A nano-scale quantum-dot multiplexer architecture for logic units in internet of things healthcare systems

Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a propelling technological shift that enables seamless networking between billions of physical devices across healthcare sectors, agriculture, smart cities, and industrial production lines. By integrating embedded sensors, actuators, and communication modules, IoT systems can gather real-time data, leading to better operational decisions and improved efficiency in healthcare systems. The rapid growth of IoT devices creates three main operational challenges related to power usage, efficiency, and thermal management requirements. The demand for more efficient, compact, high-speed, and energy-efficient devices poses significant challenges for these systems. Traditional complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-based architectures struggle to meet these demanding requirements, representing a major barrier to the development of reliable and scalable next-generation IoT systems. This research demonstrates Quantum-Dot Cellular Automata (QCA) nanotechnology as an alternative solution because it performs logical operations through electron positioning rather than conventional current flow. This paper proposes a modified version of a QCA-based multiplexer design (MUX) since digital logic systems require these signal routing elements for operation. The fundamental 2:1 MUX is established using QCA cell-interaction principles, and then 4:1 and 8:1 QCA MUXs are designed through hierarchical expansion. The suggested modified MUX devices operate on a compact scale with minimal cells to reduce the occupied area compared to current MUX designs. The research outcomes demonstrate that QCA circuits hold promising potential for creating energy-saving, powerful, and scalable computational platforms for future IoT healthcare systems.