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We examine the energy dissipated by a two-state quantum system during a switching operation when interacting with a thermal environment. For an isolated system, the excess energy decreases exponentially with switching time. For classically damped systems, the energy dissipation decreases linearly with switching time. We model the quantum system coupled to a thermal environment using a Lindblad equation for the density matrix. For rapid switching, the exponential quantum adiabaticity holds. For slow enough switching, the damping from the bath yields linear dissipation, as in the classical limit. Between these two limits, when the switching time is comparable to the characteristic energy transfer time to the thermal bath, there is an inverted region when dissipation increases with longer switching times. Consequences for the design of molecular quantum-dot cellular automata are discussed.

The preparation of 7-Fc(+) -8-Fc-7,8-nido-[C2 B9 H10 ](-) (Fc(+) FcC2 B9 (-) ) demonstrates the successful incorporation of a carborane cage as an internal counteranion bridging between ferrocene and ferrocenium units. This neutral mixed-valence Fe(II) /Fe(III) complex overcomes the proximal electronic bias imposed by external counterions, a practical limitation in the use of molecular switches. A combination of UV/Vis-NIR spectroscopic and TD-DFT computational studies indicate that electron transfer within Fc(+) FcC2 B9 (-) is achieved through a bridge-mediated mechanism. This electronic framework therefore provides the possibility of an all-neutral null state, a key requirement for the implementation of quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) molecular computing. The adhesion, ordering, and characterization of Fc(+) FcC2 B9 (-) on Au(111) has been observed by scanning tunneling microscopy.

Mixed-valence complexes are potential candidates for the molecular quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) approach, which encodes binary information using the configuration of localized and mobile charges. In the Robin–Day classification of mixed-valence complexes, charge localization/delocalization is determined by the ratio of the nuclear reorganization energy and the electron transfer (ET) matrix element. We point out that the driving force for charge localization in molecular QCA is the Coulomb interaction between neighboring molecules rather than nuclear relaxation. This suggests a different criterion for the relevant charge localization, one based on the ET matrix element and the driving bias of a neighboring molecule.

Molecular quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) paradigm is a promising approach to molecular electronics. QCA cells can be implemented using mixed-valence compounds. However, the existence of counterions can perturb the local electric field and thus is detrimental to information encoding and processing. Here we examine the feasibility of using charge neutral, zwitterionic mixed-valence complex as QCA cells in which the positive and negative charges are found at different yet fixed locations within the molecule and therefore counterion effects are more predictable and controllable. A double-dot model molecule based on the derivative of the 1-carba- closo -decaborate monoanion [ closo -1-CB 9 H 10 ] − is investigated using computational chemistry techniques. The model molecule demonstrates bistability and switchability.

Quantum-dot cellular automata is a novel paradigm for computing at the nanoscale. Cells are the basic computing element in quantum-dot cellular automata and function as structured charge containers rather than as current switches. Computing with quantum-dot cellular automata is enabled by quantum-mechanical tunneling and Coulomb interactions. The use of molecules as cells to realize quantum-dot cellular automata may make possible nanometer-scale devices and ultra-high device densities without excessive heat dissipation. Molecular quantum-dot cellular automata can be clocked using an external electric field. A time-varying clock can be used to drive data flow through layouts of cells. Together, the clock and the device layout define a computational architecture where data flows through the circuitry in the form of bit packets. Here we analyze the energetics of QCA bit packets. We find a heuristic model based on cell-cell interactions works well. Bit packet energies in general scale with the packet length. It may, however, be possible to design a cell geometry so that the energy is packet-length independent. Fan-out and fan-in can be understood as investing energy from the clock in the signal, and then returning the energy back to the clock.

