Novel single-electron information-processing circuits mimicking behavior of ant groups

Single-electron circuits (SECs) can harness the quantum effect and control individual electrons. They are expected to operate with ultra-low-power consumption and to have ultra-high-integration. Therefore, the SEC has been attracting attention by many researchers as a candidate for next-generation electronic device. In contrast, the most appropriate information-processing architecture for the SEC has not been decided. We focus on the behavior that is `the process of food taken by ants in nature´ for the SEC. Their behaviors can be assumed to be a kind of information-processing, and help us to make a new SE information-processing system or device. We here try to develop an `ant-inspired SE information-processing circuit.´ To develop this SEC, we used SE oscillators (SEOs) which can be used as threshold elements, and expressed ant motion by using two-dimensional arrayed SEOs. As a result of circuit simulation, we designed the ant-inspired SEC.