Bitwise Logic Using Phase Change Memory Devices Based on the Pinatubo Architecture

TL;DR

This paper experimentally demonstrates a novel memory logic technique called Pinatubo using phase change memory devices, enabling efficient bitwise operations with high resistance state contrast, and compares experimental results with simulations.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental validation of the Pinatubo architecture using PCM devices, showing its robustness and practical feasibility for bulk bitwise operations.

Findings

Four-orders of magnitude difference between resistance states

Successful implementation of bitwise logic operations with PCM

Experimental results align with simulation data

Abstract

This paper experimentally demonstrates a near-crossbar memory logic technique called Pinatubo. Pinatubo, an acronym for Processing In Non-volatile memory ArchiTecture for bUlk Bitwise Operations, facilitates the concurrent activation of two or more rows, enabling bitwise operations such as OR, AND, XOR, and NOT on the activated rows. We implement Pinatubo using phase change memory (PCM) and compare our experimental results with the simulated data from the original Pinatubo study. Our findings highlight a significant four-orders of magnitude difference between resistance states, suggesting the robustness of the Pinatubo architecture with PCM technology.