Nutshell: A Linux-Compatible RISC-V Processor Designed by Undergraduates
summary
NutShell is a Linux‑compatible, in‑order RISC‑V core designed by five undergraduates and taped out in SMIC 110nm; it implements RV64IMAC and the SV39 virtual memory, boots Linux on the test chip, and runs on FPGA without SDRAM. Core is single‑issue, written in Chisel, with 32KB L1 I/D, optional 128KB L2, and measured 1.49 CoreMark/MHz (350 MHz without SDRAM, ~200 MHz with SDRAM). Verification uses online differential testing with NEMU, which finds CSR and page‑fault bugs quickly.
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chapters (12)
- 0:00Intro
- 0:12Contents
- 1:27Boot up Linux kernel on Board
- 1:44Nutshell: Run Debian on FPGA
- 2:07Open Source
- 4:11Timeline of Chip Testing
- 4:30Nutshell: Performance
- 5:35Traditional Simulation Test
- 6:24Online Differential Testing: Mechanism
- 7:00Online Differential Testing: Advantages
- 7:36Online Differential Testing: Example
- 8:27Conclusion & Q&A
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