Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

This proposal responds directly to several of the key strategic areas for Canada as it targets the development ofradically different devices and technology for next generation computers and addresses the exponentiallyincreasing requirements for information storage and processing by providing techniques and tools for exploringatomic scale circuit technology based on silicon quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA), a computationalnanotechnology that is presently being developed and commercialized by our first Canadian partner, QuantumSilicon Inc. (QSi). Our research will benefit from the truly unique developments in quantum computing andquantum annealing (QA) through the use of processor technology developed by our second partner, D-WaveSystems Inc. Our developments will enable a powerful application of the D-Wave's processor as a simulationand design platform for future generations of computing technology. QCA circuits are ideally matched forsimulations on D-Wave's processor, as the computational model is that of a coupled network of finite statenodes, enabling us to maximize the capacity of this novel computer for this purpose.We are proposing to conduct research on techniques for embedding, simulation, and design of QCA using theQA processor developed by D-Wave in order to generate a novel platform for computer-aided design withQCA and enabling QSi to better understand the complex and large circuits they intend to develop. Theproposed project is not possible using conventional computing as the complexity of the problem scalesexponentially with size. Using this platform we will conduct experiments that will result in a never beforepossible assessment of QCA performance and performance scaling as well as the development of design rulesfor future designers of this technology, all of which hold potential for major breakthroughs. By bridging thesetwo unique companies we are also uniquely positioned to accelerate the potentially significant economicimpact these partners can make and strengthen Canada's position as a leader in these potentially revolutionarytechnologies.