Role of heat in post-silicon electronics

Abstract

Managing heat is a major challenge in modern silicon-based computers due to both large static and dynamic power dissipations. There is a growing perspective that heat can serve as an information carrier (instead of being treated as a useless by-product) in post-silicon devices, enabling new functions and on-chip energy recycling. In this review, we introduce how heat can be utilized as a degree of freedom in electronic devices, and how such devices may enable efficient computers.