Inside the Silicon: Analog Bits N2P2 Test Chip

The future of intelligent computing depends on silicon that delivers more performance within tighter power and thermal limits. Combining TSMC’s advanced process technology with Analog Bits’ analog and mixed-signal expertise, we help designers address those demands through local power regulation, supply monitoring, precision clocking, and sensing.

Their N2P2 test chip and evaluation board bring these capabilities into focus. Featuring 12 individual IP designs, the platform provides silicon measurements that help customers evaluate performance and integration choices. That matters because advanced process technology alone cannot ensure a successful SoC. Designers also need dependable power, accurate timing, and visibility into operating conditions.

Power where it matters

Processor workloads change rapidly, creating uneven current demand across an SoC. Resistance and inductance in the power delivery path can disturb the voltage reaching a core. At low operating voltages, small disturbances can consume valuable timing margin.

Analog Bits’ on-die low-dropout regulator places voltage control close to the load. Its feedback loop adjusts supplied current to maintain the programmed output, while local regulation helps suppress incoming supply noise. Separate voltage settings give designers flexibility across power domains.

At an output of 0.75 volts and a load of 1.5 amps, the displayed silicon measurements indicate approximately 33 millivolts of dropout. The load regulation curve shows a nearly constant output from 60 milliamps to 1.5 amps, while the programming sweep demonstrates predictable voltage control.

Why does this matter? Lower dropout reduces the voltage headroom required for regulation and can reduce associated power loss. Stable, programmable local supplies help designers match power delivery to changing computational needs.

Detecting disturbances

A sudden increase in processor activity can cause a supply voltage droop, reducing the timing margin available to digital logic. Analog Bits’ Droop Detector provides programmable thresholds that let designers identify when a rail crosses a selected voltage level.

In the demonstration, the output switches low as the supply falls below 0.75 volts and returns high as voltage recovers. The measured relationship between programmed settings and trigger voltage supports predictable threshold selection.

Brief disturbances also deserve attention. A voltage glitch can affect a calculation or create a security concern, even when the event is too short to appear in slower monitoring.

Analog Bits’ Glitch Catcher identifies threshold crossings and alerts system logic. In the illustrated measurement, a dip above the programmed threshold leaves the output unchanged; a drop below 0.685 volts drives it low.

Detection gives the system information it can use to hold a suspect result, retry an operation, or initiate recovery. The response depends on the system’s recovery architecture.

Precision timing

AI accelerators, chiplet systems, and high-speed interfaces depend on clocks that support reliable processing and data exchange. Analog Bits’ PLL portfolio addresses different requirements for frequency, jitter, programmability, and power.

The displayed measurements show jitter below the listed limits for PCIe Generations 3 through 7. Programmable frequencies support different operating requirements, while core-powered options can simplify supply integration and placement by avoiding dedicated analog supply bumps.

These results matter because clock quality affects interface margin. Measured performance helps designers assess whether a PLL suits their application; successful integration still depends on the complete system.

Visibility inside silicon

Temperature and voltage vary across a chip, and stacked dies make local conditions harder to observe. Analog Bits’ PVT sensors provide information that controllers can use to manage hotspots, power, and performance.

The N2P silicon measurements show a smooth temperature response and strong voltage linearity. Temperature sensing without trimming can also reduce production test effort.

Together, regulation, disturbance detection, clock generation, and sensing help designers manage the conditions that determine useful computing performance. Silicon characterization makes these capabilities tangible, giving engineering teams evidence for informed decisions. The goal is greater confidence from early evaluation through final system integration.

Bottom line: Analog Bits helps SoCs power smarter and compute faster. Contact them to explore the measurements, discuss integration requirements, or visit their lab to see working silicon on N2 and other advanced technologies.

Contact Analog Bits

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