Circuit Performance and Security Enhancement Using Analog Floating Gates and Process Optimization

In this research we focus on applications of Analog Floating Gate (AFG) devices. These are programmable memory cells that are precisely adjustable over a wide range of voltage. They can be used to improve the performance, matching and security of Integrated Circuits (ICs) while also reducing power. AFG lends itself to correcting mismatch and variability in sub 130nm IC technologies, and we evaluate a new method to minimize offset in Op-Amps and develop new circuits for very low power voltage reference and voltage supervisor circuit design. AFG is also a particularly interesting option for security enhancement and we evaluate circuits that use AFGs to complicate unauthorized use of ICs. We also evaluate a process optimization technique named Oxygen Insertion (OI) technology that utilizes the existing manufacturing and offers low-power solution with embedded SRAM. A demonstration of improvement in yield performance of SRAM with OI technology is also given. OI can also be used to improve performance of AFG devices.