CLOCK DISTRIBUTION EXPLOITING SWITCHING MATRICES ON AN OPTICALLY RECONFIGURABLE GATE ARRAY

Abstract

Very large-scale Integrations (VLSIs) used in high radiation environments such as space environment and nuclear power plants are constantly damaged by radiation. VLSIs are vulnerable to radiation. Therefore, we have been developing radiation-hardened optically reconfigurable gate arrays. Conventional optical reconfigurable gate array VLSIs have a weakness in clock distribution. This problem can be solved by a new clock distribution using reconfigurable switching matrices. However, in this case, a clock skew problem is caused. Therefore, to solve this problem, this paper presents a proposal of a new clock distribution method using a two-phase clock signal and switching matrices on an optically reconfigurable gate array VLSI. This paper also presents a new optically reconfigurable gate array VLSI to support the new clock distribution method and simulation result of a 4-bit counter circuit on it.