A Nanomechanical Fredkin Gate

Abstract

Irreversible logic operations inevitably discard information, setting fundamental limitations on the flexibility and the efficiency of modern computation. To circumvent the limit imposed by the von Neumann-Landauer (VNL) principle, an important objective is the development of reversible logic gates, as proposed by Fredkin, Toffoli, Wilczek, Feynman, and others. Here, we present a novel nanomechanical logic architecture for implementing a Fredkin gate, a universal logic gate from which any reversible computation can be built. In addition to verifying the truth table, we demonstrate operation of the device as an AND, OR, NOT, and FANOUT gate. Excluding losses due to resonator dissipation and transduction, which will require significant improvement in order to minimize the overall energy cost, our device requires an energy of order 10(4) kT per logic operation, similar in magnitude to state-of-the-art transistor-based technologies. Ultimately, reversible nanomechanical logic gates could play a crucial role in developing highly efficient reversible computers, with implications for efficient error correction and quantum computing.

Recent Progress on Reversible Quantum-Flux-Parametron for Superconductor Reversible Computing

“…In reversible computing, logic gates can operate in a thermodynamically reversible manner and thus energy dissipation becomes zero in the quasi-static limit. Reversible logic gates have been proposed using several logic devices, which include adiabatic CMOS [5], nanomagnetic logic [6], [7], nano electro mechanical system (NEMS) [8], and superconductor logic [9].…”

Towards electromechanical computation: An alternative approach to realize complex logic circuits

“…Second is the fact that the signal waveforms as logic inputs and logic outputs are often of different forms. [10][11][12][13][14][15][16] Apart from the work in Ref. 14, these unavoidable obstacles have restricted the development of complex logic circuits based on resonators.…”

“…8 The other stream of research has focused on the development of logic devices based on both linear and nonlinear operations of the MEMS/NEMS resonators. [10][11][12][13][14][15][16] The first resonator-based logic gates were realized by utilizing the presence of high (low) amplitude of vibration at on-resonance (offresonance) of a NEMS resonator in the linear regime. 10 Later, the bistability of a nonlinear NEMS resonator was used to realize a reprogrammable logic function, such as 2-bit AND/ NAND and OR/NOR gates.…”

“…Recently, an unconventional and reversible logic gate (Fredkin gate) has been realized based on the four coupled linear NEMS resonators. 15 Both physical and logical reversibilities were demonstrated with successful implementation of 2-bit AND, OR, NOT, and FANOUT gates. More recently, we have proposed and demonstrated a reprogrammable microelectromechanical logic device based on the electrothermal frequency tuning of a linearly excited MEMS arch shaped resonator.…”

A Reprogrammable Universal Logic Gate Based on a Nano Cantilever Resonator

“…Considerable research is being undertaken to design leakage-free computing components [3][4][5][6]. Earlier efforts include mechanical (difference engine, 1822) and inductor-capacitor oscillator (PC-1, 1958) based computers; however these were rendered obsolete by transistors.…”