Analysing digital in-memory computing for advanced finFET node

TL;DR

This paper explores the design and simulation of in-memory computing SRAM cells using 7-nm finFET technology, addressing challenges in energy efficiency, packaging density, and device variability.

Contribution

It presents a novel design of 6T SRAM cells for 7-nm finFET nodes and compares their stability with older technology nodes, advancing in-memory computing hardware.

Findings

7-nm finFET SRAM cells show comparable SNMs to 28nm nodes.

Transient voltage analysis reveals timing criticality for bit-flip prevention.

Design of SRAM peripherals optimized for advanced finFET technology.

Abstract

Digital In-memory computing improves energy efficiency and throughput of a data-intensive process, which incur memory thrashing and, resulting multiple same memory accesses in a von Neumann architecture. Digital in-memory computing involves accessing multiple SRAM cells simultaneously, which may result in a bit flip when not timed critically. Therefore we discuss the transient voltage characteristics of the bitlines during an SRAM compute. To improve the packaging density and also avoid MOSFET down-scaling issues, we use a 7-nm predictive PDK which uses a finFET node. The finFET process has discrete fins and a lower Voltage supply, which makes the design of in-memory compute SRAM difficult. In this paper, we design a 6T SRAM cell in 7-nm finFET node and compare its SNMs with a UMC 28nm node implementation. Further, we design and simulate the rest of the SRAM peripherals, and in-memory computation for an advanced finFET node.