SHF: Small: Ferroelectric Transistor based Coupled Oscillators for Non-Boolean Computing

由于基于输入的布尔处理的传统计算架构对于涉及识别和感觉处理的任务可能是次优的，因此对新的非布尔计算技术的探索具有承担重要作用的潜力。该项目旨在通过研究新的后CMOS器件和电路，并广泛分析其在应用层面的影响来解决这个问题。研究成果可能会对计算机辅助诊断、语音/人脸识别、数据分类和资源分配等关键应用产生直接影响，并使医疗保健、国防和安全等多个领域受益。此外，利用所提出的技术实现的功率节省可以转化为移动的系统的更长的电池寿命，从而促进更丰富的用户体验和超低功率处理。该项目将通过将研究成果纳入课程来加强研究生和本科生教育。建议的研究利用铁电晶体管的新兴技术，将铁电体固有的非线性转化为持续振荡，从而设计新颖的低功率和紧凑的振荡器。许多这样的振荡器，其动态可以控制，耦合实现非布尔计算结构。振荡器之间的同步程度提供了关于不同信号之间的匹配/失配程度的信息，使得能够为诸如模式匹配、运动感测等应用做出有效的决策。所提出的方法涉及广泛的设备和电路的协同设计，以利用铁电晶体管提供的独特功能，以提高耦合振荡器的能量和面积效率。 研究工作跨越了不同层次的设计抽象，包括（i）探索适合所提出的方法的新型铁电基器件，（ii）新的振荡器设计，以及（iii）全面的应用级分析。基于铁电体的振荡器的广泛基准测试将针对先前探索的振荡器进行，以全面量化它们的益处和权衡。此外，详细的调查建立的器件-电路特性和铁电材料的固有特性之间的关系将进行揭示拟议的振荡器和丰富的振荡动力学的基本属性。

Since conventional computing architectures based on Boolean processing of inputs may be sub-optimal for tasks involving recognition and sensory processing, exploration of new non-Boolean computing technologies has the potential to assume an important role. This project aims at addressing this issue by investigating new post-CMOS devices and circuits, and extensively analyzing their implications at the application level. The research outcomes are likely to have a direct impact on critical applications such as computer aided diagnosis, speech/face recognition, data classification and resource allocation, and benefit several areas such as healthcare, defense, and security. Moreover, power savings achieved with the proposed techniques may translate to longer battery life for mobile systems facilitating a richer user experience and ultra-low power processing. The project will enhance graduate and undergraduate education by integrating the research outputs in the curriculum. The participation of under-represented groups will also be encouraged.The proposed research utilizes the emerging technology of ferroelectric transistor to design novel low power and compact oscillators by translating the inherent non-linearity of the ferroelectrics to sustained oscillations. A multitude of such oscillators, whose dynamics can be controlled, are coupled to realize a non-Boolean computing fabric. The extent of synchronization amongst the oscillators provides information about the degree of match/mismatch amongst different signals, enabling efficient decision-making for applications such as pattern matching, motion sensing and others. The proposed approach involves extensive co-design of devices and circuits to harness the unique features offered by the ferroelectric transistors for enhancing the energy- and area-efficiencies of the coupled oscillators. The research effort spans different levels of design abstraction including (i) the exploration of novel ferroelectric based devices amenable for the proposed approach, (ii) new oscillator designs, and (iii) a comprehensive application-level analysis. Extensive benchmarking of ferroelectric based oscillators will be performed against previously explored oscillators to comprehensively quantify their benefits and trade-offs. In addition, detailed investigation establishing the relationships between the device-circuit characteristics and the inherent properties of the ferroelectric materials will be carried out to uncover the fundamental attributes of the proposed oscillators and their rich oscillation dynamics.