Circuit Designs of High-Performance and Low-Power RRAM-Based Multiplexers Based on 4T(ransistor)1R(RAM) Programming Structure

Routing multiplexers based on pass-transistors or transmission gates are an essential components in many digital integrated circuits. However, whatever structure is employed, CMOS multiplexers have two major limitations: 1) their delay is linearly related to the input size; 2) their performance degrades seriously when operated in near-Vt regime. Resistive Random Access Memory (RRAM) technology brings opportunities of overcoming these limitations by exploiting the properties of RRAMs and associated programming structures. In this paper, we propose new one-level, two-level and tree-like multiplexers circuit designs using 4T(ransistors)1R(RAM) elements and we compare them to naive one-level multiplexers. We consider the main physical design aspects associated with 4T1R-based multiplexers, such as the layout implications using a 7 nm FinFET technology, and the co-integration of low-voltage nominal power supply and high-voltage programming supply. Electrical simulations show that using a 7 nm FinFET transistor technology, the proposed 4T1R-based multiplexers reduce delay by 2x and energy by 2.8x over naive 4T1R and 2T1R counterparts. At nominal working voltage, considering an input size ranging from 2 to 50, the proposed 4T1R-based multiplexers reduces Area-Delay and Power-Delay products by 2.6x and 3.8x respectively, as compared to best CMOS multiplexers. In the near-Vt regime, the proposed 4T1R-based multiplexer demonstrates 2x larger delay efficiency over the best CMOS multiplexer. The proposed 4T1R-based multiplexers operating at near-Vt regime can still achieve up to 22% delay improvement when compared to best CMOS multiplexers working at nominal voltage.