A high-speed 32-bit RISC microcontroller has been developed. In order to realize high-speed operation with minimum hardware resource, we have developed new design and analysis methods such as a clock distribution, a bus-line layout, and an IR drop analysis. As a result, high-speed operation of 400 MHz has been achieved with power dissipation of 0.96 W at 1.8 V.

A new shared multibuffer architecture for high-speed ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) switch LSIs is described. Multiple buffer memories are located between two crosspoint switches. By controlling the input-side crosspoint switch so as to equalize the utilization rate of each buffer memory, these multiple buffer memories can be recognized as a single large shared buffer memory. High utilization efficiency of buffer memory can thus be achieved, and the cell loss ratio is minimized. By accessing the buffer memories in parallel via crosspoint switches, the time required to access the buffer memories is greatly reduced. This feature enables high-speed operation of the switch. The shared multibuffer architecture was implemented in a switch LSI using 0.8-µm BiCMOS process technology. Experimental results revealed that this chip can operate at more than 125 MHz. Bit-sliced eight switch LSIs operating at 78 MHz construct a 622-Mb/s 88 ATM switching system with a buffer size of 1,024 ATM cells. Power consumption of the switch LSI was 3 W.

A 64-bit 100-MHz multimedia DSP core has been designed using 0.15-µ m CMOS technology. An improved Auto-Backgate-Controlled MT-CMOS (ABC-MT-CMOS) circuit with a charge pump is adopted to suppress the standby leakage current. The dynamic active current of whole chip was simulated to optimize the size of a switch for a power supply control. The DSP core chip, which integrates 300-kgate Logic, 64-kbyte SRAM and charge pump circuit, has 8-µ A standby leakage current. The reduction rate is 1/250.

We proposed a push-pull output buffer that maintains the data transmission rate for lower supply voltages. It operates at an internal supply voltage (VDD) of 0.7-1.6 V and an interface supply voltage (VDDX) of 1.0-3.6 V. In low VDDX operation, the output buffer utilizes parasitic bipolar transistors instead of MOS transistors to maintain drivability. Furthermore forward body bias (FBB) control is provided for the level converter in low VDD operation. We fabricated a test chip with a standard 0.15 µm CMOS process. Measurement results indicate that the proposed output buffer achieves 200 Mbps operation at VDD of 0.7 V and VDDX of 1.0 V.

A new ATM switch architecture, named shared multibuffering, features great advantages on memory access speed for a large switch, and overall size of buffer memories to achieve excellent cell-loss performance. We have developed a 622-Mb/s 88 shared multibuffer ATM switch with multicast functions and hierarchical queueing functions to accommodate 156-Mb/s, 622-Mb/s and 2.4-Gb/s interfaces. Implementation of the shared multibuffer ATM switch is described with respect to the four sorts of 0.8-µm BiCMOS LSIs and ATM switch boards. The switch board/type-1, with C1-LSI, allows to accommodate effectively 156-Mb/s and 622-Mb/s interfaces, which is suitable for an ATM access system. The switch board/type-2, with C2-LSI, can provide multicast functions and accommodate a 2.4-Gb/s interface. By using four switch boards, it is possible to apply them to a 2.4-Gb/s ATM loop system.

A fully integrated digital PLL (Phase Locked Loop) with on-chip CMOS oscillator is described. Nominal division number of the variable divider is automatically tuned in this digital PLL and this feature makes it possible to widen the pull-in range. In general, output jitter may increase if the pull-in range is widened. To overcome this problem, output jitter is reduced by utilizing the dual loop architecture. Wide pull-in range enables us on-chip oscillator, which is not so precise as the expensive crystal oscillator. This CMOS oscillator must be carefully designed to be stable against the temperature and the supply voltage variations. Using these digital PLL techniques, together with the on-chip CMOS oscillator, a fully integrated PLL can be achieved. Circuits are designed for 1.544 Mbit/s ISDN primary rate interface, and 6.25% pull-in range is obtained.

A new approach which implements a simple, high-speed phase detector with precharge logic will be presented. The minimum detectable phase difference is 40 psec, which is less than a half of conventional detectors. A current mode ring oscillator with a complementary-input bias generator has also been developed to enhance the dynamic range of the VCO under a low supply voltage. A fully CMOS PLL was designed using 0.5-µm technology. By virtue of this simple, fast detector, the wide operation range of 250 MHz at 1.5 V to 622 MHz at 3.0 V was achieved by simulation.