Blind-oversampling adaptive oversample-level DFE receiver for unsynchronized global on-chip serial links

Abstract

Blind-oversampling adaptive oversample-level decision feedback-equalized (DFE) receiver is presented for use in global on-chip serial links. The blind oversampling is adopted to avoid receiver synchronization for reliable channel data reception, and the adaptive oversample-level DFE is used to reduce data-dependent jitter and ease oversampling data recovery regardless of PVT variations. Test results in a 0.13µm CMOS process indicated that the proposed approach achieves up to 37.5% improvement on data rate as compared to conventional approaches, and verified operation at 2.80-Gb/s data rate with 2.31-pJ/bit energy over a 10-mm-long lossy global on-chip interconnect.