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is a low-power, non-von-Neumann, general- purpose paradigm for classical computing using transistor-free logic. Here, classical bits are encoded on the charge configuration of individual computing primitives known as &ldquo, cells.&rdquo, A cell is a system of quantum dots with a few mobile charges. Device switching occurs through quantum mechanical inter-dot charge tunneling, and devices are interconnected via the electrostatic field. QCA devices are implemented using arrays of QCA cells. A molecular implementation of QCA may support THz-scale clocking or better at room temperature. Molecular QCA may be clocked using an applied electric field, known as a clocking field. A time-varying clocking field may be established using an array of conductors. The clocking field determines the flow of data and calculations. Various arrangements of clocking conductors are laid out, and the resulting electric field is simulated. It is shown that that control of molecular QCA can enable feedback loops, memories, planar circuit crossings, and versatile circuit grids that support feedback and memory, as well as data flow in any of the ordinal grid directions. Logic, interconnect and memory now become indistinguishable, and the von Neumann bottleneck is avoided.

We calculate the excess energy transferred into two-dot and three-dot quantum dot cellular automata systems during switching events. This is the energy that must eventually be dissipated as heat. The adiabaticity of a switching event is quantified using the adiabaticity parameter of Landau and Zener. For the logically reversible operations of WRITE or ERASE WITH COPY, the excess energy transferred to the system decreases exponentially with increasing adiabaticity. For the logically irreversible operation of ERASE WITHOUT COPY, considerable energy is transferred and so must be dissipated, in accordance with the Landauer Principle. The exponential decrease in energy dissipation with adiabaticity (e.g., switching time) distinguishes adiabatic quantum switching from the usual linear improvement in classical systems.

In the molecular quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) paradigm clocking wires are used to produce an electric field which is perpendicular to the device plane of surface-bound molecules and is sinusoidally modulated in space and time. This clocking field guides the data flow through the molecular QCA array. Power is dissipated in clocking wires due to the non-zero resistance of the conductors. We analyze quantitatively the amount of power dissipated in the clocking wires and find that in the relevant parameter range it is fairly small. Dissipation in the molecular devices themselves will likely dominate the energy budget.

The computational paradigm known as quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) encodes binary information in the charge configuration of Coulomb-coupled quantum-dot cells. Functioning QCA devices made of metal-dot cells have been fabricated and measured. We focus here on the issue of robustness in the presence of disorder and thermal fluctuations. We examine the performance of a semi-infinite QCA shift register as a function of both clock period and temperature. The existence of power gain in QCA cells acts to restore signal levels even in situations where high speed operation and high temperature operation threaten signal stability. Random variations in capacitance values can also be tolerated.

We examine power dissipation in different clocking schemes for molecular quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) circuits. 'Landauer clocking' involves the adiabatic transition of a molecular cell from the null state to an active state carrying data. Cell layout creates devices which allow data in cells to interact and thereby perform useful computation. We perform direct solutions of the equation of motion for the system in contact with the thermal environment and see that Landauer's Principle applies: one must dissipate an energy of at least k(B)T per bit only when the information is erased. The ideas of Bennett can be applied to keep copies of the bit information by echoing inputs to outputs, thus embedding any logically irreversible circuit in a logically reversible circuit, at the cost of added circuit complexity. A promising alternative which we term 'Bennett clocking' requires only altering the timing of the clocking signals so that bit information is simply held in place by the clock until a computational block is complete, then erased in the reverse order of computation. This approach results in ultralow power dissipation without additional circuit complexity. These results offer a concrete example in which to consider recent claims regarding the fundamental limits of binary logic scaling.

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is a scheme for molecular electronics in which information is transmitted and processed through electrostatic interactions between charges in an array of quantum dots. QCA wires, majority gates, clocked cell operation, and (recently) true power gain between QCA cells has been demonstrated in a metal-dot prototype system at cryogenic temperatures. Molecular QCA offers very high device densities, low power dissipation, and ways to directly integrate sensors with QCA logic and memory elements. A group of faculty at Notre Dame has been working to implement QCA at the size scale of molecules, where room-temperature operation is theoretically predicted. This paper reviews QCA theory and the experimental measurements in metal-dot QCA systems, and describes progress toward making QCA molecules and working out surface attachment chemistry compatible with QCA operation.

