Noise-assisted reprogrammable nanomechanical logic gate and method

US8436637B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force · US

Inventors

• William L. Ditto · Woodstock, US
• Pritiraj Mohanty · Beverly Hills, US
• Sudeshna Sinha · Chennai, IN
• Ardeshir R. Bulsara · San Diego, US
• Diego N. Guerra · Boston, US
• Krishnamurthy Murali · Chennai, IN

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 9, 2011
• Grant date: May 7, 2013
• Expiry date: Apr 9, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B82Y99/00
• WIPO field: Basic communication processes
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A nanomechanical device, operating as a reprogrammable logic gate, and performing fundamental logic functions such as AND/OR and NAND/NOR. The logic function can be programmed (e.g., from AND to OR) dynamically, by adjusting the operating parameters of the resonator. The device can access one of two stable steady states, according to a specific logic function; this operation is mediated by the noise floor which can be directly adjusted, or dynamically tuned via an adjustment of the underlying nonlinearity of the resonator, i.e., it is not necessary to have direct control over the noise floor. The demonstration of this reprogrammable nanomechanical logic gate affords a path to the practical realization of a new generation of mechanical computers.