  In this work, we introduce a platform for register-transfer level (RTL)
architecture design space exploration. The platform is an open-source,
parameterized, synthesizable set of RTL modules for designing RISC-V based
single and multi-core architecture systems. The platform is designed with a
high degree of modularity. It provides highly-parameterized, composable RTL
modules for fast and accurate exploration of different RISC-V based core
complexities, multi-level caching and memory organizations, system topologies,
router architectures, and routing schemes. The platform can be used for both
RTL simulation and FPGA based emulation. The hardware modules are implemented
in synthesizable Verilog using no vendor-specific blocks. The platform includes
a RISC-V compiler toolchain to assist in developing software for the cores, a
web-based system configuration graphical user interface (GUI) and a web-based
RISC-V assembly simulator. The platform supports a myriad of RISC-V
architectures, ranging from a simple single cycle processor to a multi-core SoC
with a complex memory hierarchy and a network-on-chip. The modules are designed
to support incremental additions and modifications. The interfaces between
components are particularly designed to allow parts of the processor such as
whole cache modules, cores or individual pipeline stages, to be modified or
replaced without impacting the rest of the system. The platform allows
researchers to quickly instantiate complete working RISC-V multi-core systems
with synthesizable RTL and make targeted modifications to fit their needs. The
complete platform (including Verilog source code) can be downloaded at
https://ascslab.org/research/briscv/explorer/explorer.html.

Hardware Architecture