Interaction between single electrons in coupled quantum dots is used to perform binary logic operations in Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA). Clocked control over tunneling is necessary to achieve power gain and minimize power dissipation in QCA. The high temperature limit for clocked operation is set by the ability of the cells to store binary information when the input signal is removed (so-called ‘locked mode’). We present an experimental investigation of the temperature dependence of the locked mode in metal-dot based clocked QCA device. The experimental results are in very good agreement with the orthodox Coulomb blockade theory for thermally activated electron escape mechanism.

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is an approach to computing that eliminates the need for current switches by representing binary information as the configuration of charge among quantum dots. For molecular QCA, redox sites of molecules serve as the quantum dots. The Coulomb interaction between neighboring molecules provides device-device coupling. By introducing clocked control of the QCA cell, power gain, reduced power dissipation, and computational pipelining can be achieved. We present an ab initio analysis of a simple molecular system, which acts as a clocked molecular QCA cell. The intrinsic bistability of the molecular charge configuration results in dipole or quadrupole fields that couple strongly to the state of neighboring molecules. We show how clocked control of the molecular QCA can be accomplished with a local electric field.

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) involves representing binary information with the charge configuration of closed cells comprised of several dots. Current does not flow between cells, but rather the Coulomb interaction between cells enables computation to occur. We use this system to explore, quantitatively and in a specific physical system, the relation between computation and energy dissipation. Our results support the connection made by Landauer between logical reversibility and physical reversibility. While computation always involves some energy dissipation, there is no fundamental lower limit on how much energy must be dissipated in performing a logically reversible computation. We explicitly calculate the amount of energy that is dissipated to the environment in both logically irreversible “erase” and logically reversible “copy-then-erase” operations carried out in finite time at nonzero temperature. The “copy” operation is performed by using a near-by QCA cell which plays the role of Maxwell's demon. The QCA shift register can then be viewed as a sequence of copy-then-erase operations where the role of the demon cell shifts down the line.

The quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) computational paradigm provides a means to achieve ultimately low limits of power dissipation by replacing binary coding in currents and voltages with single-electron switching within arrays of quantum dots (“cells”). Clocked control over the cells allows the realization of power gain, memory and pipelining in QCA circuits. We present an experimental demonstration of a clocked QCA two-stage shift register (SR) and use it to mimic the operation of a multi-stage SR. Error-bit rates for binary switching operations in a metal tunnel junction device are experimentally investigated, and discussed for future molecular QCAs.

Molecular electronics is commonly conceived as reproducing diode or transistor action at the molecular level. The quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) approach offers an attractive alternative in which binary information is encoded in the configuration of charge among redox-active molecular sites. The Coulomb interaction between neighboring molecules provides device-device coupling. No current flow between molecules is required. We present an ab initio analysis of a simple molecular system which acts as a molecular QCA cell. The intrinsic bistability of the charge configuration results in dipole or quadrupole fields which couple strongly to the state of neighboring molecules. We show how logic gates can be implemented. We examine the role of the relaxation of nuclear coordinates in the molecular charge reconfiguration.

Quantum-Dot Cellular Automata (QCA) is a computational scheme utilizing the position of interacting single electrons within arrays of quantum dots ("cells") to encode and process binary information. Clocked QCA architectures can provide power gain, logic level restoration, and memory features. Using arrays of micron-sized metal dots, we experimentally demonstrate operation of a QCA latch-inverter and a two-stage shift register.

An introduction to the operation of quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is presented, along with recent experimental results. QCA is a transistorless computation paradigm that addresses the issues of device density and interconnection. The basic building blocks of the QCA architecture, such as AND, OR, and NOT are presented. The experimental device is a four-dot QCA cell with two electrometers. The dots are metal islands, which are coupled by capacitors and tunnel junctions. An improved design of the cell is presented in which all four dots of the cell are coupled by tunnel junctions. A noninvasive electrometer is presented which improves the sensitivity and linearity of dot potential measurements. The operation of this basic cell is confirmed by an externally controlled polarization change of the cell.

