Design and Comparative Analysis of Novel 8T and 6T SRAM Cell Using 16 nm Technology

Memory blocks play a crucial role in modern computing systems, with volatile memories DRAM, SRAM, and contemporary FLASH memory requiring a continuous voltage supply for information storage. However, this constant voltage supply contributes to power dissipation. DRAM, in particular, faces the challenge of periodic memory refreshing, where existing data is overwritten to preserve data integrity. Designing memory blocks involves considering essential parameters such as Static Noise Margin (SNM), power dissipation, area consumption, and delay, with selection based on specific application requirements. This study presents an in-depth design and analysis of two distinct SRAM cell types with varying numbers of transistors. SRAMs are preferred for their faster access times, absence of refreshing (leading to lower power consumption), high reliability, and minimal power consumption during the hold state. The designed SRAM cells, including the conventional 6T and the novel 8T, are compared based on parameters such as W/L ratios, average power consumption, robustness against noise (Static Noise Margin—SNM), and leakage current. From the results obtained, the 8T cell exhibits a minimum leakage current of 169.9522 pA, while the 6T cell has the lowest value at 66.1483 pA. The Static Noise margin is observed to be 0.3044 V for the 6T cell and 0.1677 V for the newly proposed Novel 8T. Additionally, the 6T cell dissipates a maximum power of 665.59 nW. Simulations including DC and transient analyses were conducted using LTSpice, and the layout of the Novel 8T SRAM cell was drawn. The design underwent verification through processes such as Design Rule Check (DRC) and layout versus Schematic (LVS) using Cadence Virtuoso Tool Suite. This research is motivated by the need to enhance the understanding of SRAM cells and presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of their performance, providing valuable insights into power dissipation, noise margins, and leakage current. The proposed 8T cell emerges as a promising alternative, showcasing superior performance in terms of power efficiency and noise margin, as highlighted by the research outcomes.