System, process, and design implications of a reduced supply voltage microprocessor

The system, process, and design implications of converting a microprocessor chip set originally implemented in a 5-V, 1.5- mu m (drawn) CMOS process to one implemented in a 3.3-V, 1.0- mu m (drawn) CMOS process are described. The chip set is 75% faster than the previous generation and comprises a processor chip, a floating-point chip, a cache controller chip, and a clock chip. It operates at 62.5 MHz under worst-case conditions. Micrographs of each design are given. Power and packaging specifications for each chip and the 3.3-V, 1.0- mu m (drawn) process specifications are tabulated. A high-temperature schmoo plot for the CPU chip is also given.<
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