The notion of quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) as a possible replacement paradigm for conventional transistor-based logic is reviewed. Experiments using metal tunnel structures demonstrating a functional QCA cell are presented. It is shown that single electron tunnelling transistors used as electrometers verify proper switching of the QCA cell. Additionally, we provide evidence for a QCA cell switching frequency of 14 MHz, and a calculated upper limit of more than 5 GHz.

We present the experimental demonstration of a basic cell of quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA), a transistorless computation paradigm which addresses the issues of device density and interconnection. The device presented is a six-dot quantum-dot cellular system consisting of a four-dot QCA cell and two electrometer dots. The system is fabricated using metal dots which are connected by capacitors and tunnel junctions. The operation of a basic cell is confirmed by the externally controlled polarization change of the cell. The cell exhibits a bistable response, with more than 80% polarization of the charge within a cell.

We present experimental demonstration of a basic cell of Quantum-dot Cellular Automata, a transistorless computation paradigm which addresses the issues of device density and interconnection. The devices presented consist of four and six-dot quantum-dot cellular systems where the metal dots are connected by capacitors and tunnel junctions. The operation of a basic cell is confirmed by the externally controlled polarization change of the cell. The cell exhibits a bistable response and voltage gain. We present an experimental technique which cancels the parasitic cross-talk capacitors in the system.

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is a paradigm for connecting nanoscale bistable devices to accomplish general-purpose computation. The idea has its origins in the technology of quantum dots, Coulomb blockade, and Landauer’s observations on digital devices and energy dissipation. We examine the early development of this paradigm and its various implementations.

We describe a paradigm for computing with interacting quantum dots, quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA). We show how arrays of quantum-dot cells could be used to perform useful computations. A new adiabatic switching paradigm is developed which permits clocked control, eliminates metastability problems, and enables a pipelined architecture.

Several practical issues in the development and operation of quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) cells and systems are discussed. The need for adiabatic clocking of QCA systems and modeling of electrostatic confinement of quantum dots are presented. Experimental data on dot coupling and applications to QCA detectors in a 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) are presented. We report a charge detection scheme where we observe strong modulation in the detector signal, in addition to the detector exhibiting minimal effect on the dot being measured. With this investigation, we demonstrate these two key components required for QCA in AlGaAs/GaAs materials, namely dot coupling and charge-state detection.

We examine the dynamic behavior of quantum cellular automata, arrays of artificial quantum‐dot cells that can be used to perform useful computations. The dynamics of the array can be solved directly, retaining the full many‐electron degrees of freedom only for small array sizes. For larger arrays, we develop several approximate techniques for reducing the size of the basis set required. We examine the effect of intercellular quantum correlations on the switching response. Several important examples of switching behavior are solved using the techniques developed.

We examine the possible implementation of logic devices using coupled quantum dot cells. Each quantum cell contains two electrons which interact Coulombically with neighboring cells. The charge distribution in each cell tends to align along one of two perpendicular axes, which allows the encoding of binary information using the state of the cell. The state of each cell is affected in a very nonlinear way by the states of its neighbors. A line of these cells can be used to transmit binary information. We use these cells to design inverters, programmable logic gates, dedicated AND and OR gates, and non‐interfering wire crossings. Complex arrays are simulated which implement the exclusive‐OR function and a single‐bit full adder.

We present an experimental demonstration of power gain in quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) devices. Power gain is necessary in all practical electronic circuits where power dissipation leads to decay of logic levels. In QCA devices, charge configurations in quantum dots are used to encode and process binary information. The energy required to restore logic levels in QCA devices is drawn from the clock signal. We measure the energy flow through a clocked QCA latch and show that power gain is achieved.

