High-Performance CML approximate full adders for image processing application of laplace transform

Abstract

Purpose

The high demand for fast, energy-efficient, compact computational blocks in digital electronics has led the researchers to use approximate computing in applications where inaccuracy of outputs is tolerable. The purpose of this paper is to present two ultra-high-speed current-mode approximate full adders (FA) by using carbon nanotube field-effect transistors.

Design/methodology/approach

Instead of using threshold detectors, which are common elements in current-mode logic, diodes are used to stabilize voltage. Zener diodes and ultra-low-power diodes are used within the first and second proposed designs, respectively. This innovation eliminates threshold detectors from critical path and makes it shorter. Then, the new adders are employed in the image processing application of Laplace filter, which detects edges in an image.

Findings

Simulation results demonstrate very high-speed operation for the first and second proposed designs, which are, respectively, 44.7 per cent and 21.6 per cent faster than the next high-speed adder cell. In addition, they make a reasonable compromise between power-delay product (PDP) and other important evaluating factors in the context of approximate computing. They have very few transistors and very low total error distance. In addition, they do not propagate error to higher bit positions by generating output carry correctly. According to the investigations, up to four inexact FA can be used in the Laplace filter computations without a significant image quality loss. The employment of the first and second proposed designs results in 42.4 per cent and 32.2 per cent PDP reduction compared to when no approximate FA are used in an 8-bit ripple adder.

Originality/value

Two new current-mode inexact FA are presented. They use diodes as voltage regulators to design current-mode approximate full-adders with very short critical path for the first time.

Citation

Uoosefian, H., Navi, K., Faghih Mirzaee, R. and Hosseinzadeh, M. (2020), "High-Performance CML approximate full adders for image processing application of laplace transform", Circuit World, Vol. 46 No. 4, pp. 285-299. https://doi.org/10.1108/CW-12-2018-0106