A Framework for Practical Low-Power Digital CMOS Systems Using Adiabatic-Switching Principles

This paper describes a framework for realizing low-power digital CMOS circuits using the principles of adiabatic switching. The starting point for all such systems is the observation that in CMOS circuits signal energies need not be dissipated but may be recycled or conserved under the appropriate conditions. From this observation to the point of demonstrating circuits that achieve low-power operation and do so at energy-dissipation levels which are competitive with other approaches to low-power design lie many challenges. This paper delves into the system design problems starting with the design of a simple reversible sequential logic chip that conserves signals energies into and out of the chip and finishes with the design of the necessary power supply elements for sequencing and powering the logic elements.