Single-Electron Parametron: Reversible Computation in a Discrete State System

We have analyzed energy dissipation in a digital device (``Single-Electron Parametron'') in which discrete degrees of freedom are used for presenting digital information. If the switching speed is not too high, the device may operate reversibly (adiabatically), and the energy dissipation ${\cal E}$ per bit may be much less than the thermal energy $k_BT$. The energy-time product ${\cal E}\tau$ is, however, much larger than Planck's constant $\hbar$, at least in the standard ``orthodox'' model of single-electron tunneling, which was used in our calculations.Comment: 9 pages, RevTex, 3 figure

A Possible Nanometer-scale Computing Device Based on an Adding Cellular Automaton

We present a simple one-dimensional Cellular Automaton (CA) which has the property that an initial state composed of two binary numbers evolves quickly into a final state which is their sum. We call this CA the Adding Cellular Automaton (ACA). The ACA requires only 2N two-state cells in order to add any two N-1 bit binary numbers. The ACA could be directly realized as a wireless nanometer-scale computing device - a possible implementation using coupled quantum dots is outlined.Comment: 8 pages, RevTex, 3 Postscript figures. This version to appear in App. Phys. Let

Coulomb Blockade and Digital Single-Electron Devices

Tunneling of single electrons has been thoroughly studied both theoretically and experimentally during last ten years. By the present time the basic physics is well understood, and creation of useful single-electron devices becomes the important issue. Single-electron tunneling seems to be the most promising candidate to be used in the future integrated digital circuits with the typical size scale of few nanometers and below, i.e. in the molecular electronics. In the review we first briefly discuss the physics of single-electron tunneling and the operation of the single-electron transistor. After that, we concentrate on the hypothetical ultradense digital single-electron circuits and discuss the different proposed families of them. The last part of the review considers the issues of the discrete energy spectrum and the finite tunnel barrier height which are important for the molecular-size single-electron devices.Comment: Review paper, to be published in "Molecular Electronics", ed. by J. Jortner and M. A. Ratner (Blackwell, Oxford). 49 pages, RevTex, 15 figure

Computing with spins: From classical to quantum computing

This article traces a brief history of the use of single electron spins to compute. In classical computing schemes, a binary bit is represented by the spin polarization of a single electron confined in a quantum dot. If a weak magnetic field is present, the spin orientation becomes a binary variable which can encode logic 0 and logic 1. Coherent superposition of these two polarizations represent a qubit. By engineering the exchange interaction between closely spaced spins in neighboring quantum dots, it is possible to implement either classical or quantum logic gates.Comment: 3 figure

Adiabatic quantum computation with Cooper pairs

We propose a new variant of the controlled-NOT quantum logic gate based on adiabatic level-crossing dynamics of the q-bits. The gate has a natural implementation in terms of the Cooper pair transport in arrays of small Josephson tunnel junctions. An important advantage of the adiabatic approach is that the gate dynamics is insensitive to the unavoidable spread of junction parameters.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figures not supplied by autho

Beyond Moore's technologies: operation principles of a superconductor alternative

The predictions of Moore's law are considered by experts to be valid until 2020 giving rise to "post-Moore's" technologies afterwards. Energy efficiency is one of the major challenges in high-performance computing that should be answered. Superconductor digital technology is a promising post-Moore's alternative for the development of supercomputers. In this paper, we consider operation principles of an energy-efficient superconductor logic and memory circuits with a short retrospective review of their evolution. We analyze their shortcomings in respect to computer circuits design. Possible ways of further research are outlined.Comment: OPEN ACCES