Bit error rate in low-voltage RSFQ circuits with small critical currents/lowered bias voltages

We report experimental results of bit-error-rate (BER) measurements in small-critical-current or lowered-biasvoltage rapid single-flux-quantum (RSFQ) circuits for power reduction. In such reduced-power RSFQ circuits, the BERs can be increased because of the reduced signal-to-noise ratio. We fabricated 2-bit shift registers using a 2.5-kA/cm² niobium process, and measured BERs by low-frequency tests at 4.2 K. We obtained sufficiently wide bias margins when we reduced the critical currents in a range of 1/2 to 1/4 of the conventional design, while it narrowed as the critical currents reduced to 1/8. For low-voltage shift registers, the bias margins linearly decreased in width as bias voltages were lowered. We found that 0.25 mV, 1/10 of the conventional design, was a good bias voltage to balance competing power reduction and bias margin.