Ripple Counter Maximum Clock Frequency Derivation
Ripple counters chain flip-flops together to divide clock frequencies with minimal routing area.
The schematic shows an N-bit ripple counter built from T flip-flops. Each flip-flop has a clock-to-Q propagation delay of t_pcq = 5ns and a setup time of t_setup = 2ns. The output of flip-flop i drives the clock input of flip-flop i+1. There is no additional combinational logic between stages, making t_comb = 0ns.
Determine the maximum operating frequency for different bit widths and evaluate the scaling behavior of this architecture.
Constraints
- Assume zero clock skew and zero routing delay between stages.
- Use 1000ns = 1us for frequency conversions.
- Round frequency answers to one decimal place in MHz.
Topics
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