ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Electron.
Sec. Nano- and Microelectronics
Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/felec.2025.1568377
An RRAM-Based Implementation of a Template Matching Circuit for Low-Power Analogue Classification
Provisionally accepted
- University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Recent advances in machine learning and neuro-inspired systems enabled the increased interest in efficient pattern recognition at the edge. A wide variety of applications, such as near-sensor classification, require fast and low-power approaches for pattern matching through the use of associative memories and their more well-known implementation, Content Addressable Memories (CAMs). Towards addressing the need for low-power classification, this work showcases an RRAM-based analogue CAM (ACAM) intended for template matching applications, providing a low-power reconfigurable classification engine for the extreme edge. The circuit uses a low component count at 6T2R2M, comparable with the most compact existing cells of this type. In this work, we demonstrate a hardware prototype, built with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components for the MOSFET-based circuits, that implements rows of 6T2R2M employing T iO x -based RRAM devices developed in-house, showcasing competitive matching window configurability and definition. Furthermore, through simulations, we validate the performance of the proposed circuit by using a commercially available 180nm technology and in-house RRAM data-driven model to assess the energy dissipation, exhibiting 60 pJ per classification event.
Keywords: Associative Memory, Content addressable memory, Resistive RAM, RRAM-CMOS design, template matching
Received: 29 Jan 2025; Accepted: 15 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Foster, Papandroulidakis, Serb, Stathopoulos and Prodromakis. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Patrick Foster, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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