A pure-CMOS nonvolatile multi-context configuration memory for dynamically reconfigurable FPGAs

Abstract

Multi-context configuration memory stores multiple sets of configuration data and changes the entire configuration of FPGA quickly, enabling enhancement of hardware utilization with dynamic reconfiguration architectures. The memory area for one set of configuration data should be much smaller than the computational resource it controls. In this paper, we propose a pure-CMOS, nonvolatile, and small-footprint multi-context configuration memory. The multi-context memory includes multiple 2Tr nonvolatile memory elements, which are programmed by channel hot-electron injection, and allows context switching in a single clock cycle. A primitive dynamically reconfigurable device having a lookup table and minimum interconnect backed by 16-bit 8-context configuration memory was fabricated by a 0.18 um CMOS process and its functionality was demonstrated. The 2Tr nonvolatile memory element is more than 4 times denser than 6Tr SRAM, enabling achievement of greater logic density. The pure-CMOS and nonvolatile features would enhance the attractiveness of the technology in many applications.