Gate-Controlled Electron Quantum Interference Logic Devices

Abstract

Inspired by using the wave nature of electrons for electron quantum optics, we propose a new type of electron quantum interference logic device (eQILD), where an electron wave is coherently injected into a two-dimensional wave guide and controlled via two gates. Interference effects lead to different current levels in output channels and are utilized for classical logic gates. eQILDs can be reconfigured and support parallelism and multi-valued logic. The operating principle as well as realizations of a logic NAND and NOR gate is shown by means of dynamic quantum Wigner and classical simulations considering coherent/ballistic transport. Contrary to other advanced information processing approaches no magnetic or photonic mechanisms are required. The eQILD is inherently compatible with conventional integrated circuits and thus provides an attractive alternative towards advanced low-power information processing devices with the performance only limited by the single-electron source frequency, i.e., in the GHz regime.