Sleep mode analysis and optimization with minimal-sized power gating switch for ultra-low Vdd operation

Authors:
Mingoo Seok;Scott Hanson;David Blaauw;Dennis Sylvester
Affiliations:
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI;University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI;University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI;University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Venue:
IEEE Transactions on Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) Systems
Year:
2012

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Abstract

This paper investigates the optimization of sleep mode energy consumption for ultra-low Vdd CMOS circuits, which is motivated by our findings that minimization of sleep mode energy holds great potential for reducing total energy consumption. We propose a unique approach of using a power gating switch (PGS) in ultra-low Vdd regimes. Unlike the conventional manner of using PGSs, our optimization suggests using minimal-sized PGSs with a slightly higher Vdd to compensate for voltage drop across the PGS. In SPICE simulations, this reduces total energy consumption by ∼125× compared to conventional approaches. The effectiveness of the proposed optimization is also confirmed by measurements taken from an ultra-low power microprocessor. Additionally, the feasibility of using minimal PGSs in ultra-low Vdd regimes is investigated using SPICE simulations and silicon measurements.