Quantum Computing: Google’s Surface Code Technique to Reduce Errors


A new technical paper titled "Quantum error correction below the surface code threshold" was published by researchers at Google and other collaborators. Abstract "Quantum error correction provides a path to reach practical quantum computing by combining multiple physical qubits into a logical qubit, where the logical error rate is suppressed exponentially as more qubits are added. However, ... » read more

Heat-Related Issues Impact Reliability In Advanced IC Designs


Heat is becoming a much bigger problem in advanced-node chips and packages, causing critical electrons to leak out of DRAM, timing and reliability issues in 3D-ICs, and accelerated aging that are unique to different workloads. All types of circuitry are vulnerable to thermal effects. It can slow the movement of the electrons through wires, cause electromigration that shortens the lifespan of... » read more

Optimizing Quantum Gates For Error Correction in Superconducting Qubits (Google AI)


A new technical paper titled "Optimizing quantum gates towards the scale of logical qubits" was published by researchers at Google AI and UC Riverside. Abstract "A foundational assumption of quantum error correction theory is that quantum gates can be scaled to large processors without exceeding the error-threshold for fault tolerance. Two major challenges that could become fundamental road... » read more

Enabling Beyond-Bound Decoding For DRAM By Unraveling Reed-Solomon Codes


A technical paper titled “Unraveling codes: fast, robust, beyond-bound error correction for DRAM” was published by researchers at Rambus. Abstract: "Generalized Reed-Solomon (RS) codes are a common choice for efficient, reliable error correction in memory and communications systems. These codes add 2t extra parity symbols to a block of memory, and can efficiently and reliably correct up ... » read more

Key Recovery for Content Protection Using Ternary PUFs Designed with Pre-Formed ReRAM


RESEARCH PAPER Abstract "Physical unclonable functions, embedded in terminal devices, can be used as part of the recovery process of session keys that protect digital files. Such an approach is only valuable when the physical element offers sufficient tamper resistance. Otherwise, error correcting codes should be able to handle any variations arising from aging, and environmentally induce... » read more

The Wiretap Channel for Capacitive PUF-Based Security Enclosures


Abstract: "In order to protect devices from physical manipulations, protective security enclosures were developed. However, these battery-backed solutions come with a reduced lifetime, and have to be actively and continuously monitored. In order to overcome these drawbacks, batteryless capacitive enclosures based on Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) have been developed that generate a key-e... » read more

Accelerating 5G Baseband With Adaptive SoCs


5G new radio (NR) network specifications demand new architectures for radio and access networks. While the 5G NR architecture includes new spectrum and massive MIMO (mMIMO) antennas, corresponding access networks architecture must also evolve to implement the services defined by 5G, which include enhanced Mobile Broadband, Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications and massive Machine Type Commu... » read more

Targeting Redundancy In ICs


Technology developed for one purpose is often applicable to other areas, but organizational silos can get in the way of capitalizing on it until there is a clear cost advantage. Consider memory. All memories are fabricated with spare rows and columns that are swapped in when a device fails manufacturing test. "This is a common method to increase the yield of a device, based on how much memor... » read more