such as D- and RS-flip-flops are done with XIC, and verifications are done through WRSpice with Hypres process parameters.
We present a design for parallel pipelined carry-lookahead Kogge-Stone 32and 64-bit integer adders with the traditional concurrent flow timing scheme, and the results of its gate-level logical simulation using a VHDL model, with parameters reduced from the physical-level simulation of RSFQ cells. The design uses only five different types of bit processing blocks and is easily scalable to any length of the operands. The multi-pulse logic representation together with interchanging logical polarity between pipeline stages is used to simplify the design of the blocks, which contain only two types of clocked RSFQ gates: an inverter and a D-flip-flop. Simulations show that in the absence of thermal fluctuations and random parameter spread the clock frequency of the adder implemented in the projected 0.8 /spl mu/m Nb-trilayer technology could be as high as 150 GHz. However, an approximate account of these factors shows that in order to achieve a 99% adder fabrication yield and a 10/sup -25/ adder error rate the maximal frequency should be reduced to 60 GHz for 1.5% Josephson junction spread and to 52 GHz for 3% spread. Adder latency is close to 260 ps for 32 bits and 320 ps for 64 bits. We plan to re-design the adders to increase their speed.
We have experimentally demonstrated high-speed operation of RSFQ circuits using on-chip testing system and confirmed normal operation up to 30 GHz. The system includes high-frequency pulse generators and shift registers (SRs) serving as an interface circuit between high-speed internal signals and low-speed external signals. We adopted two ladder-type pulse generators. One generates clock pulses of 10 GHz and the other generates 25 GHz. By increasing bias currents of JTLs, clock pulses can be generated at higher frequency. By using the system, an SR and a T flip-flop (TFF) gate are examined. The circuits were fabricated by NEC's standard process based on Nb/AlO x /Nb junction technology with J c = 2.5 kA cm -2 . We optimized circuit parameters by using Monte Carlo simulation. In addition, the effect of parasitic inductances can be reduced by decreasing I c . As a result, the systems for SR and TFF worked correctly up to 30 GHz and 27.5 GHz, respectively. The SR and TFF have wide bias margins of ±39% and ±20%, respectively. We confirmed that the bias margins of the SR are independent of operation frequency. The limits of operation frequency are thought to be much higher than 30 GHz.
Among the major issues in modern large-scale rapid single-flux quantum (RSFQ) circuits are the complexity of the clock network, tight timing tolerances, poor applicability of existing CMOS-based design algorithms, and extremely deep pipelines, which reduce the effective clock frequency. In this article, asynchronous dynamic single-flux quantum majority gates are proposed to solve some of these problems. The proposed logic gates exhibit high bias margins and do not require significant area or a large number of Josephson junctions as compared to existing RSFQ logic gates. These gates exhibit a tradeoff among the input skew tolerance, clock frequency, and bias margins. Asynchronous logic gates greatly reduce the complexity of the clock network in large-scale RSFQ circuits, thereby alleviating certain timing issues and reducing the required bias currents. Furthermore, asynchronous logic allows existing design algorithms to utilize CMOS approaches for synthesis, verification, and testability. The adoption of majority logic in complex RSFQ circuits also reduces the pipeline depth, enabling higher clock speeds in very large scale integration RSFQ circuits.
A novel asynchronous RSFQ digital circuit model, test-timed RSFQ digital model (TT) is proposed in this paper. With this asynchronous approach, data is transferred in a delay-insensitive fashion to avoid the problems aroused from the global clock distribution and the timing uncertainty. In the TT model, the timing pulse to the logic module will be generated with a test logic module, instead of the time delay module, which should be necessary in most asynchronous circuits. The elimination of the delay module can basically solve the timing uncertainty bothered in the RSFQ digital system layouts. The transient simulations and logic simulations have been made for the OR module and a RSFQ data processing pipeline based on the TT scheme has been designed. The logic simulations have also been made for this pipeline, and the results showed its feasibility and satisfaction for the RSFQ digital system applications.