Molecular-junction-nanowire-crossbar-based associative array
View Patent ↗A method for configuring an associative array within a molecular-junction-nanowire crossbar, and nanoscale associative arrays configured by the method Keys are encoded as field-effect transistors selectively configured within the molecular-junction-nanowire crossbar, and values associated with keys are encoded as diodes selectively configured at molecular-junction-nanowire-crossbar junctions. Keys input into key registers result in a current signal indicating whether or not the key is stored within the associative array as part of a key/value pair and, if stored in the associative array, the value associated with the input key is output.
1. A nanoscale associative array comprising:
a set of key-input nanowire signal lines;
a set of value-output nanowire signal lines; and
a set of key/value-pair encodings that, when an input key matches a key of an encoded key/value pair, produce the value encoded with the key in a key/value pair on the set of value-output nanowire signal lines.
2. The nanoscale associative array of claim 1 wherein the key/value-pair encodings are programmable.
3. The nanoscale associative array of claim 1 implemented in a complementary/symmetry lattice additionally including other nanoscale components that, together with the nanoscale associative array, compose an electrical subsystem.
4. The electrical subsystem of claim 3 wherein the nanoscale components are configured together at densities within the electrical subsystem at densities greater than 1.0 giga-transistors/cm 2 .
5. The nanoscale associative array of claim 1 further including a value-bit output nanowire signal line that indicates whether or not an input key matches a key of an encoded key/value pair.
6. The nanoscale associative array of claim 1 wherein the set of key/value-pair encodings comprises a first set of nanowires, each nanowire corresponding to a single key/value pair, layered over a second set and a third set of nanowires, the second set of nanowires potentially interconnecting the first set of nanowires with a relatively high voltage power source and the third set of nanowires potentially interconnecting the first set of nanowires with virtual ground.
7. The nanoscale associative array of claim 6 wherein the first set of nanowires is selectively interconnected with the second set of nanowires by selectively configured nFETs.
8. The nanoscale associative array of claim 6 wherein the first set of nanowires is selectively interconnected with the third set of nanowires by selectively configured diodes.
9. The nanoscale associative array of claim 6 wherein output values are detected by sense amps connected to the value-output nanowire signal lines.
10. The nanoscale associative array of claim 9 wherein microscale non-semiconductive signal lines are used in place of nanoscale non-semiconductive signal lines.
11. A method for configuring a nanoscale associative array, the method comprising:
providing a molecular-junction-nanowire crossbar;
selecting a set of key-input nanowire signal lines;
selecting a set of value-output nanowire signal lines; and
programming a set of key/value-pair encodings within the molecular-junction-nanowire crossbar that, when an input key matches a key of an encoded key/value pair, produce the value encoded with the key in a key/value pair on the set of value-output nanowire signal lines.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the molecular-junction-nanowire crossbar is a complementary/symmetry lattice additionally including additional nanoscale components that, together with the nanoscale associative array, compose an electrical subsystem.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the nanoscale components are configured together within the molecular-junction-nanowire crossbar at densities greater than 1.0 giga-transistors/cm 2 .
14. The method of claim 11 further including selecting a value-bit output nanowire signal line that indicates whether or not an input key matches a key of an encoded key/value pair.
15. The method of claim 11 further including configuring the set of key/value-pair encodings between a first set of nanowires, each nanowire corresponding to a single key/value pair, and a second set and a third set of nanowires, the second set of nanowires potentially interconnecting the first set of nanowires with a relatively high voltage power source and the third set of nanowires potentially interconnecting the first set of nanowires with virtual ground.
16. The method of claim 15 further including selectively interconnecting the first set of nanowires with the second set of nanowires by selectively configuring nFETs at molecular-junction-nanowire crossbar points.
17. The method of claim 15 further including selectively interconnecting the first set of nanowires with the third set of nanowires by selectively configured diodes at molecular-junction-nanowire crossbar points.
18. The method of claim 11 further including, following initial configuration, programming a set of key/value-pair encodings into the molecular-junction-nanowire crossbar different from the set of key/value-pair encodings initially programmed within the molecular-junction-nanowire crossbar.