On the delay of single-electron logic devices

SUMMARY

Recent research on the modeling of switching speed in single-electron tunneling (SET) logic devices suggests that the delay in SET logic devices increases with a decreasing number of electrons involved in the logic operation. This result is based on the stochastic model of a sequence of tunnel events and on the so-called orthodox theory (OT) of single electronics. In fact, it predicts that the SET gate delay in really single-electron logic gates (those in which the logic operation is performed by a SET event) is significantly degraded and might even rule out such logic. However, as is shown in this paper, the results are only a consequence of the modeling of SET devices with the OT, not of the applied correct statistical simulation model. If we combine this stochastic model and the modeling of SET devices with the impulse circuit model, this degradation does not appear, due to continuous charging of the tunneling junction. And SET logic operations might be still possible for real single-electron logic. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.