ToPoliNano: NanoMagnet Logic Circuits Design and Simulation - Field-Coupled Nanocomputing: Paradigms, Progress, and Perspectives - page 271

ToPoliNano: NanoMagnet Logic Circuits Design
and Simulation

B

Marco Vacca, Stefano Frache, Mariagrazia Graziano (

) ,FabrizioRiente,
Giovanna Turvani, Massimo Ruo Roch, and Maurizio Zamboni

Dipartimento di elettronica e telecomunicazioni, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
[e-mail]

Abstract. Among the emerging technologies Field-Coupled devices like
Quantum dot Cellular Automata are one of the most interesting. Of all
the practical implementations of this principle NanoMagnet Logic shows
many important features, such like a very low power consumption and
the feasibility with up-to-date technology. However its working principle,
based on the interaction among neighbor cells, is quite different from
CMOS circuits. Dedicated design and simulation tools for this technol-
ogy are necessary to further study this technology, but at the moment
there are no such tools available in the scientific scenario.
In this chapter we present ToPoliNano, a software developed as a
design and simulation tool for NanoMagnet Logic, that can be easily
adapted to many other emerging technologies, particularly to any kind
of Field-Coupled devices. ToPoliNano allows to design circuits following
a top-down approach similar to the ones used in CMOS and to simulate
them using a switch model specifically targeted for high complexity cir-
cuits. This tool greatly enhances the ability to analyze and optimize the
design of Field-Coupled circuits.

1 Introduction on Simulation of Complex NML Circuits

Among the emerging technologies NanoMagnet Logic (NML) is one of the most
intriguing. In this technology single domain nanomagnets with only two stable
states are used to represent the logic values '0' and '1' [ 1 , 2 ], as shown in Fig. 1 .
They represent a particular application of the Quantum dot Cellular Automata
[ 3 ] idea, and more generally of the Field-Coupled principle, where the compu-
tation is performed by the interaction of neighbor cells [ 4 - 7 ]. Molecular QCA is
the other main implementation of the Quantum dot Cellular Automata principle
[ 8 , 9 ], which relies on complex molecules to represent the digital values [ 10 ]. The
specific advantages of NanoMagnet Logic are represented by low power consump-
tion [ 11 ], the possibility of combining memory and logic in the same devices, high
radiation resistance and, not less important, the possibility to fabricate circuits
with up-to-date technology [ 12 , 13 ].
In this technology logic circuits can be fabricated placing cells on a plane
[ 14 ]. Signal propagation and logic computation are obtained through magnetic
coupling among neighbor cells [ 15 , 16 ], because magnets align themselves in order