Computing in Thermal Equilibrium With Dipole-Coupled Nanomagnets

• Published in: IEEE transactions on nanotechnology Vol. 10; no. 6; pp. 1401 - 1404
• Main Authors: Carlton, D. B., Lambson, B., Scholl, A., Young, A. T., Dhuey, S. D., Ashby, P. D., Tuchfeld, E., Bokor, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-11-2011; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Circuit properties; Computation; Computer architecture; Computer simulation; Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing; Digital circuits; Digital logic; Dissipation; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Integrated circuits; Logic; Logic circuits; Logic gates; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetization; Magnetoelectric, magnetostrictive, magnetoacoustic, magnetooptic and magnetothermal devices. Spintronics; Molecular electronics, nanoelectronics; Nanocomposites; nanomagnetism; Nanomaterials; Nanoscale devices; Nanostructure; post CMOS; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; spintronics; Thermodynamics; External field; Logic gate; Electron microscopy; Thermal equilibrium; nanomagnetism; Operating conditions; Nanoelectronics; Digital signal; Logic circuit; Micromagnetism; Digital logic; Complementary MOS technology; Photoemission; Thermodynamic limit; Dipole; post CMOS; Magnetic field; Spintronics
• ISSN: 1536-125X; 1941-0085
• DOI: 10.1109/TNANO.2011.2152851

In the 1970s, work at IBM by Charles Bennett suggested the possibility of a computer operating near thermal equilibrium and dissipating energy near the thermodynamic limits. Here, we demonstrate experimentally that a computing architecture based on dipole-coupled nanomagnets can operate near thermal equilibrium without the assistance of externally applied magnetic fields. The dynamics of digital signal propagation is demonstrated with micromagnetic simulation and then verified experimentally using time-lapse photoemission electron microscopy. A logic gate that computes using energy from the thermal bath without external fields is also demonstrated. Nanomagnetic logic circuits operating under these conditions are expected to dissipate energy near the fundamental thermodynamic limits of computation.