Logic soft errors in sub-65nm technologies design and CAD challenges

Abstract

Logic soft errors are radiation induced transient errors in sequential elements (flip-flops and latches) and combinational logic. Robust enterprise platforms in sub-65nm technologies require designs with built-in logic soft error protection. Effective logic soft error protection requires solutions to the following three problems: (1) Accurate soft error rate estimation for combinational logic networks; (2) Automated estimation of system effects of logic soft errors, and identification of regions in a design that must be protected; and, (3) New cost-effective techniques for logic soft error protection, because classical fault-tolerance techniques are very expensive.