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Karthik Chari
Independent Researcher
India
Abstract
This manuscript presents a comprehensive study on the design of low power complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuits tailored for embedded systems as of 2013. With the rapid proliferation of mobile and wearable devices during this period, power efficiency emerged as a critical parameter influencing system lifetime, thermal characteristics, and reliability. This work reviews prevailing low-power design techniques—including voltage scaling, power gating, multi-threshold CMOS (MTCMOS), and subthreshold operation—and demonstrates their application through real-world case studies. Methodology encompasses circuit-level simulations in SPICE, physical design considerations, and energy profiling under typical embedded workloads. Results indicate that integrating power gating with dynamic voltage scaling can yield up to 60% reduction in active power consumption without sacrificing performance targets. Conclusions underscore the trade-offs between leakage and dynamic power, highlighting design guidelines for future low-power embedded applications. Keywords: low power CMOS, voltage scaling, power gating, embedded systems, MTCMOS, subthreshold Introduction In 2013, embedded systems increasingly demanded energy-efficient solutions due to constraints in battery capacity and device miniaturization. The CMOS process, dominating digital integrated circuits, faced challenges from rising leakage currents and dynamic switching power. Designers adopted methodologies such as supply voltage reduction, transistor threshold modification, and clock gating to mitigate power dissipation. This manuscript aims to review techniques prevalent up to 2013 and evaluate their efficacy through illustrative examples aligned with then-current engineering practices.
Keywords
low power CMOS, voltage scaling, power gating, embedded systems, MTCMOS, subthreshold operation, energy efficiency, leakage power, circuit simulation, SPICE modelling
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