Abstract
The great majority of microprocessors are clocked; that is, their internal operations are controlled and timed by an external periodic timing reference known as a clock signal. Clocks are convenient, simplify design, and are the foundation upon which most design automation tools are built. However, clocks are not all good news. They cause a circuit to generate excessive electromagnetic interference, to dissipate excessive power, and they force all circuit functions to operate at the same rate however unnatural that may be for any particular function. The challenge of designing a microprocessor that operates without a central clock has appealed to some designers for many years, and the results of their research have now made fully clockless designs not only feasible but also commercially available, albeit still as a minority interest. In this chapter we survey some of the developments in asynchronous processors and speculate as to where these might lead in the future.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