Much of molecular electronics involves trying to use molecules as (a) wires, (b) diodes or (c) field-effect transistors. In each case the criterion for determining good performance is well known: for wires it is conductance, for diodes it is conductance asymmetry, while for transistors it is high transconductance. Candidate molecules can be screened in terms of these criteria by calculating molecular conductivity in forward and reverse directions, and in the presence of a gating field. Hence so much theoretical work has focused on understanding molecular conductance. In contrast a molecule used as a quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) cell conducts no current at all. The keys to QCA functionality are (a) charge localization, (b) bistable charge switching within the cell and (c) electric field coupling between one molecular cell and its neighbor. The combination of these effects can be examined using the cell–cell response function which relates the polarization of one cell to the induced polarization of a neighboring cell. The response function can be obtained by calculating the molecular electronic structure with ab initio quantum chemistry techniques. We present an analysis of molecular QCA performance that can be applied to any candidate molecule. From the full quantum chemistry, all-electron ab initio calculations we extract parameters for a reduced-state model which reproduces the cell–cell response function very well. Techniques from electron transfer theory are used to derive analytical models of the response function and can be employed on molecules too large for full ab initio treatment. A metric is derived which characterizes molecular QCA performance the way transconductance characterizes transistor performance. This metric can be assessed from absorption measurements of the electron transfer band or quantum chemistry calculations of appropriate sophistication.

Molecular quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is a promising paradigm for realizing molecular electronics. In molecular QCA, binary information is encoded in the distribution of intramolecular charge, and Coulomb interactions between neighboring molecules combine to create long-range correlations in charge distribution that can be exploited for signal transfer and computation. Appropriate mixed-valence species are promising candidates for single-molecule device operation. A complication arises because many mixed-valence compounds are ions and the associated counterions can potentially disrupt the correct flow of information through the circuit. We suggest a self-doping mechanism which incorporates the counterion covalently into the structure of a neutral molecular cell, thus producing a zwitterionic mixed-valence complex. The counterion is located at the geometrical center of the QCA molecule and bound to the working dots via covalent bonds, thus avoiding counterion effects that bias the system toward one binary information state or the other. We investigate the feasibility of using multiply charged anion (MCA) boron clusters, specifically closo-borate dianion, as building blocks. A first principle calculation shows that neutral, bistable, and switchable QCA molecules are possible. The self-doping mechanism is confirmed by molecular orbital analysis, which shows that MCA counterions can be stabilized by the electrostatic interaction between negatively charged counterions and positively charged working dots.

The behavior of linear arrays of cells composed of quantum dots is examined. Each cell holds two electrons and interacts Coulombically with neighboring cells. The electrons in the cell tend to align along one of two axes resulting in a cell ‘‘polarization’’ which can be used to encode binary information. The ground‐state polarization of a cell is a highly nonlinear function of the polarization of its neighbors. The resulting bistable saturation can be used to transmit binary information along the line of cells, thus forming a binary wire.

The authors formulate a new paradigm for computing with cellular automata (CAS) composed of arrays of quantum devices-quantum cellular automata. Computing in such a paradigm is edge driven. Input, output, and power are delivered at the edge of the CA array only; no direct flow of information or energy to internal cells is required. Computing in this paradigm is also computing with the ground state. The architecture is so designed that the ground-state configuration of the array, subject to boundary conditions determined by the input, yields the computational result. The authors propose a specific realization of these ideas using two-electron cells composed of quantum dots. The charge density in the cell is very highly polarized (aligned) along one of the two cell axes, suggestive of a two-state CA. The polarization of one cell induces a polarization in a neighboring cell through the Coulomb interaction in a very non-linear fashion. Quantum cellular automata can perform useful computing. The authors show that AND gates, OR gates, and inverters can be constructed and interconnected.

We present an experimental demonstration of a latch in a clocked quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) device. The device consists of three floating micron-size metal dots, connected in series by multiple tunnel junctions and controlled by capacitively coupled gates. The middle dot acts as an adjustable barrier to control single-electron tunneling between end dots. The position of a switching electron in the half cell is detected by a single-electron electrometer. We demonstrate “latching” of a single electron in the end dots controlled by the gate connected to the middle dot. This ability to lock an electron in a controllable way enables pipelining, power gain and reduced power dissipation in QCA arrays.

We present the experimental characterization of a leadless (floating) double-dot system and a leadless quantum-dot cellular automata cell, where aluminum metal islands are connected to the environment only by capacitors. Here, single electron charge transfer can be accomplished only by the exchange of an electron between the dots. The charge state of the dots is monitored using metal islands configured as electrometers. We show improvements in the cell performance relative to leaded dots, and discuss possible implications of our leadless design to the quantum-dot cellular automata logic implementation.

