# US 2014/0191199 A1 · Nanoscale qca-based logic gates in graphene technology > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191199 A1 - Document ID: US20140191199A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/144,801 - Filed: 2013-12-31 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08 - Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.r.l. - Applicants: STMicroelectronics S.r.l. - Inventors: Domenico Porto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191199A1 ## CPC - H10D 48/383: {Quantum effect devices, e.g. of devices using quantum reflection, diffraction or interference effects} - B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic - H10D 48/40: Devices controlled by magnetic fields - H10D 62/882: {Graphene} - H10D 84/00: Integrated devices formed in or on semiconductor substrates that comprise only semiconducting layers, e.g. on Si wafers or on GaAs-on-Si wafers - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES ## Abstract QCA assemblies, in which basic cells are formed on the basis of graphene in order to provide a coupling field distribution in the form of an electrostatic field, a magnetic field, and the like which allows a unique association between field distribution and logic state. Moreover, the corresponding energy structure may be selected so as to allow operation of the QCA assemblies at ambient temperature. Hence, the signal processing capabilities of QCA assemblies may be obtained at significantly reduced complexity compared to conventional quantum-based QCA assemblies, which typically operate at very low temperatures. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cellular automata assembly for processing a signal, comprising: a first basic cell comprising a first graphene layer used to induce a first coupling field distribution; and a second basic cell positioned adjacent to said first basic cell and comprising a second graphene layer used to induce a second coupling field distribution, said first and second basic cells interacting with each other by said first and second coupling field distributions so as to determine a logic state of said signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cellular automata assembly of claim 1, wherein said first graphene layer forms a first carbon nanotube and said second graphene layer forms a second carbon nanotube. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The cellular automata assembly of claim 2, further comprising a first electrical charge adhering to said first graphene layer and a second electrical charge adhering to said second graphene layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cellular automata assembly of claim 3, wherein each of said first and second electrical charges is carried by hydrogen ions and/or oxygen ions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The cellular automata assembly of claim 4, wherein each of said first and second electrical charges is carried by a string of hydrogen ions and a string of oxygen ions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cellular automata assembly of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second graphene layers comprises non-planar layer portions so as to receive therein an electrical charge. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The cellular automata assembly of claim 6, wherein each of said first and second graphene layers comprises four non-planar layer portions, two of which contain a movable electrical charge. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The cellular automata assembly of claim 6, wherein said first basic cell comprises a first planar graphene base layer and said second basic cell comprises a second planar graphene base layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The cellular automata assembly of claim 8, wherein said first graphene layer and said first planar graphene base layer in said first basic cell and said second graphene layer and said second planar graphene base layer in said second basic cell are arranged so as to form local energy minimums for said electrical charge in said non-planar layer portions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The cellular automata assembly of any of claim 6, wherein said electrical charge is carried by an electronegative molecule or an ion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The cellular automata assembly of claim 1, wherein said first and second graphene layers are provided as one or more graphene ribbons. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The cellular automata assembly of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of said one or more graphene ribbons is wound so as to induce a magnetic field when inducing a current flow through said one or more graphene ribbons. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The cellular automata assembly of claim 12, wherein said at least a portion of said one or more graphene ribbons is wound around a ferromagnetic object. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The cellular automata assembly of any of claim 13, wherein said first basic cell comprises a first and a second magnetic pole pair and said second basic cell comprises a first and a second magnetic pole pair. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The cellular automata assembly of any of claim 1, further comprising at least one further basic cell so as to interact with at least one of said first and second basic cells. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) An electronic device for processing a signal, comprising: a cellular automata assembly according to any of claim 1, an input stage configured to receive said signal and to interact with at least one basic cell of said cellular automata assembly so as to adjust a logic state of said at least one basic cell in correspondence with said signal, and an output stage configured to interact with at least one other basic cell of said cellular automata assembly so as to provide an output signal corresponding to a logic state of said at least one other basic cell. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The electronic device of claim 16, wherein said output stage comprises a charge sensitive component configured to determine a charge distribution in at least a portion of said at least one other basic cell. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The electronic device of claim 16, wherein said output stage comprises a magnetic field sensitive probe configured to determine a magnetic field distribution in at least a portion of said at least one other basic cell. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The electronic device of claim 16, wherein said output stage comprises a position detecting component configured to detect a charge carrying molecule or ion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The electronic device of any of claim 16, wherein said input stage is configured to provide at least one of an electric and magnetic field distribution so as to preserve said logic state of said at least one basic cell for a predetermined input time interval.