Title
Test implications and challenges in near threshold computing special session
Abstract
As technology scales deep into nanometer era, power and energy have become major design constraints, especially for energy-harvested and similar ultra-low power systems, such as embedded processors, remote sensors and implantable devices for the Internet of Things (IoT). Aggressive supply voltage scaling is one of the most efficient ways of reducing power and energy for digital circuits. Near-threshold computing (NTC), in which the supply voltage is close to the threshold voltage of the transistor, can provide a very high energy efficiency (10X or higher) compared to the traditional super-threshold region at the cost of significant (>10X) increase in time to complete a task. However, NTC can come with some major challenges such as decreased functional margins in various circuit elements and greatly increased sensitivity to process variations. To ensure correct functionality in the field, testing of NTC circuits faces some serious challenges, and possibly requires a paradigm shift from conventional testing methods.
Year
DOI
Venue
2016
10.1109/VTS.2016.7477295
2016 IEEE 34th VLSI Test Symposium (VTS)
Keywords
Field
DocType
near threshold computing,technology scaling,energy-harvested power systems,ultra-low power systems,embedded processors,remote sensors,implantable devices,Internet of Things,IoT,aggressive supply voltage scaling,power reduction,energy reduction,digital circuits,NTC,NTC circuit testing
Digital electronics,Efficient energy use,Computer science,Voltage,Electric power system,Real-time computing,Electronic engineering,Transistor,Electronic circuit,Electrical engineering,Threshold voltage,Switched-mode power supply
Conference
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
0
0.34
0
Authors
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Mehdi B. Tahoori11537163.44
Robert C. Aitken277892.45
Sriram R. Vangal31857114.54
Bal Sandhu400.34