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ARM3 µarch
General Info
Arch Type	CPU
Designer	Acorn Computers
Manufacturer	VLSI Technology, Sanyo
Introduction	1989
Process	1.5 µm
Core Configs	1
Pipeline
Type	Scalar, Pipelined
Stages	3
Decode	1-way
Instructions
ISA	ARMv2a
Cache
L1 Cache	4 KiB/core 64-way set associative
Succession
ARM2 ARM6

ARM3 is the second-generation commercial ARM implementation designed by Acorn Computers as a successor to the ARM2.

History

The ARM3 builds on the success of the ARM2 with higher performance through the introduction of on-die cache but without any major changes to the core itself. The ARM3 was designed by a team of four engineers in nine months and was introduced in 1989. The ARM3 can operate at up to 25 MHz with a peak performance of 25 MIPS and a sustainable performance of 12 MIPS.

Process Technology

See also: 1.5 µm process

The ARM3 was implemented on a 1.5 µm double-level metal CMOS process.

Architecture

The major goal of the ARM3 was to improve performance. A target of three times the performance of the ARM2 was set. In order to support a faster microprocessor, the system would have to use faster DRAM which would negatively impact the overall cost. Instead, the design team opted to integrating cache.

Key changes from ARM2

• Goal 3x the performance
  • Integrated cache
  • Integrated clock generator
  • Integrated control logic
  • Integrated co-processor interface

New instructions

New ARM3 instructions:

Memory:

• SWP - Swap word memory-register, Atomic (uninterruptible)

Memory Hierarchy

• Cache
  • L1 Cache (unified)
    • 4 KiB, 64-way set associative
    • 16 B line size
    • Write-through policy
    • Per core
  • System DRAM
    • Up to 64 MiB

Overview

Control

The ARM3's control logic is a state machine implemented as three PLAs. Layout was generated automatically using Psuedo nMOS in order to save on space, albeit at the slight expense of static power dissipation.

Core

Pipeline

Main article: ARM2 Pipeline

ARM3's pipeline is identical to the ARM2.

Clock Generator

This section is empty; you can help add the missing info by editing this page.

Coprocessor Interface

This section is empty; you can help add the missing info by editing this page.

Cache

This section is empty; you can help add the missing info by editing this page.

Die

• 12 MHz, 1 W
• 1.5 µm DLM CMOS
• 8.72 mm x 9.95 mm
• 86.764 mm² die size
• 309,656 transistors
  • 206,454 SRAM
  • 62,973 CAM
  • 40,229 logic
• QFP-160
  • 119 signal pins
  • 41 power/ground pins

All ARM3 Chips

This section is empty; you can help add the missing info by editing this page.

References

• Thomas, A. R. P., et al. "A 2nd Generation 32b RISC Processor with 4KByte Cache." Solid-State Circuits Conference, 1989. ESSCIRC'89. Proceedings of the 15th European. IEEE, 1989.