Single Spin Logic and Matrix Element Engineering: A New Nanoelectronic Computing Paradigm for Ultra Low Power Dissipation

在传统的数字电子学中，二进制位0和1由存储在器件的有源区中的不同电荷量表示。位之间的切换需要改变电荷量，这就需要流过器件的电流和相关的功率消耗。这是电荷型电子产品的一个根本缺点。相反，如果二进制位是由放置在静态磁场中的电子的反平行自旋极化来表示的，那么位之间的切换只需翻转自旋，而不会在空间中物理移动电荷并导致电流流动。这可以将计算机器中的功耗降低数量级。从长远来看，这将允许更高的比特密度和更快的计算速度。这项研究将集中在研究基于单自旋的数字计算系统和逻辑门。将进行量子力学计算，以表明这些门中的功率消耗极小。在最近关于有机纳米结构长时间保持自旋记忆的演示(100K下近1秒；自然纳米技术，2,216，(2007))的刺激下，有机半导体的量子点将被制造出来，并将测量电子的自旋弛豫时间(T1和T2)作为温度的函数，以建立基于自组装有机纳米结构中的自旋的新计算技术的可行性。研究生和本科生将接受基于自旋的计算、自组装、磁传输测量和电子自旋共振光谱学方面的培训。K-12外展将通过培训3-4名高中生(9年级和12年级的少数民族学生)，通过每年夏天由皮？S大学主办的里士满地区工程少数民族项目(RAPME)来完成。

In conventional digital electronics, binary bits 0 and 1 are represented by different amounts of charge stored in the active region of a device. Switching between bits requires changing the amount of charge, which necessitates a current flow through the device and associated power dissipation. This is a fundamental drawback of charge based electronics. Instead, if binary bits are represented by anti-parallel spin polarizations of an electron placed in a static magnetic field, then switching between bits would simply require flipping the spin without physically moving charges in space and causing a current flow. This can reduce power dissipation in computing machinery by orders of magnitude. In the long run, this allows higher bit density and faster computing speed.This research will be focused on studying single spin based digital computing systems and logic gates. Quantum mechanical calculations will be carried out to show that power dissipation in these gates is extremely small. Spurred by the recent demonstration that organic nanostructures sustain spin memory for a long time (nearly 1 second at 100 K; Nature Nanotechnology, 2, 216, (2007)), quantum dots of organic semiconductors will be fabricated and the spin relaxation times of electrons (T1 and T2) will be measured as a function of temperature to establish the viability of a new computing technology based on spins in self assembled organic nanostructures. Graduate and undergraduate students will be trained in spin based computing, self assembly, magnetotransport measurements, and electron spin resonance spectroscopy. K-12 outreach will be accomplished through the training of 3-4 high school students (9th and 12th grade minority students) through the Richmond Area Program for Minorities in Engineering (RAPME) hosted by the PI?s university every summer.