TonyChopper: A desynchronization package

TonyChopper is an integrated set of tools for digital circuit desynchronization. The core portion of TonyChopper is a tool that reads a gate-level synthesized synchronous digital circuit and transforms it to an asynchronous circuit by implementing a novel desynchronization approach. Pre-layout and post-layout verification tools are also provided in this package. The proposed new asynchronous design method is compatible with conventional synthesis, placement and routing (PnR) and other computer-aided design (CAD) tools. Only a conventional standard cell library is used. Compared to traditional synchronous static CMOS design, the proposed design is highly suitable for very low voltage operation. An auto-sleep strategy is also integrated in the tool for minimizing the leakage power for circuits. Different benchmark circuits were implemented in IBM 130nm technology to show that the design approach used in TonyChopper is highly robust even in the sub-threshold regime. The layout for every benchmark circuit was generated using a Cadence PnR tool. Hspice simulation for both the synchronous benchmark circuit and the desynchronized version provided comparison of the delay, area and leakage power for each benchmark circuit. Monte Carlo simulations were performed for each benchmark circuit to demonstrate high robustness and delay insensitivity for near threshold supply voltages with substantial threshold voltage (VT) variations.