Programmable IC Configuration for Even Aging Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern semiconductor integrated circuits face uneven aging due to processes like hot carrier injection, negative-bias temperature instability, and electro-migration, which lead to degradation in transistor performance, particularly because inactive circuit resources in programmable logic integrated circuits are not adequately utilized, resulting in uneven distribution of degradation effects.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves generating switching activity in unused circuit resources through ring oscillator circuits and low-frequency signals, simulating the effects of aging processes in inactive circuits to evenly distribute degradation across the integrated circuit, thereby reducing performance disparities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If circuit resources in programmable logic integrated circuits are left inactive to implement user designs, then user design functionality is achieved, but uneven aging and degradation occur in the inactive resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by generating switching activity in unused circuit resources before they can degrade unevenly. Ring oscillator circuits are activated in unused logic elements during idle periods or manufacturing test modes, causing premature but uniform aging across all resources. This preliminary stress equalizes the aging state before normal operation begins, ensuring that when resources are activated for user designs, they start from a more uniform baseline rather than having accumulated different amounts of degradation.
2Reliability
If all circuit resources are activated to evenly distribute aging effects, then uniform degradation is achieved, but power consumption and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by activating ring oscillator circuits in unused resources only during specific periods such as idle times or manufacturing test modes, rather than continuously. This periodic activation generates sufficient switching activity to induce uniform aging effects without requiring constant operation of all circuit resources. The intermittent nature of this activity significantly reduces power consumption compared to continuous activation, while still achieving the goal of evenly distributing degradation across the integrated circuit.
3Reliability
If unused circuit resources are activated with switching activity, then aging is evenly distributed, but device complexity and control requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by designing ring oscillator circuits that automatically generate switching activity in unused resources without requiring complex external control mechanisms. The ring oscillators are configured to activate autonomously when their associated logic elements are in unused states, using local configuration bits and self-contained oscillating logic. This self-service approach eliminates the need for centralized control circuitry that would otherwise be required to monitor and activate each unused resource individually, thereby reducing overall device complexity while achieving uniform aging distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
A programmable integrated circuit includes configuration circuitry configured to receive configurations of a user design for the programmable integrated circuit. Each of the configurations implements the user design using at least some unique circuitry in the programmable integrated circuit relative to the other ones of the configurations. The configuration circuitry is further configured to implement the user design in a first one of the configurations. The configuration circuitry is further configured to move the user design from the first one of the configurations to a second one of the configurations to cause effects of aging processes in circuits in the programmable integrated circuit that are not aged by the first one of the configurations.