• Progress in Superconductivity
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.7-12
• /
• 2004

Due to the very fast switching speed of Josephson junctions, superconductive digital circuit has been a very good candidate fur future electronic devices. High-speed and Low-power microprocessor can be developed with Josephson junctions. As a part of an effort to develop superconductive microprocessor, we have designed an RSFQ 4-bit ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit) in a pipelined structure. To make the circuit work faster, we used a forward clocking scheme. This required a careful design of timing between clock and data pulses in ALU. The RSFQ 1-bit block of ALU used in this work consisted of three DC current driven SFQ switches and a half-adder. We successfully tested the half adder cell at clock frequency up to 20 GHz. The switches were commutating output ports of the half adder to produce AND, OR, XOR, or ADD functions. For a high-speed test, we attached switches at the input ports to control the high-speed input data by low-frequency pattern generators. The output in this measurement was an eye-diagram. Using this setup, 1-bit block of ALU was successfully tested up to 40 GHz. An RSFQ 4-bit ALU was fabricated and tested. The circuit worked at 5 GHz. The circuit size of the 4-bit ALU was 3 mm ${\times}$ 1.5 mm, fitting in a 5 mm ${\times}$ 5 mm chip.

• Progress in Superconductivity
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.104-107
• /
• 2005

We have developed and tested an RSFQ 4-bit Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) based on half adder cells and de switches. ALU is a core element of a computer processor that performs arithmetic and logic operations on the operands in computer instruction words. The designed ALU had limited operation functions of OR, AND, XOR, and ADD. It had a pipeline structure. We have simulated the circuit by using Josephson circuit simulation tools in order to reduce the timing problem, and confirmed the correct operation of the designed ALU. We used simulation tools of $XIC^{TM},\;WRspice^{TM}$, and Julia. The fabricated 4-bit ALU circuit had a size of $\3000{\ cal}um{\times}1500{\cal}$, and the chip size was $5{\cal} mm{\times}5{\cal}mm$. The test speeds were 1000 kHz and 5 GHz. For high-speed test, we used an eye-diagram technique. Our 4-bit ALU operated correctly up to 5 GHz clock frequency. The chip was tested at the liquid-helium temperature.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.9-12
• /
• 2005

We have constructed an RSFQ 4-bit Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) in a pipelined structure. An ALU is a core element of a computer processor that performs arithmetic and logic operation on the operands in computer instruction words. We have simulated the circuit by using Josephson circuit simulation tools. We used simulation tools of XIC, $WRspice^{TM}$, and Julia. To make the circuit work faster, we used a forward clocking scheme. This required a careful design of timing between clock and data pulses in ALU. The RSFQ 1-bit block of ALU used in constructing the 4-bit ALU was consisted of three DC current driven SFQ switches and a half-adder. By commutating output ports of the half adder, we could produce AND, OR, XOR, or ADD functions. The circuit size of the 4-bit ALU when fabricated was 3 mm x 1.5 mm, fitting in a 5 mm x 5mm chip. The fabricated 4-bit ALU operated correctly at 5 GHz clock frequency. The chip was tested at the liquid-helium temperature.

• Progress in Superconductivity
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.157-161
• /
• 2008

Due to high speed operations and ultra low power consumptions RSFQ logic circuit is a very good candidate for future electronic device. The focus of the RSFQ circuit development has been on the advancement of analog-to-digital converters and microprocessors. Recent works on RSFQ ALU development showed the successful operation of an 1-bit block of ALU at 40 GHz. Recently, the study of an RSFQ analog-to-digital converter has been extended to the development of a single chip RF digital receiver. Compared to the voltage logic circuits, RSFQ circuits operate based on the pulse logic. This naturally leads the circuit structure of RSFQ circuit to be pipelined. Delay time on each pipelined stage determines the ultimate operating speed of the circuit. In simulations, a two junction Josephson transmission line's delay time was about 10 ps, a splitter's 14.5 ps, a switch's 13 ps, a half adder's 67 ps. Optimization of the 4-bit ALU circuit has been made with delay time consideration to operate comfortably at 10 GHz or above.

• Progress in Superconductivity
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.109-113
• /
• 2006

The Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) is a core element of a computer processor that performs arithmetic and logic operations on the operands in computer instruction words. We have developed and tested an RSFQ multi-bit ALU constructed with half adder unit cells. To reduce the complexity of the ALU, We used half adder unit cells. The unit cells were constructed of one half adder and three de switches. The timing problem in the complex circuits has been a very important issue. We have calculated the delay time of all components in the circuit by using Josephson circuit simulation tools of XIC, $WRspice^{TM}$, and Julia. To make the circuit work faster, we used a forward clocking scheme. This required a careful design of timing between clock and data pulses in ALU. The designed ALU had limited operation functions of OR, AND, XOR, and ADD. It had a pipeline structure. The fabricated 1-bit, 2-bit, and 4-bit ALU circuits were tested at a few kilo-hertz clock frequency as well as a few tens giga-hertz clock frequency, respectively. For high-speed tests, we used an eye-diagram technique. Our 4-bit ALU operated correctly at up to 5 GHz clock frequency.

• Progress in Superconductivity
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.181-185
• /
• 2007

For more than two decades Nb trilayer ($Nb/Al_2O_3/Nb$) process has been serving as the most stable fabrication process of the Josephson junction integrated circuits. Fast development of semiconductor fabrication technology has been possible with the recent advancement of the fabrication equipments. In this work, we took an advantage of advanced fabrication equipments in developing a superconducting Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) by using Nb trilayers. The ALU is a core element of a computer processor that performs arithmetic and logic operations on the operands in computer instruction words. We used DC magnetron sputtering technique for metal depositions and RF sputtering technique for $SiO_2$ depositions. Various dry etching techniques were used to define the Josephson junction areas and film pattering processes. Our Nb films were stress free and showed the $T{_c}'s$ of about 9 K. To enhance the step coverage of Nb films we used reverse bias powered DC magnetron sputtering technique. The fabricated 1-bit, 2-bit, and 4-bit ALU circuits were tested at a few kilo-hertz clock frequency as well as a few tens giga-hertz clock frequency, respectively. Our 1-bit ALU operated correctly at up to 40 GHz clock frequency, and the 4-bit ALU operated at up to 5 GHz clock frequency.

• 한국초전도학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• v.13
• /
• pp.15-15
• /
• 2003