A device representing a basic building block for clocked quantum-dot cellular automata architecture is reported. Our device consists of three floating micron-size metal islands connected in series by two small tunnel junctions where the location of an excess electron is defined by electrostatic potentials on gates capacitively coupled to the islands. In this configuration, the middle dot acts as an adjustable Coulomb barrier allowing clocked control of the charge state of the device. Charging diagrams of the device show the existence of several operational modes, in good agreement with theory. The clocked switching of a single electron is experimentally demonstrated and advantages of this architecture are discussed.

Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA) is a promising architecture which employs quantum dots for digital computation. It is a revolutionary approach which addresses the issues of device density and power dissipation. With a dot size of 20 nm an entire full adder would occupy only one square micron, and the power delay product is as low as a few kT. A basic QCA cell consists of four quantum dots coupled capacitively and by tunnel barriers. The cell is biased to contain two excess electrons within the four dots, which are forced to opposite "corners" of the four-dot system by Coulomb repulsion. These two possible polarization states of the cell represent logic "0" and "1". Properly arranged, arrays of these basic cells can implement Boolean logic functions. We present experimental results from functional QCA devices built of nanoscale metal dots defined by tunnel barriers.

Experimental studies are presented of a binary wire based on the quantum-dot cellular automata computational paradigm. The binary wire consists of capacitively coupled double-dot cells charged with single electrons. The polarization switch caused by an applied input signal in one cell leads to the change in polarization of the adjacent cell and so on down the line, as in falling dominos. Wire polarization was measured using single islands as electrometers. Experimental results are in very good agreement with the theory and confirm there are no metastable states in the wire.

An introduction to the operation of quantum-dot cellular automata is presented, along with recent experimental results. Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is a transistorless computation paradigm that addresses the issues of device density and interconnection. The basic building blocks of the QCA architecture, such as AND, OR, and NOT are presented. The experimental device is a four-dot QCA cell with two electrometers. The dots are metal islands, which are coupled by capacitors and tunnel junctions. An improved design of the cell is presented in which all four dots of the cell are coupled by tunnel junctions. The operation of this basic cell is confirmed by the externally controlled polarization change of the cell.

A functioning logic gate based on quantum-dot cellular automata is presented, where digital data are encoded in the positions of only two electrons. The logic gate consists of a cell, composed of four dots connected in a ring by tunnel junctions, and two single-dot electrometers. The device is operated by applying inputs to the gates of the cell. The logic AND and OR operations are verified using the electrometer outputs. Theoretical simulations of the logic gate output characteristics are in excellent agreement with experiment.

This paper presents an overview of the electronic implementation of quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA). QCA is a computing paradigm that encodes and processes information by the position of individual electrons. This opens the possibility of dense, ultra-low power devices. Resent results are presented from QCA cells implemented using metal-dots, as well as investigations toward molecular and silicon QCA devices.

We report an experimental demonstration of a logic cell for quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA). This nanostructure-based computational paradigm allows logic function implementation without the use of transistors. The four-dot QCA cell is defined by a pair of series-connected double dots, and the coupling between the input and the output double dots is provided by lithographically defined capacitors. We demonstrate that, at low temperature, an electron switch in the input double dot induces an opposite electron switch in the output double dot, resulting in a polarization change of the QCA cell. Switching is verified from the electrometer signals, which are coupled to the output double dot. We perform theoretical simulations of the device characteristics and find excellent agreement with theory.

In this work, we study the dynamics of molecular quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) devices by combining the technique of quantum chemistry and coherence vector formalism. First, we apply the quantum chemistry ab initio calculation on the single molecule, and construct a simple model Hamiltonian for each QCA cell based on the calculation. For a three-dot molecule discussed in this work, we show a 3×3 Hamiltonian is sufficient to describe its switching behavior. The second step is to use the model Hamiltonian to calculate the coherence vector evolved as time, from which we will investigate the dynamic behavior of various QCA devices and circuits. Finally, we discuss the structure-functionality relation between the molecular structure and circuit dynamics.

