Signal processor architectures and implementations based upon gallium arsenide digital integrated circuits: The need for a wholistic design approach

The emerging Gallium Arsenide digital integrated circuit technology is rapidly becoming well enough established that designers of signal and data processors are planning its incorporation into advanced computational engines of all types. An examination of the characteristics of preset and future generation GaAs integrated circuits indicates that they will emphasize moderate on-chip gate counts and high gate speeds. Complete advantage can be taken of GaAs digital technology only if traditional signal processor architectures are completely recast at the memory layout, logic design, arithmetic implementation, and system architecture levels, and if these issues are considered in combination with system, logic boars, and chip layout and packaging constraints in a single integrated approach.