Serial reconfigurable mismatch-tolerant clock distribution

Abstract

We present an unconventional clock distribution that emphasizes flexibility and layout independence. It suits a variety of applications, clock domain shapes and sizes using a modular standard cell approach that compensates intra-die temperature and process variances. Our clock distribution provides control over regional clock skew, permits use in beneficial skew applications and facilitates silicon-debug. By adding routing to the serial clock network, we permit post-silicon resizing and reshaping of clock domains. Defective sections of the clock network can be bypassed, providing post silicon repair capability to the network.