What is it about?
Subthreshold voltage operated circuits cannot operate at high frequencies due to the smaller currents flowing through them than in superthreshold circuits. CNT interconnects, that are found to outperform copper interconnects are the best candidates for futuristic ICs. So, this paper basically proposes the operation of CNT interconnects in subthreshold voltages. The CNTFET based driver circuits are so designed to maximise the input subthreshold current in CNT interconnects. The circuits are a combination of CNTFET based inverters and transmission gates (TGs). The channel length of the CNTFET effects the output current of it. So, it is found that at a minimum possible channel length of 15nm, the CNTFET current is maximum. So, by improving the subthreshold current and by using TG based driver circuits, CNT interconnects are found to operate at significantly higher speeds compared to other types of driver circuits and devices.
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Why is it important?
For the first time, this work shows the high speed operation of interconnects at subthreshold voltages. Proposed circuits are easy to implement. Best case driver circuit consists of only 4 transistors!!!
Perspectives
This work shows direct advantage of channel length scaling in CNTFETs. Projects the advantage of using TGs as driver circuits in addition to inverters. Proposed work shows directions in 'all CNT based circuits' Proposed work is suitable for printable and flexible electronics
Uma Sathyakam P
VIT University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: High speed subthreshold operation of carbon nanotube interconnects, IET Circuits Devices & Systems, February 2019, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (the IET),
DOI: 10.1049/iet-cds.2018.5118.
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