Title
Centip3De: a many-core prototype exploring 3D integration and near-threshold computing
Abstract
Process scaling has resulted in an exponential increase of the number of transistors available to designers. Meanwhile, global interconnect has not scaled nearly as well, because global wires scale only in one dimension instead of two, resulting in fewer, high-resistance routing tracks. This paper evaluates the use of three-dimensional (3D) integration to reduce global interconnect by adding multiple layers of silicon with vertical connections between them using through-silicon vias (TSVs). Because global interconnect can be millimeters long, and silicon layers tend to be only tens of microns thick in 3D stacked processes, the power and performance gains by using vertical interconnect can be substantial. To address the thermal issues that arise with 3D integration, this paper also evaluates the use of near-threshold computing---operating the system at a supply voltage just above the threshold voltage of the transistors. Specifically, we will discuss the design and test of Centip3De, a large-scale 3D-stacked near-threshold chip multiprocessor. Centip3De uses Tezzaron's 3D stacking technology in conjunction with Global Foundries' 130 nm process. The Centip3De design comprises 128 ARM Cortex-M3 cores and 256MB of integrated DRAM. Silicon measurements are presented for a 64-core version of the design.
Year
DOI
Venue
2013
10.1145/2524713.2524725
Commun. ACM
Keywords
Field
DocType
many-core prototype,process scaling,threshold voltage,global wires scale,centip3de design,near-threshold computing,nm process,silicon layer,vertical connection,near-threshold chip multiprocessor,supply voltage
Dram,Computer science,Voltage,Theoretical computer science,Chip,Multiprocessing,Interconnection,Transistor,Threshold voltage,Electrical engineering,Scaling,Embedded system
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
56
11
0001-0782
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
9
0.51
0
Authors
15
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Ronald G. Dreslinski1125881.02
David Fick258436.85
Bharan Giridhar3764.93
Gyouho Kim430035.86
Sangwon Seo537122.84
M. Fojtik631228.45
Sudhir Satpathy726919.69
Yoonmyung Lee837243.01
Daeyeon Kim917624.36
Nurrachman Liu10533.21
Michael Wieckowski11768.75
Gregory Chen12231.13
Dennis Sylvester135295535.53
David Blaauw148916823.47
Trevor Mudge156139659.74