Configurable Logic Blocks and Memory Blocks for Beyond-CMOS FPGA-Based Embedded Systems
Marshal Raj, Lakshminarayanan Gopalakrishnan, Seok‐Bum Ko, Nagi G. Naganathan, N. Ramasubramanian
Abstract
Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)-based embedded systems are easy to implement, reconfigure, test, and validate. Configurable logic blocks (CLBs) and memory blocks are the building blocks of FPGA. The rising issues in CMOS fabrication at smaller nanometer levels has increased the need for beyond-CMOS technologies to build complex circuits at extremely smaller nanometer levels. Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is a nascent beyond-CMOS nanotechnology technique to design low-power and high-performance digital circuits. In this letter, a layout strategy is proposed to design QCA circuits. Using the proposed strategy, novel and cost-efficient designs of CLBs and memory blocks are proposed. The proposed blocks can be used to develop FPGA architecture and FPGA-based embedded systems in QCA. The proposed circuits are cost effective and perform better than many state-of-the-art designs. Simulation and verification are done in QCADesigner using coherence vector simulation engine.