Flip-Flop Circuit Topology for Smaller High-Speed Cell Area
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Solution Overview
Problem
The miniaturization of semiconductor processes leads to increased integration of logic circuits on a single chip, resulting in a larger unit cell area and challenges in achieving high-speed flip-flops, which are crucial for high-speed digital systems, due to the need for reduced area and increased performance.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor circuit design that includes a first and second circuit, along with a latch circuit, where the logic levels of nodes are determined based on input data, clock signals, and initial node levels, utilizing transistors to connect and disconnect nodes efficiently, reducing the number of transistors and area required while maintaining performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If more logic circuits are integrated on a single chip due to miniaturization, then the integration density increases, but the unit cell area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple transistors into a shared configuration. Specifically, the first and second transistors share the second node as a common connection point, and the third and fourth transistors share the third node. This merging of functions reduces the total number of transistors required from the conventional 6 transistors to 4 transistors, thereby reducing the unit cell area while maintaining flip-flop functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements multi-functionality through the clock signal's role in controlling both the first/second transistors and the third/fourth transistors. The clock signal simultaneously manages the setting operation (through first and second transistors) and the resetting operation (through third and fourth transistors), allowing a single clock signal to control multiple functions within the flip-flop circuit, thus reducing the overall circuit complexity and area.
2Speed
If a high-speed flip-flop is achieved, then the system performance increases, but the area of the flip-flop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the setting and resetting control mechanisms into a unified transistor configuration. The first transistor controls the setting operation by connecting the power supply to the first node, while the third transistor controls the resetting operation by connecting the first node to ground. This merged configuration reduces the total transistor count and area while maintaining the high-speed performance through efficient clock signal control of both operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters by using the clock signal's logic levels (first logic level for setting, second logic level for resetting) to dynamically control the transistor states. This parameter-based control allows the flip-flop to achieve high-speed operation through rapid transitions between states while maintaining a compact area due to the reduced transistor count.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor circuit includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit determines a logic level of a second node and a logic level of a third node, on the basis of a logic level of input data, a logic level of a clock signal, and a logic level of a first node. The second circuit determines the logic level of the first node, on the basis of the logic level of the clock signal, the logic level of the second node and the logic level of the third node. The first circuit comprises a sub-circuit and a first transistor. The first circuit determines the logic level of the second node, on the basis of the logic level of the input data and the logic level of the first node. The first transistor is gated to the logic level of the clock signal to connect the third node with the second node.