BISTABLE SATURATION IN COUPLED QUANTUM-DOT CELLS

Model quantum dot cells are investigated as potential building blocks for quantum cellular automata architectures. Each cell holds a few ele ctrons and interacts Coulombically with nearby cells. In acceptable ce ll designs, the charge density tends to align along one of two cell ax es. Thus, a cell ''polarization,'' which can be used to encode binary information, is defined. The polarization of a cell is affected in a v ery nonlinear manner by the polarization of its neighbors. This intera ction is quantified by calculating a cell-cell response function. Effe cts of nonzero temperature on the response of a model cell are investi gated. The effects of multiple neighbors on a cell are examined and pr ogrammable logic gate structures based on these ideas are discussed.