CAREER: Rotary Clock Technology Integration

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"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."Achieving high quality synchronization with low power dissipation is a major objective in synchronous VLSI circuit design at high frequency regimes. In order to meet this objective, conventional clock design methodologies are constantly being improved. Also, next-generation alternatives to conventional clocking have been emerging. Resonant clocking technologies provide operating frequencies and power dissipation levels that are unprecedented in the state-of-the-art, bulk-CMOS VLSI IC implementations. These technologies must be characterized for on chip variations, have robust simulation models and be supported by specific design flows in order to be viable in high volume production. This project addresses such challenges in the design and design automation of resonant rotary clocking technology for high-volume IC production.With improved nanoscale design characterization and design automation methodologies, rotary clocking technology can be seamlessly integrated within the mainstream VLSI IC design flow. The broader impacts of the proposed research are in revolutionizing the clock synchronization methodology of digital VLSI synchronous circuits for low-power, multi-GHz operation and providing its sustainability over semiconductor technology scaling. Proposed low-power, multi-GHz high-performance clocking operation will have a major impact on all microelectronic systems, from field-deployable low power sensors to the world's fastest supercomputers. The research accomplishments will be disseminated through a wiki site and a book. Another important educational impact is on integrating nano-computing and technology concepts into computer engineering curriculum. A workshop on computing is planned for high school students as an integral part of the ongoing outreach projects in urban Philadelphia.