Fundamental limits in digital information processing

Abstract

Computing and information processing are limited by a variety of factors. Some of these, such as the need to dissipate energy, the high voltage requirement, and the difficulty of removing heat are fundamental in that they have a basis in physical theory and in knowledge of the properties of materials. Limits arising from the physics of devices are also in this class. It appears that many of these physical limits could be relaxed by operating circuits at low temperature. Another class of limits is based on the experiences of many independent workers who find that a large amount of communication among various parts of a system is required. The many long interconnections utilized create great complexity and play a dominant role in the power dissipation required in information processing.