Enhancing microprocessor immunity to power supply noise with clock-data compensation

Author

Wong, Keng L. ; Rahal-Arabi, Tawfik ; Ma, Matthew ; Taylor, Greg

Author_Institution

Technol. Manuf. Group, Intel Corp., Hillsboro, OR, USA

Volume

41

Issue

4

fYear

2006

fDate

4/1/2006 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

749

Lastpage

758

Abstract

This paper demonstrates an alternative to the conventional wisdom that microprocessors require a flat impedance spectrum across a broad range of frequencies in order to deliver maximum operating frequency. Delivering this impedance requires large amounts of on-die capacitance. We show through extensive analysis techniques that proper co-design of the clock and power distribution networks can relax this requirement, saving the area and leakage power needed for on-die decoupling. Measurements made on 130- and 180-nm processors validate the approach.

Keywords

clocks; compensation; integrated circuit noise; microprocessor chips; power supply circuits; 130 nm; 180 nm; clock-data compensation; flat impedance spectrum; maximum operating frequency; microprocessor immunity; on-die capacitance; on-die decoupling; power distribution networks; power supply noise; Capacitance; Capacitors; Circuits; Clocks; Frequency; Impedance; Microprocessors; Packaging; Power supplies; Resonance; Clock distribution; Fmax; clock jitter; clock-data compensation; data-clock synchronization; microprocessor speed; package resonance; power delivery; power supply noise;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Solid-State Circuits, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9200

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JSSC.2006.870925

Filename

1610619