Lucent Technologies' DSP Operates at One Volt

New single-chip digital signal processors (DSPs) from Lucent Technologies Microelectronics Group' Bell Labs operate at 100 megahertz, which the company says is the fastest processing speed using only one volt of power.

Applications for the technology include extended battery life in smaller and lighter cellular phones. It can also be used in packet voice and data transport over wireless phones, higher-speed Internet surfing and video applications, as well as digital audio broadcasts.

The company turbo-charged an existing Lucent DSP 1628 chip, which is used for cellular phones. The current DSp has gates that measure 0.25 micron. Gates switch current on and off in transistors. Researchers Isik C. Kizilyalli and Pat Watson shrank the gates to 0.12 micron by refining the optical lithography approach used to produce various features on today's silicon chips.

The scientists then powered the DSP at two voltages. At one volt, it ran at 100 megahertz, and at 1.5 volts, it ran at 170 megahertz.

Edited by Andrea King