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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 55 records · Page 3

Iterative solution of large, sparse linear systems on a static data flow architecture - Performance studies

The applicability of static data flow architectures to the iterative solution of sparse linear systems of equations is investigated. An analytic performance model of a static data flow computation is developed. This model includes both spatial parallelism, concurrent execution in multiple PE's, and pipelining, the streaming of data from array memories through the PE's. The performance model is used to analyze a row partitioned iterative algorithm for solving sparse linear systems of algebraic equations. Based on this analysis, design parameters for the static data flow architecture as a function of matrix sparsity and dimension are proposed.

Reed, D. A.↗

Performance study of a data flow architecture

Teams of scientists studied data flow concepts, static data flow machine architecture, and the VAL language. Each team mapped its application onto the machine and coded it in VAL. The principal findings of the study were: (1) Five of the seven applications used the full power of the target machine. The galactic simulation and multigrid fluid flow teams found that a significantly smaller version of the machine (16 processing elements) would suffice. (2) A number of machine design parameters including processing element (PE) function unit numbers, array memory size and bandwidth, and routing network capability were found to be crucial for optimal machine performance. (3) The study participants readily acquired VAL programming skills. (4) Participants learned that application-based performance evaluation is a sound method of evaluating new computer architectures, even those that are not fully specified. During the course of the study, participants developed models for using computers to solve numerical problems and for evaluating new architectures. These models form the bases for future evaluation studies.

Adams, George↗

Resistive synaptic interconnects for electronic neural networks

The use of the alpha-Ge(1-x):Al(x) and alpha-Ge(1-x):Cu(x) alloys and Pt/Al2O3 cermet thin films as resistive interconnects for binary synaptic memory arrays is evaluated. The fabrication of the 10-20 microns long, 10 microns wide, and 0.1 micron thick interconnects from the alloys and cermet is described. The current-voltage and switching characteristics of the as-deposited films and the patterned test structure are studied. The resistivity, uniformity, stability, and compatibility of the interconnects are examined. It is observed that alpha-Ge(1-x):Cu(x) alloys have a wide resistivity range and low temperature coefficients of resistance; however, their long-term stability is limited due to their low crystallization temperature. It is detected that the alpha-Ge(1-x):Al(x) alloys have higher crystallization temperatures and their resistivity is not greatly affected by large changes in metal content. The Pt/Al2O3 samples display excellent stability, easy fabrication, and control of resistivity with metal content.

Lamb, J. L.↗

Enhanced fatigue and retention in ferroelectric thin film memory capacitors by post-top electrode anneal treatment

Thin film ferroelectric capacitors comprising a ferroelectric film sandwiched between electrodes for nonvolatile memory operations are rendered more stable by subjecting the capacitors to an anneal following deposition of the top electrode. The anneal is done so as to form the interface between the ferroelectric film and the top electrode. Heating in an air oven, laser annealing, or electron bombardment may be used to form the interface. Heating in an air oven is done at a temperature at least equal to the crystallization temperature of the ferroelectric film. Where the ferroelectric film comprises lead zirconate titanate, annealing is done at about 550 to 600 C for about 10 to 15 minutes. The formation treatment reduces the magnitude of charge associated with the nonswitching pulse in the thin film ferroelectric capacitors. Reduction of this charge leads to significantly more stable nonvolatile memory operations in both digital and analog memory devices. The formation treatment also reduces the ratio of change of the charge associated with the nonswitching pulse as a function of retention time. These improved memory devices exhibit greater performance in retention and reduced fatigue in memory arrays.

Thakoor, Sarita↗

64Mb COTS DRAMs: A Variety of SEE Responses

Advanced commercial DRAMs are particularly attractive to designers for space applications needing large memory arrays due to resulting savings in mass, volume, and power.

