Reconfigurable arithmetic logic unit designed with threshold logic gates

In recent years, there is a trend towards the development of reconfigurable circuits where devices using them offer flexibility and performance. Different technologies are explored, such as threshold logic gates (TLGs), which are one of the most promising future technologies, and researchers are examining and improving different characteristics such as density, performance and power dissipation. This research presents a 4-bit arithmetic logic unit (ALU), which was designed using TLGs through reconfigurable logic blocks with a universal circuit configured with three stages based on a floating-gate metal oxide semiconductor transistor with more than one control gate, which was named neu-complementary metal oxide semiconductor (nu-CMOS). The main contribution is that this device is configured as a nu-CMOS inverter and has the ability to program the threshold voltage of its transfer curve by applying an external voltage to the additional control gates. The number of input bits and the magnitude of the weighted input capacitances related to control gates of the nu-CMOS inverters is obtained and analyzed by using the graphical method (floating-gate potential diagram). Finally, the proposed 4-bit ALU shows similar results as those measured from the ALUs implemented in the field programmable gate array evaluation kit and the Motorola chip MC14581B.