ET4362 High speed digital design for embedded systems

The course covers many important topics computer engineers and embedded system designers should be aware of.

First, the physical effects of high-frequency signal propagation and transport are discussed. Next, the state of the art for high bandwidth/low latency digital communication and memory systems is presented. Special attention is given to parallel memory systems.

Thereafter, low level circuit design and analysis principles relevant to high-speed digital design are explained. Clock distribution, metastability and skew-tolerant design are emphasized. Advanced techniques for high-speed combinational and sequential logic structures are considered in detail. More precisely, approaches like domino logic, pulsed latches and dual-rail logic will be discussed.

The next part discusses advanced design techniques such as globally asynchronous locally synchronous (GALS) systems, systolic arrays, streaming dataflow, wave-pipelined circuits and fully asynchronous design.

The last part concentrates on understanding the true theoretical bounds in, e.g., the energy consumption, of computers. The necessary theory and some practically realizable adiabatic logic design styles will be introduced. When time allows, brief introduction to the Gödel's incompleteness theorem and its impact on computers will be presented. 

Study Goals

The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with the latest developments in the field of high-speed digital design. The emphasis is on novel, non-traditional design concepts, techniques and methodologies.

Teachers

Last modified: 2023-11-04