A Cross-Layer Technology-Based Study of How Memory Errors Impact System Resilience

Highly scaled technologies at and beyond the 22-nm node exhibit increased sensitivity to various scaling-related problems that conspire to reduce the overall reliability of integrated circuits and systems. In prior technology nodes, the assumption was that manufacturing technology was responsible for ensuring device reliability. This basic assumption is no longer tenable. Trying to contain reliability problems purely at the technology level would cause prohibitive increases in power consumption. Thus, a cross-layer approach is required, which spreads the burden of ensuring resilience across multiple levels of the design hierarchy. This article illustrates a methodology for dealing with scaling-related problems via two case studies that link models of low-level technology-related problems to system behavior.