An introduction to quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is presented along with experimental implementations. QCA is a transistorless nanoelectronic computation paradigm that addresses the issues of device and power density, which are becoming increasingly important in the electronics industry. Scaling of CMOS is expected to come to an end in the next 10-15 years, with perhaps the most important limiting problem being the power density and the resulting heat generated. QCA offers the possibility of circuitry that dissipates many orders of magnitude less power than CMOS, is scalable to molecular dimensions, and provides the power gain necessary to restore signal levels.

We report direct measurements of the charging diagram of a nanoscale series double-dot system at low temperatures. Our device consists of two metal dots in series, with each dot capacitively coupled to another single dot serving as an electrometer. This configuration allows us to externally detect all possible charge transitions within a double-dot system. In particular, we show that transfer of an electron between two dots, representing a polarization switch of the double dot, can be most prominently detected by our differential sensing scheme. We also perform theoretical calculations of the device characteristics and find excellent agreement with experiment. We discuss possible applications as an output stage for quantum-dot cellular automata architecture.

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is a strategy in which binary data is represented by charge configuration within a multi-dot cell. Data is transmitted to nearest neighbors by the Coulombic interaction. An electric field acts as a clock and imposes directionality on circuits. We have explored the connection between logical reversibility and physical reversibility in the context of a QCA system, explicitly calculating the energy dissipated by performing an erasure as a function of the time over which it is performed [1]. Further, we present a Bennett-style clocking scheme to implement reversible computation that is natural to the circuits to minimize the amount of information that is erased. Molecular QCA may provide a practical implementation of reversible computing

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is a computing model that has shown great promise for efficient molecular computing. The QCA clock signal consists of an electric field being raised and lowered. The wires needed to generate the clocking field have been thought to be the limiting factor in the density of QCA circuits. This paper explores the feasibility of using single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) to implement the clocking fields, effectively removing the clocking wire barrier to greater circuit densities.

In this report, we describe the fabrication and experimental demonstration of fanout in QCA. Fanout is important as it is necessary for complex digital logic circuits and is essential for generating compact designs, as multiple cells can be then driven by a single driver cell. Fanout in QCA is also a direct demonstration of power gain in QCA circuits. The device is realized using metal islands (as quantum dots) and multiple tunnel junctions (MTJs) fabricated using Dolan bridge technique (Fulton, 1987). The circuit consists of three latches, with the latch in the first stage (L1) capacitively coupled to the two latches of the second stage (L2 and L3). The goal of the experiment is to switch L2 and L3 simultaneously using L1 as an input driving both L2 and L3. Each latch is formed by three quantum dots with the middle dot being connected to the end dots by MTJs

This paper reports on the dynamic behavior of power dissipation in a clocked QCA majority gate. A distributed clocking scheme is employed in the QCA array to form a "computation wave" which moves smoothly across the circuit. The quantum dynamical calculation is done with coherence vector formalism with dissipation incorporated so that we can see power flowing to the environment, and also to and from the clocking circuit

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is an approach to computing which eliminates the need for transistors by representing binary digits as charge configurations rather than current levels. Coulomb interactions provide device-device coupling without current flow. Clocked control of the device allows power gain, control of power dissipation, and pipelined computation. Molecular QCA uses redox sites of molecules as quantum dots. We present an ab initio analysis of a simple molecular system which acts as a clocked molecular QCA cell.

The computation approach known as quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is based on encoding binary information in the charge configuration of quantum-dot cells. This paradigm provides a possible route to transistor-less electronics at the nano-scale. QCA devices using single-electron switching in metal-dot cells have been fabricated. Here we examine the limits of switching speed and temperature in QCA circuits. We calculate the dynamic behavior of a semi-infinite shift register. We employ the orthodox, theory of Coulomb blockade and a master-equation approach for the dynamics. A complete phase diagram of the operational space of the circuit as a function of clock speed and temperature is constructed. The crucial role of power gain as a function of temperature is evident.