Resiliency in nanometer CMOS systems: An overview

Variations have emerged as one of the most significant challenges facing the design of integrated circuits in nanoscale technologies. Next generation of resilient embedded electronic systems require reliability-aware design methods from circuit to algorithmic levels without significantly reducing system performance or imposing large area/high power consumption overheads. In this paper, we provide an overview about resiliency in nanometer CMOS systems. An analysis about the sources of variability and their effects on system design is presented and the emerging solutions that counteract the key reliability issues are assessed. Furthermore, strategies and research directions for achieving resiliency are proposed. The emerging solutions will pave the way towards resilient nanometer CMOS systems for relevant application domains such as Internet of Things, Humanoid Robotics and Neuroengineering. © 2016 IEEE.