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A Reconfigurable Architecture Using Non-voltatile Memories

Ahari, Ali | 2013

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 44683 (19)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Computer Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Asadi, Hossein
  7. Abstract:
  8. In recent years, emerging Non-Volatile Memories (NVMs) have become promising alternatives for existing memory technologies. Due to shortcomings of SRAM memory in nanometer era,NVMs such as Phase-Change Memory (PCM) can be used in configuration memories of Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Despite prominent features of emerging NVMs, they suffer from high write-power, high write-latency, and limited number of reliable write opera-tions. In addition, a dedicated Peripheral Circuit (PC) which is required to convert the NVM state to the equivalent voltage level can impose significant area and power overheads to FPGAs.In this thesis, a reliable power-efficient hybrid architecture employing combination of SRAM and PCM cells is proposed. In the proposed architecture, the pattern of write operations into configuration memory bits is examined to extract the write-intensive configuration bits. Using this study, SRAMs and PCMs are used in high write-intensive and low write-intensive configu-ration bits, respectively. In addition, we propose a power-efficient PC to convert the PCM state to its equivalent voltage levels. Static power,Static Power Delay Product (SPDP), and reliabil-ity estimations of the proposed architecture show up to 85.9%, 54.3%, and 96% improvements over SRAM-based FPGAs, respectively while offering reconfiguration frequency up to 1.6X10 9 cycles over device lifetime
  9. Keywords:
  10. Non-Volatile Memory ; Static Random Access Memory (SRAM)Cell ; Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) ; Reconfiguration Memory

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