(MCMs)↗

Enhanced fatigue and retention in ferroelectric thin film memory capacitors by post-top electrode anneal treatment

Thin film ferroelectric capacitors (10) comprising a ferroelectric film (18) sandwiched between electrodes (16 and 20) for nonvolatile memory operations are rendered more stable by subjecting the capacitors to an anneal following deposition of the top electrode (20). The anneal is done so as to form the interface (22) between the ferroelectric film and the top electrode. Heating in an air oven, laser annealing, or electron bombardment may be used to form the interface. Heating in an air oven is done at a temperature at least equal to the crystallization temperature of the ferroelectric film. Where the ferroelectric film comprises lead zirconate titanate, annealing is done at about 550.degree. to 600.degree. C. for about 10 to 15 minutes. The formation treatment reduces the magnitude of charge associated with the non-switching pulse in the thin film ferroelectric capacitors. Reduction of this charge leads to significantly more stable nonvolatile memory operations in both digital and analog memory devices. The formation treatment also reduces the ratio of change of the charge associated with the non-switching pulse as a function of retention time. These improved memory devices exhibit greater performance in retention and reduced fatigue in memory arrays.

Thakoor, Sarita↗

Embedding security into ferroelectric FET array via in situ memory operation

Non-volatile memories (NVMs) have the potential to reshape next-generation memory systems because of their promising properties of near-zero leakage power consumption, high density and non-volatility. However, NVMs also face critical security threats that exploit the non-volatile property. Compared to volatile memory, the capability of retaining data even after power down makes NVM more vulnerable. Existing solutions to address the security issues of NVMs are mainly based on Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which incurs significant performance and power overhead. In this paper, we propose a lightweight memory encryption/decryption scheme by exploiting in-situ memory operations with negligible overhead. To validate the feasibility of the encryption/decryption scheme, device-level and array-level experiments are performed using ferroelectric field effect transistor (FeFET) as an example NVM without loss of generality. Besides, a comprehensive evaluation is performed on a 128 × 128 FeFET AND-type memory array in terms of area, latency, power and throughput. Compared with the AES-based scheme, our scheme shows ~22.6×/~14.1× increase in encryption/decryption throughput with negligible power penalty. Furthermore, we evaluate the performance of our scheme over the AES-based scheme when deploying different neural network workloads. Our scheme yields significant latency reduction by 90% on average for encryption and decryption processes.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Memory device for two-dimensional radiant energy array computers

A memory device for two dimensional radiant energy array computers was developed, in which the memory device stores digital information in an input array of radiant energy digital signals that are characterized by ordered rows and columns. The memory device contains a radiant energy logic storing device having a pair of input surface locations for receiving a pair of separate radiant energy digital signal arrays and an output surface location adapted to transmit a radiant energy digital signal array. A regenerative feedback device that couples one of the input surface locations to the output surface location in a manner for causing regenerative feedback is also included

Schaefer, D. H.↗

The performance of disk arrays in shared-memory database machines

In this paper, we examine how disk arrays and shared memory multiprocessors lead to an effective method for constructing database machines for general-purpose complex query processing. We show that disk arrays can lead to cost-effective storage systems if they are configured from suitably small formfactor disk drives. We introduce the storage system metric data temperature as a way to evaluate how well a disk configuration can sustain its workload, and we show that disk arrays can sustain the same data temperature as a more expensive mirrored-disk configuration. We use the metric to evaluate the performance of disk arrays in XPRS, an operational shared-memory multiprocessor database system being developed at the University of California, Berkeley.

Katz, Randy H.↗

Multistate resistance in TaN/(Hf,Zr)O 2 /Ta ferroelectric tunnel junctions

Ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs) utilizing hafnium zirconium oxide (HZO) have emerged as promising non-volatile memory elements for microelectronics, compatible with back end of line (BEOL) complementary–metal–oxide semiconductor fabrication. This study investigates asymmetric electrode TaN/HZO/Ta devices with a 6 nm thick HZO layer as FTJs for multistate resistive memory applications. The individual FTJs exhibit a resistance ratio exceeding 10× when utilized as a binary state device, with pulsing between −1.7 and +1.4 V to set the high resistance state (HRS) and low resistance state (LRS), respectively. Following with reduced write voltage pulses allows the ferroelectric device to operate with a selection of over 32 distinct resistance states (2 5 bits) between the LRS and HRS. This work then explores the stability of the resistance states during write/read pulse cycling, along with the stability of the state after multiple read pulses. Accessing the multibit state shows stability within 50 reads with the binary state remaining stable for more than 4000 reads pulses. With their multistate tunability and versatility, FTJs hold promise as BEOL memory elements for compute-in-memory (CiM) arrays, binary digital memory, or weighted vector matrix multiplication applications with low power consumption during computations.

