Soft-error tolerance and energy consumption evaluation of embedded computer with magnetic random access memory in practical systems using computer simulations. (4th July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nebashi, Ryusuke; Sakimura, Noboru; Sugibayashi, Tadahiko
• Is Part Of: Japanese journal of applied physics. Volume 56:Number 8(2017)
• Publication Date: 2017-07-04
• Subjects: Physics -- Periodicals; 621.05
• DOI: 10.7567/JJAP.56.0802B6
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-4922

Abstract

Abstract: We evaluated the soft-error tolerance and energy consumption of an embedded computer with magnetic random access memory (MRAM) using two computer simulators. One is a central processing unit (CPU) simulator of a typical embedded computer system. We simulated the radiation-induced single-event-upset (SEU) probability in a spin-transfer-torque MRAM cell and also the failure rate of a typical embedded computer due to its main memory SEU error. The other is a delay tolerant network (DTN) system simulator. It simulates the power dissipation of wireless sensor network nodes of the system using a revised CPU simulator and a network simulator. We demonstrated that the SEU effect on the embedded computer with 1 Gbit MRAM-based working memory is less than 1 failure in time (FIT). We also demonstrated that the energy consumption of the DTN sensor node with MRAM-based working memory can be reduced to 1/11. These results indicate that MRAM-based working memory enhances the disaster tolerance of embedded computers.