Omni Design Technologies has announced the availability of its new ultra-low-power silicon-embedded monitor, the ODT-PVT-ULP-001C-3, designed specifically for voltage, process, and temperature (PVT) monitoring at advanced 3nm CMOS process nodes. The PVT monitor operates at a single 0.75V core-voltage supply, simplifying integration within complex digital and mixed-signal integrated circuits. Omni Design says this allows for precise, highly-localized monitoring directly next to critical digital subsystems without added voltage complexity.
The ODT-PVT-ULP-001C-3 supports a temperature detection range from -40°C to 150°C and provides voltage monitoring across four differential or single-ended inputs, each with a range of up to ±0.75V. For improved process management, the monitor includes embedded capabilities that provide detailed variation data on core and I/O PMOS and NMOS transistors. When inactive, the device enters an ultra-low-power standby mode; it also supports a one-shot measurement mode triggered upon user request.
According to Omni Design, the new solution directly addresses challenges that arise from increased thermal activity at advanced 3nm node technology, where designers typically implement performance guard bands to ensure yield and reliability. Omni’s PVT monitor helps operators reduce or eliminate these guard bands, allowing data center silicon designers to precisely set interrupt thresholds for critical temperature limits and implement dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS). These features help mitigate long-term silicon aging, improve reliability, and counteract side-channel security threats. Additionally, accumulated thermal profile data enables better predictive analysis and optimized designs for future products.
Omni Design CEO Dr. Kush Gulati noted specific operational benefits for data centers: “Saving even 1% power in the data center through dynamic voltage and frequency scaling using the Omni Design PVT solution can save over $3M a year in operating costs. The PVT solutions from Omni Design are essential to optimize next-generation high-performance system-on-chip solutions.”
Omni Design emphasizes the application’s relevance across advanced data center silicon products requiring efficient thermal, voltage, and process management. Additional markets include data center networking, broadband wireless, automotive ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), and specialized high-performance integrated circuits.
Source: Omni Design Technologies
