Abstract
We introduce a thermodynamically consistent, minimal stochastic model for complementary logic gates built with field-effect transistors. We characterize the performance of such gates with tools from information theory and study the interplay between accuracy, speed, and dissipation of computations. With a few universal building blocks, such as the NOT and NAND gates, we are able to model arbitrary combinatorial and sequential logic circuits, which are modularized to implement computing tasks. We find generically that high accuracy can be achieved provided sufficient energy consumption and time to perform the computation. However, for low-energy computing, accuracy and speed are coupled in a way that depends on the device architecture and task. Our work bridges the gap between the engineering of low dissipation digital devices and theoretical developments in stochastic thermodynamics, and provides a platform to study design principles for low dissipation digital devices.
Highlights
The last decade has seen an exponential growth in energy consumption associated with information, communications, and computing technologies
The main goal of this paper is to bridge the gap between developments in nonequilibrium statistical physics and circuit engineering by proposing a model for stochastic logic circuits that is thermodynamically consistent, and amenable to physical analysis and constraints, but simple enough to be extendable to complex computing tasks
With this model we explore the consequences of carrying out computations at low thermodynamic costs and finite time, and provide design principles for low dissipation computing devices
Summary
The last decade has seen an exponential growth in energy consumption associated with information, communications, and computing technologies Such resource demands are not sustainable, and there is a need to design devices with reduced energetic costs. By treating thermal fluctuations in electron transport explicitly at a mesoscopic scale, our model reproduces the behavior of a robust circuit in the low-noise limit, but describes errors accurately away from this limit. With this model we explore the consequences of carrying out computations at low thermodynamic costs and finite time, and provide design principles for low dissipation computing devices
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