Periodic Reporting for period 2 - HIGH-MEMO (Ultra-High Speed memories for unprecedented cloud-computing performance)
Reporting period: 2023-04-01 to 2024-11-30
Static Random-Access Memories (SRAM) often act as performance bottlenecks in modern electronic systems. In IoT devices, SRAM contributes significantly to idle power consumption, while in high-performance applications such as telecommunications infrastructure and data centers, it limits processor performance. Xenergic’s mission is to greatly improve system-on-chip (SoC) power efficiency by designing advanced SRAM solutions.
The objective of this project was twofold: first, to bring Xenergic's Ultra-High-Speed (UHS) SRAM Intellectual Property (IP) to market using advanced FinFET technology, pushing the limits of on-chip memory speed; and second, to validate a new High-Speed Turbo (HSTB) memory product line through the design and fabrication of a sample memory instance. The HSTB memory is optimized for applications requiring large, high-speed memory instances where sequential access is prioritized over random access patterns.
Additionally, the project involved designing and fabricating a test chip to validate the functionality and performance of these memory solutions under real-world operating conditions. These efforts position Xenergic’s memory technologies for wide-scale adoption in the high-speed computing market, valued at over €280 billion annually.
The objective of this project was twofold: first, to bring Xenergic's Ultra-High-Speed (UHS) SRAM Intellectual Property (IP) to market using advanced FinFET technology, pushing the limits of on-chip memory speed; and second, to validate a new High-Speed Turbo (HSTB) memory product line through the design and fabrication of a sample memory instance. The HSTB memory is optimized for applications requiring large, high-speed memory instances where sequential access is prioritized over random access patterns.
Additionally, the project involved designing and fabricating a test chip to validate the functionality and performance of these memory solutions under real-world operating conditions. These efforts position Xenergic’s memory technologies for wide-scale adoption in the high-speed computing market, valued at over €280 billion annually.
This project delivered two groundbreaking SRAM solutions—the UHS SRAM compiler and the HSTB memory—developed using an advanced FinFET process. A test chip integrating these designs was also fabricated to ensure robust silicon validation and characterization.
The UHS SRAM compiler was the centerpiece of the project, designed to achieve unprecedented memory speeds while maintaining excellent power efficiency and compact area utilization. The design process began with adapting the SRAM architecture to the advanced FinFET node. Schematic designs were optimized for the process, and detailed layout designs for the memory’s fundamental building blocks, or leafcells, were completed and verified using industry-standard tools. Timing optimization played a crucial role, with iterative adjustments ensuring the design met strict performance targets across all process-voltage-temperature (PVT) corners.
Nine memory cuts generated by the UHS compiler were selected for validation. These cuts, spanning the extreme ranges of the compiler's capabilities, were embedded into the test chip. Redundancy features were incorporated to ensure repairability in the event of minor fabrication defects, and Enhanced Margin Adjustment (EMA) pins were added to allow fine-tuning of performance.
In parallel, the HSTB memory was developed as a new product line tailored to applications requiring high-speed sequential access in large memory instances. A single HSTB memory cut was designed, simulated, and verified to ensure robust operation. This memory instance was also integrated into the test chip, providing a basis for its silicon validation.
The test chip served as a critical platform for post-silicon validation. Designed to evaluate both the UHS compiler-generated memory cuts and the HSTB memory, it enables thorough testing and characterization under real-world conditions. This includes measuring access times, power consumption, and reliability over a wide range of operating temperatures and supply voltages. Essential debugging features, such as built-in self-test (MBIST) modules, were incorporated to facilitate yield analysis and stress testing of the memory instances.
The design and simulation processes were comprehensive, incorporating parasitic effects from layouts to ensure accurate prediction of silicon behavior. PVT corner analysis simulated supply voltage variations of up to 10% and a temperature range from -40°C to 125°C. These rigorous simulations ensured the designs were robust and ready for fabrication.
To support integration into larger digital systems, front-end (FE) and back-end (BE) flows were developed and enhanced for FinFET technology. This included creating memory characterization tools to generate FE and BE models required for silicon submissions. These models were verified though the testchip preparation process to ensure they met the standards for seamless integration into digital design flows.
The successful completion of this project positions Xenergic’s SRAM solutions as leading contenders in the high-speed computing market. The test chip fabrication marks a significant milestone, enabling silicon validation of these cutting-edge technologies. Once silicon results confirm their performance and reliability, these innovations are expected to set new benchmarks in the industry and drive further advancements in SRAM technology.
The UHS SRAM compiler was the centerpiece of the project, designed to achieve unprecedented memory speeds while maintaining excellent power efficiency and compact area utilization. The design process began with adapting the SRAM architecture to the advanced FinFET node. Schematic designs were optimized for the process, and detailed layout designs for the memory’s fundamental building blocks, or leafcells, were completed and verified using industry-standard tools. Timing optimization played a crucial role, with iterative adjustments ensuring the design met strict performance targets across all process-voltage-temperature (PVT) corners.
Nine memory cuts generated by the UHS compiler were selected for validation. These cuts, spanning the extreme ranges of the compiler's capabilities, were embedded into the test chip. Redundancy features were incorporated to ensure repairability in the event of minor fabrication defects, and Enhanced Margin Adjustment (EMA) pins were added to allow fine-tuning of performance.
In parallel, the HSTB memory was developed as a new product line tailored to applications requiring high-speed sequential access in large memory instances. A single HSTB memory cut was designed, simulated, and verified to ensure robust operation. This memory instance was also integrated into the test chip, providing a basis for its silicon validation.
The test chip served as a critical platform for post-silicon validation. Designed to evaluate both the UHS compiler-generated memory cuts and the HSTB memory, it enables thorough testing and characterization under real-world conditions. This includes measuring access times, power consumption, and reliability over a wide range of operating temperatures and supply voltages. Essential debugging features, such as built-in self-test (MBIST) modules, were incorporated to facilitate yield analysis and stress testing of the memory instances.
The design and simulation processes were comprehensive, incorporating parasitic effects from layouts to ensure accurate prediction of silicon behavior. PVT corner analysis simulated supply voltage variations of up to 10% and a temperature range from -40°C to 125°C. These rigorous simulations ensured the designs were robust and ready for fabrication.
To support integration into larger digital systems, front-end (FE) and back-end (BE) flows were developed and enhanced for FinFET technology. This included creating memory characterization tools to generate FE and BE models required for silicon submissions. These models were verified though the testchip preparation process to ensure they met the standards for seamless integration into digital design flows.
The successful completion of this project positions Xenergic’s SRAM solutions as leading contenders in the high-speed computing market. The test chip fabrication marks a significant milestone, enabling silicon validation of these cutting-edge technologies. Once silicon results confirm their performance and reliability, these innovations are expected to set new benchmarks in the industry and drive further advancements in SRAM technology.
The Ultra-High-Speed (UHS) SRAM compiler developed in this project has set a new benchmark in operational speed for embedded memory in advanced FinFET technology. Through extensive design optimization, iterative simulation, and rigorous validation, the UHS compiler can generate memory instances that achieve record-breaking performance, surpassing the speeds of competing solutions in the market. This breakthrough positions Xenergic’s UHS SRAM as the fastest embedded memory available in its class, meeting the stringent demands of high-performance applications while maintaining efficiency in power and area utilization. Although the SRAM IP developed has not yet generated sales revenue, Xenergic expects a wide-spread adoption of the IP developed in the coming years as a result of the competitive advantages it provides.