A 0.190-pJ/bit 25.2-Gb/s/wire Inverter-Based AC-Coupled Transceiver for Short-Reach Die-to-Die Interfaces in 5-nm CMOS
Yoshinori Nishi, John W. Poulton, Xi Chen, Sanquan Song, Brian Zimmer, Walker J. Turner, Stephen G. Tell, Nikola Nedovic, John Wilson, William J. Dally, C. Thomas Gray
Abstract
This paper presents an Inverter-based AC-coupled Toggle (ISR-ACT) transceiver targeted for short-reach die-to-die communication over silicon interposer or similar high-density interconnect. The ISR-ACT’s transmitter sends NRZ data through a small on-chip capacitor into the line. The receiver amplifies the low-swing pulses using a 1st-stage TIA to fully toggle the 2nd-stage output, where positive feedback to the input pad maintains the DC level on the line. Fabricated in a 5nm standard CMOS process, ISR-ACT link shows 0.66UI margin at 25.2Gb/s/wire on a 0.75V supply over a 1.2mm on-chip channel and demonstrates the potential to achieve 0.190pJ/bit.