CMOS↗

CMOS Camera Array With Onboard Memory

A compact CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) camera system has been developed with high resolution (1.3 Megapixels), a USB (universal serial bus) 2.0 interface, and an onboard memory. Exposure times, and other operating parameters, are sent from a control PC via the USB port. Data from the camera can be received via the USB port and the interface allows for simple control and data capture through a laptop computer.

Gat, Nahum↗

Array processor architecture connection network

A connection network is disclosed for use between a parallel array of processors and a parallel array of memory modules for establishing non-conflicting data communications paths between requested memory modules and requesting processors. The connection network includes a plurality of switching elements interposed between the processor array and the memory modules array in an Omega networking architecture. Each switching element includes a first and a second processor side port, a first and a second memory module side port, and control logic circuitry for providing data connections between the first and second processor ports and the first and second memory module ports. The control logic circuitry includes strobe logic for examining data arriving at the first and the second processor ports to indicate when the data arriving is requesting data from a requesting processor to a requested memory module. Further, connection circuitry is associated with the strobe logic for examining requesting data arriving at the first and the second processor ports for providing a data connection therefrom to the first and the second memory module ports in response thereto when the data connection so provided does not conflict with a pre-established data connection currently in use.

Barnes, George H.↗

Array coding for large data memories

It is pointed out that an array code is a convenient method for storing large quantities of data. In a typical application, the array consists of N data words having M symbols in each word. The probability of undetected error is considered, taking into account three symbol error probabilities which are of interest, and a formula for determining the probability of undetected error. Attention is given to the possibility of reading data into the array using a digital communication system with symbol error probability p. Two different schemes are found to be of interest. The conducted analysis of array coding shows that the probability of undetected error is very small even for relatively large arrays.

Tranter, W. H.↗

Design and Development of CubeSat Solar Array Deployment Mechanisms Using Shape Memory Alloys

The Advanced eLectrical Bus (ALBus) project is a technology demonstration mission of a 3U CubeSat with an advanced, digitally controlled electrical power system capability and the novel use of Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) technology for reliable solar array (SA) deployable mechanisms. The ALBus CubeSat deploys four SAs in addition to the body-mounted arrays on each side of the CubeSat. A goal of the mission is to utilize the SMAs being developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center to deploy these SAs. The use of SMAs allows for the ability to test and reset the flight deployment mechanism prior to flight, which reduces the risk of in orbit deployment failures common to CubeSats. As a result, an SMA-driven Retention and Release (R&R) mechanism and an SMA-driven hinge were designed, developed, and integrated for flight. This paper summarizes the development of these mechanisms, types and functionalities of the SMAs used, as well as the lessons learned throughout the process.

cubesat↗

Design and Development of CubeSat Solar Array Deployment Mechanisms Using Shape Memory Alloys

The Advanced eLectrical Bus (ALBus) project is a technology demonstration mission of a 3-U CubeSat with an advanced, digitally controlled electrical power system capability and the novel use of Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) technology for reliable solar array deployable mechanisms. The ALBus cubesat has a need to deploy four solar arrays in addition to the body-mounted arrays on each side of the cubesat. A goal of the mission is to utilize the SMAs being developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center to deploy these solar arrays. The use of SMAs allows for the ability to test and reset the flight deployment mechanism prior to flight which reduces the risk of on orbit deployment failures common on cubesats. As a result, an SMA driven Retention and Release mechanism and an SMA driven hinge was designed, developed, and being prepared for flight. This paper summarized the development of these mechanisms, types and functionalities of SMAs used, and lessons learned throughout the process.

solar array deployment↗

Persistent Memory Object Storage and Indexing for Scientific Computing

This paper presents Mosiqs, a persistent memory object storage framework with metadata indexing and querying for scientific computing. We design Mosiqs based on the key idea that memory objects on shared PM pool can live beyond the application lifetime and can become the sharing currency for applications and scientists. Mosiqs provides an aggregate memory pool atop an array of persistent memory devices to store and access memory objects. Mosiqs uses a lightweight persistent memory key-value store to manage the metadata of memory objects such as persistent pointer mappings, which enables memory object sharing for effective scientific collaborations. Mosiqs is implemented atop PMDK. We evaluate the proposed approach on many-core server with an array of real PM devices. The preliminary evaluation confirms a 100% improvement for write and 30% in read performance against a PM-aware file system approach.

Khan, Awais↗