Title :
Comprehensive Analysis of Sequential and Combinational Soft Errors in an Embedded Processor
Author :
Ebrahimi, Mojtaba ; Evans, Adrian ; Tahoori, Mehdi B. ; Costenaro, Enrico ; Alexandrescu, Dan ; Chandra, Vikas ; Seyyedi, Razi
Author_Institution :
Karlsruhe Inst. of Technol., Karlsruhe, Germany
Abstract :
Radiation-induced soft errors have become a key challenge in advanced commercial electronic components and systems. We present the results of a soft error rate (SER) analysis of an embedded processor. Our SER analysis platform accurately models generation, propagation, and masking effects starting from a technology response model derived using TCAD simulations at the device level all the way to application masking. The platform employs a combination of accurate models at the device level, analytical error propagation at gate level, and fault emulation at the architecture/application level to provide the detailed contribution of each component (flip-flops, combinational gates, and SRAMs) to the overall SER. At each stage in the modeling hierarchy, an appropriate level of abstraction is used to propagate the effect of errors to the next higher level. Unlike previous studies which are based on very simple test chips, analyzing the entire processor gives more insight into the relative contributions of combinational and sequential SER. The results of this analysis can assist circuit designers to adopt effective hardening techniques to reduce the overall SER while meeting the required power and performance constraints.
Keywords :
embedded systems; error statistics; multiprocessing systems; SER analysis platform; TCAD simulations; advanced commercial electronic components; analytical error propagation; combinational soft errors; comprehensive analysis; device level; embedded processor; fault emulation; gate level; sequential soft errors; soft error rate analysis; technology response model; Analytical models; Circuit faults; Clocks; Flip-flops; Logic gates; Random access memory; Transient analysis; Embedded Processor; Embedded processor; Reliability; Soft Errors; reliability; soft errors;
Journal_Title :
Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TCAD.2015.2422845