DECchip 21066: the Alpha AXP chip for cost-focused systems

The DECchip 21066 microprocessor is the first Alpha AXP architecture microprocessor to target cost-focused system applications and the second in a family of chips to implement the Alpha AXP architecture. The 21066 is a 0.675-micron, CMOS-based superscalar, super-pipelined processor using dual instruction issue. It incorporates a high level of system integration to provide best-in-class system performance for low-cost system applications. The 21066 integrates on-chip fully pipelined integer and floating-point processors, a high-bandwidth memory controller, an industry-standard Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) I/O controller, graphics-assisting hardware, internal instruction and data caches, and an external cache controller. This paper discusses the tradeoffs and results of the design, verification, and implementation of the 21066.<>