Mask-prabgrammable multiple-valued logic gate using resonant tunnellin

The design of a I-input and a ?-input 4-valued logic gate is described. These gatcs can be used to implement cells of a gate array, with the benefit of having prograrnriiabk functionality and multiple-valued logic input and output lincs. Programmable fimctionality allows any or the four billion functions of a '-input 4-valued logic gate to be implemented by thc samc cell, and multiplc-valucd hgic signal lines can reduce the area needed to be reserved for interccll routing. A key component of these cells is the resonant tunnelling diode, an ultrafast and small quantum electronic device that can be used in conjunction with HBTs to make compact litcral circuits and decoders. So far as non-gate-array implementations are concerned, cornpactncss can be improved further by a simple algorithm, also presented by the authors, to discard reduiidancies in the gatc structure.