Collaborative: Circuit and System Architectures for Self-assembled Nanoscale Computers

合作提案ID(S)：702434,0702410PI名称：阿尔文·勒贝克，肖恩·沃什伯恩机构：北卡罗来纳大学杜克大学标题：自组装纳米级计算机的电路和系统架构摘要在过去二三十年里，计算的快速发展在很大程度上依赖于cmos晶体管尺寸的持续缩小。不幸的是，继续这一趋势的能力是有限的，并将在不久的将来达到。这已经超出了人们的猜测，而半导体行业目前已将取代cmos视为一项重要但困难的技术挑战。这一研究项目旨在开发传统计算机系统设计和制造的替代方案，随着技术的发展，这些设计和制造将变得至关重要。自组装纳米系统是取代硅CMOS技术的潜在候选者，因为它能够在不需要数十亿美元的设施的情况下大量制造纳米结构。再加上在复杂网络中定位分子级元件的潜力，自组装正在成为一项强大的颠覆性技术，可能对未来集成电路和微处理器的生产产生重大影响。具体地说，通过利用比硅更大的化工制造工业基础，这项研究有可能使计算机系统制造的成本模型发生翻天覆地的变化。自组装等新技术为计算机系统的创造带来了新的挑战。本提案的研究部分力求解决以下挑战：1)设计符合未来纳米技术制造特点的高性能、低功耗的计算机体系结构，2.设计和测试纳米级电路，重点关注器件参数变化、缺陷建模和测试生成，以及电路布局的自动化工具，以及3.)新型自组装纳米器件(RGFET)和电路的制备与表征。

Collaborative Proposal ID(s):702434, 0702410PI names: Alvin Lebeck, Sean WashburnInstitutions: Duke University, U of North CarolinaTitle: Circuit and System Architectures for Self-assembled Nano-scale ComputersAbstractThe rapid advances in computing enjoyed over the last two/three decades have depended heavily on the continued decrease of CMOS transistor sizes. Unfortunately, the capacity for CMOS to continue this trend is finite and will be reached in the near future. This is beyond idle speculation and the semiconductor industry has at present identified the replacement of CMOS as an important, but difficult technological challenge. This research project seeks to develop alternatives to conventional computer system design and fabrication that will be fundamentally important as technology moves past the convenient abstractions built during the first 50+ years of computing.Self-assembled nanoscale systems are a potential candidate for replacing silicon CMOS technologies because of the ability to fabricate nanoscale structures in vast numbers without the need for multi-billion dollar facilities. Coupled with the potential to position molecular-scale components in complex networks, self-assembly is becoming a potent disruptive technology with potentially significant influence on the production of future integrated circuits and microprocessors. Specifically, by leveraging the larger-than-silicon industrial base of chemical manufacturing this research has the potential to create a sea change in the cost model for the fabrication of computer systems.New technologies, such as self-assembly, bring new challenges for the creation of computing systems. The research components of this proposal seek to address the following challenges: 1.) designing high-performance, low-power computer architectures that match the fabrication characteristics of future nanotechnologies, 2.) design and test nanoscale circuits with a focus on device parameter variation, defect modeling and test generation, and automated tools for circuit layout, and 3.) fabrication and characterization of "proof-of-principle" novel self-assembled nanoscale devices (RGFET) and circuits.