Fault-Tolerant Techniques and Nanoelectronic Devices

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Fault-Tolerant Techniques and Nanoelectronic
Devices

• Andy Hill
• CH E 5480 995

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Abstract

• Proposed nanocomputers offer faster, more
  powerful computing
• Problems expected
• High manufacturing defect rate
• Transient errors
• Two possible solutions
• Increase manufacturing efficiency
• Increase devices capacity for defects

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Abstract (contd)

• Most nanoelectronic device research today is
  devoted to reducing the size of devices
• Fault-tolerant technique research shows that the
  reconfiguration method is
• Can handle the highest defect rate
• Cannot handle the current defect rate
• May be impractical

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Introduction

• First computer invented had one function to
  solve linear equations
• Always a push to be faster, more powerful
• Other technologies would aid tremendously from
  more powerful computers
• Military
• Artificial Intelligence
• Medical / Biological

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Literature Review

• Fault-tolerant techniques have been studied for
  over half a century
• Research focused on application of technique
• Current research focused on techniques for chips
  with 1012 devices in 1 square cm

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Lit Review (contd)

• Nanoelectronic device research mainly focused on
  producing molecular scale devices
• Limited research on the production of those
  devices

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Theoretical Background

• Main fault-tolerant techniques
• Redundancy (RMR, CTMR)
• NAND multiplexing
• Reconfiguration

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Redundancy
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• R-fold (RMR) redundancy (left) is a function of
  cascaded triple (CTMR) redundancy (right)

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Multiplexing / Reconfig

• NAND multiplexing
• Complex system utilizing majority gates and NAND
  logic
• Adaptive to decreasing manufacturing effficiency
• Reconfiguration
• Units not working are detected
• Cluster reconfigured accordingly

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Current Research

• Research comparing techniques shows
  reconfiguration can adapt to highest defect
  rates, but may be impractical

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Current research (contd)

• Nanoelectronic devices being researched are 100
  to 1000 times smaller than current devices

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Future Directions

• Continue research of techniques specific to
  nano-scaled devices
• Determine practicality of reconfiguration
• Continue research developing nanoelectronic
  devices
• Research the efficiency of mass producing devices

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References

• 1 - K Nikolic, A Sadek and M Forshaw 2002
  Fault-tolerant techniques for nanocomputers
  Nanotechnology 13 357-362
• 2 - Goldhaber-Gordon D. et al. 1997 Overview of
  Nanoelectronic Devices Proceedings of the IEEE 85
  (4)