The Future of Thermodynamics of Computation

这个提议是为一个邀请的NSF研讨会，研究计算硬件和新兴的非平衡（随机）热力学领域之间的相互作用。本次研讨会将确定开放的挑战、机遇和研究重点，以发展对分布式计算系统的随机热力学的理解，这些系统具有多个空间分离的子系统，不处于热力学平衡状态（通常，甚至不处于静止状态），并且具有子系统之间通信的大量热力学成本和子系统内信息处理的热力学成本。信息处理中的能源效率与热力学极限之间的这种联系可能对整个计算系统的设计产生深远的影响。这个话题对自然科学家、工程师、计算机科学家也有广泛的吸引力，并且最近在多个学科中引起了很大的兴趣。来自不同背景的参与者将促进早期职业研究人员的科学和专业发展，增加这些领域的STEM劳动力管道，并有助于确保包括来自传统上代表性不足的群体的科学家。近一半的受邀者将是来自不同社区的学生或博士后。PI最近在指导随机热力学计算领域的学生和博士后方面有丰富的经验。本次研讨会将聚集一组顶尖的研究人员，共同研究非平衡理论动力学和计算机设计的共同问题，从跨学科的角度描述它们应该被研究的原因，列举未来的主要挑战，并为前进的道路制定策略。物理理论家、电气和计算机工程师以及对热力学有深刻理解的电子设备研究人员将参加研讨会。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This proposal is for an invited NSF workshop for studying the interplay between computing hardware and the newly emerging field of nonequilibrium (stochastic) Thermodynamics. This workshop will identify open challenges, opportunities and research priorities to develop understanding of the stochastic thermodynamics of computational systems that are distributed, with multiple spatially separated subsystems, are not at thermodynamic equilibrium (and in general, not even in a stationary state), and have both substantial thermodynamic costs of communication among the subsystems and thermodynamic costs of the information processing within the subsystems. This connection between energy efficiency in information processing and thermodynamic limits could have far reaching consequences in the design of computing systems at large. The topic also has a broad appeal to natural scientists, engineers, computer scientists and has been of much recent interest in multiple disciplines. The inclusion of participants from diverse backgrounds will facilitate the scientific and professional development of early career researchers and increase the STEM workforce pipeline in these areas, as well as help to ensure inclusion of scientists from traditionally underrepresented groups. Close to half of the invitees to the workshop will be students or postdocs from different communities. The PI has had extensive recent experience in mentoring students and postdocs in the general field of the stochastic thermodynamics of computation. This workshop will assemble a set of leading researchers working to examine issues common to nonequilibrium theormodynamics and the design of computers, to describe the reasons that they should be studied from an interdisciplinary point of view, to enumerate the major challenges that lays ahead, and to create a strategy for a way forward. A diverse group of physical theorists, electrical and computer engineers, and electronic device researchers with strong understanding of thermodynamics will participate in the workshop.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.