Comparing quaternary and binary multipliers

Abstract: We compare the implementation of a 8x8 bit multiplier with two different implementations of a 4x4 quaternary digit multiplier. Interfacing this binary multiplier with quaternary to binary decoders and binary to quaternary encoders leads to a 4x4 multiplier that outperforms the best direct implementation of a 4x4 quaternary multiplier. The far greater complexity of the 1-digit multipliers and 1-digit adders used in this direct implementation compared to the binary 1-bit multipliers and full adders cannot be compensated by the reduced count of quaternary operators. As the best quaternary multiplier includes the corresponding binary one, it means that there is no opportunity to get less interconnects, less chip area, less power dissipation with the quaternary multiplier.