Quasi-adiabatic clocking of quantum-dot cellular automata
Eric Mandell, Mahfuza Khatun · Journal of Applied Physics · 2003
We present a theoretical study of quasi-adiabatic clocking of quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA). Quasi-adiabatic clocking refers to periodical modulation of interdot potential barriers in order to keep the cells of a QCA device near their ground state throughout the entire switching process. The barrier modulation has been studied through the use of a trapezoidal-shaped, periodic, time-dependent, electric field. The time-dependent electric field has been calculated for arrays of linear charged rods. A continuous traveling maximum in the electric field represents the flow of information from one zone to the next. For a QCA device where the zones are set up, such that the flow of information is linear, a line of electrostatically charged rods can quasi-adiabatically clock the system.