SHF: Small: Computer Aided Design Methodologies and Tools for Superconducting Single Flux Quantum Technology

“Beyond-Cmos”器件技术和相应逻辑系列的进步现在被视为迈向高性能计算下一次重大飞跃的关键一步。这项研究中描述的研究挑战和机遇为开发非常有前途的“Beyond-Cmos”技术的许多方面提供了方向，该技术可以产生极高性能但又节能的计算系统，从而确保信息技术生态系统的可持续性。教育、推广和培训计划包括开发新的教育模块；招募少数族裔和代表性不足的学生；以及为本科生提供本科生学习和研究实习机会。该项目的技术目标是调查超导直流供电单磁通量子(SFQ)逻辑电路设计和优化的最新水平，并制定全面的研究计划，以开发标准的基于单元的设计方法和支持寄存器传输级别的SFQ逻辑的计算机辅助设计工具。在此过程中，本项目将分析SFQ逻辑和标准数字CMOS逻辑结构的异同，研究与SFQ逻辑门和电路的综合、优化和物理设计相关的各种问题，并最终产生一些计算机辅助设计技术和原型软件工具，用于概念验证演示，包括标准单元表征工具、静态时序和功耗分析工具、前端逻辑综合以及后端布局和时钟网络设计工具。简而言之，本研究旨在实现先进设计自动化技术的发展，以支持大规模超导SFQ数字电子产品，以满足未来高能效、高性能大规模计算系统的需求。

Advances in "beyond-CMOS" device technologies and corresponding logic families are now seen as a key step towards achieving the next major leap in high-performance computing. The research challenges and opportunities described in this research provide directions for developing many aspects of a very promising "beyond-CMOS" technology, which can result in extremely high performance, yet energy-efficient, computing system, and thereby, ensure sustainability of the information technology ecosystem. Education, Outreach, and Training Programs include development of new educational modules; recruitment of minority and under-represented students; as well as undergraduate learning and research internship opportunities for undergraduates.The technical goal of this project is to investigate the state-of-the-art in design and optimization of superconducting DC-powered single flux quantum (SFQ) logic circuits and draw up a comprehensive research plan for developing a standard cell-based design methodology and supporting computer-aided design tools for the SFQ logic at the register-transfer-level. In the process, this project will analyze similarities and differences between the SFQ logic and standard digital CMOS logic fabrics, investigate various problems related to the synthesis, optimization and physical design of SFQ logic gates and circuits, and finally produce a number of computer-aided design techniques and prototype software tools for proof-of-concept demonstrations, including a standard cell characterization tool, a static timing and power analysis tool, a frontend logic synthesis, and a backend placement and clock network design tool. In short, this research aims to achieve major strides in the development of advanced design automation technologies in support of large-scale superconductive SFQ digital electronics to meet the needs of future energy-efficient, high-performance exa-scale computing systems.