Quantum flux parametron

A Quantum Flux Parametron (QFP) is a <a href="/facts/Digital_logic/RHLulvKI">digital logic</a> implementation technology based on <a href="/facts/Superconductivity/pqQAlSzJ">superconducting</a> <a href="/facts/Josephson_junction/2fvcdS8N">Josephson junctions</a>. QFP's were invented by <a href="/facts/Eiichi_Goto/Y1tBGjTs">Eiichi Goto</a> at the <a href="/facts/University_of_Tokyo/Td0xnQDF">University of Tokyo</a> as an improvement over his earlier <a href="/facts/Parametron/lARR99HU">parametron</a> based digital logic technology, which did not use superconductivity effects or Josephson junctions. The Josephson junctions on QFP integrated circuits to improve speed and <a href="/facts/Efficient_energy_use/8K8vBAVk">energy efficiency</a> enormously over the parametrons.
In some applications, the complexity of the <a href="/facts/Cryogenic/cw7dHAkp">cryogenic</a> cooling system required is negligible compared to the potential speed gains. While his design makes use of <a href="/facts/Quantum_mechanics/BRc3Mzgr">quantum</a> principles, it is not a <a href="/facts/Quantum_computer/nbbcgmvq">quantum computer</a> technology, gaining speed only through higher <a href="/facts/Clock_signal/9UfTzGHx">clock</a> speeds.
Apart from the speed advantage over traditional <a href="/facts/CMOS/NJIWYgBl">CMOS</a> <a href="/facts/Integrated_circuit/fjn6vg7C">integrated circuit</a> design is that parametrons can be operated with zero energy loss (no local increase in <a href="/facts/Entropy/s52IXeFz">entropy</a>), making <a href="/facts/Reversible_computing/yEum13Vs">reversible computing</a> possible. Low energy use and heat generation is critical in <a href="/facts/Supercomputer/HT9NwGAN">supercomputer</a> design, where thermal load per unit volume has become one of the main limiting factors.
A related technology is the <a href="/facts/Rapid_single_flux_quantum/ufw0Ro72">Rapid Single Flux Quantum</a> digital logic.

Quantum flux parametron open-in-new

Quantum flux parametron