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12 - Nanomagnetic logic: from magnetic ordering to magnetic computing

from Section IV - Spin-based devices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 February 2015

By
György Csaba ,
Gary H. Bernstein ,
Alexei Orlov ,
Michael T. Niemier ,
X. Sharon Hu  and
Wolfgang Porod
Edited by
Tsu-Jae King Liu  and
Kelin Kuhn
György Csaba
Affiliation:
University of Notre Dame
Gary H. Bernstein
Affiliation:
University of Notre Dame
Alexei Orlov
Affiliation:
University of Notre Dame
Michael T. Niemier
Affiliation:
University of Notre Dame
X. Sharon Hu
Affiliation:
University of Notre Dame
Wolfgang Porod
Affiliation:
University of Notre Dame
Tsu-Jae King Liu
Affiliation:
University of California, Berkeley
Kelin Kuhn
Affiliation:
Cornell University, New York
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Summary

Magnetic computing defined

Magnetic computing – in the broadest sense – is about using magnetic signals (nanomagnets, domain walls) to represent and process information. Nowadays, when “information processing” and “electronics” is synonymous, this concept sounds rather exotic. However, before the triumphant era of CMOS logic devices, non-charge based computers were serious candidates for information processing – for example, ingenious magnetic computing circuits were invented by R. J. Spain [1–3]. It was Cowburn [4] who first realized that the properties of nanoscale, single-domain magnets – which are very different from large, multi-domain magnets – are well suited for digital computing.

This chapter deals with one approach to magnetic computing, nanomagnet logic (or NML) [5, 6]. In NML devices, binary information is represented by the state (magnetization direction) of single domain nanomagnets and the magnetically represented information is propagated and processed by magnetic dipole–dipole interactions. From the circuit architecture point of view, NML builds on the concept of “quantum-dot cellular automata” [7] – they both share the idea of representing binary signals by bistable nanosystems and processing them through field-interactions. For this reason, nanomagnet logic was formerly called “magnetic quantum-dot cellular automata” (QCA), or field-coupled computing.

Type
Chapter
Information
CMOS and Beyond
Logic Switches for Terascale Integrated Circuits
 , pp. 301 - 334
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2015

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