Logical and Physical Reversibility of Conservative Skyrmion Logic

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the potential of magnetic skyrmions for reversible computing, analyzing their logical and physical reversibility, and identifying limitations for achieving dissipation-free computation.

Contribution

It introduces a skyrmion-based logic paradigm inspired by conservative billiard ball collisions and assesses its reversibility and practical limitations.

Findings

Skyrmions can be used for reversible logic operations.

Physical and logical reversibility of skyrmion logic are critically evaluated.

Limitations to dissipation-free computation are identified.

Abstract

Magnetic skyrmions are nanoscale whirls of magnetism that can be propagated with electrical currents. The repulsion between skyrmions inspires their use for reversible computing based on the elastic billiard ball collisions proposed for conservative logic in 1982. Here we evaluate the logical and physical reversibility of this skyrmion logic paradigm, as well as the limitations that must be addressed before dissipation-free computation can be realized.