Magnetic Quantum-Dot Cellular Automata: Recent Developments and Prospects

Abstract

Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA) is a computational paradigm that uses local physical coupling between nominally identical bistable building blocks (cells) assembled into arrays to perform binary logic functions. QCA offers low power dissipation and high integration density of functional elements. Depending upon the choice of local fields causing interactions between the cells, different types of QCA are possible, such as magnetic, electronic, or optical. Here we discuss recent developments in the field of magnetic QCA (MQCA) all-magnetic logic where planar, magnetically-coupled, nanometer-scale magnets are assembled into the networks that perform binary computation. The nanomagnets are defined by electron beam lithography. We demonstrate the operation of basic elements of MQCA architecture such as binary wire, three input majority logic gate, and their combination, and discuss interfacing such systems with conventional CMOS-based logic.

Magnetic QCA Design: Modeling, Simulation and Circuits

“…Results in this direction have been obtained by previous works and reported in (4), (37), (38) and (39). We believe this to be a very important step, and thus we are setting up our own experiments, which preliminary results are in (24) and based on (40), to verify our proposed clock solution and to deeply investigate nanomagnetic circuits.…”

Dissipative soliton dynamics in a discrete magnetic nano-dot chain

“…19 By engineering an individual dot shape, the inter-dot distance, and the dot-to-dot interaction type, the magnetic nano-dot system is considered as a viable candidate for non-volatile room-temperature high-speed nano-logic devices. [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] However, the dissipative soliton dynamics in this discrete magnetic nano-dot system has not yet been clearly addressed in relation to its mobility, threshold field, and maximum or minimum velocity.…”

Effectiveness of Molecules for Quantum Cellular Automata as Computing Devices

“…In terms of physical implementation, metallic and magnetic solutions, that successfully demonstrated the QCA principle, were presented in [10,11]. However, according to the Lent theory [2], the best implementation of the QCA cell, in terms of performance and size, is the molecular cell, as discussed herein.…”