Quantum effects and bit errors in mesoscopic logic and memory circuits

摘要

Bistability in well known circuits employing devices with nonlinear currenthyphen;voltage characteristics is shown to be a classical concept which can be modified by quantum mechanical effects. The classically stable states lsquo;lsquo;0rsquo;rsquo; and lsquo;lsquo;1rsquo;rsquo; are shown to correspond to a single stable quantum mechanical state and a metastable state. Bit error rates associated with metastable state lifetimes are estimated for circuits employing quantum well devices and found to be appreciable in the mesoscopic regime (feature sizes lsim;0.2 mgr;m).thinsp;