A multiple-valued Hopfield network device using single-electron circuits

We developed a method of implementing a multiple-valued Hopfield network on electronic circuits by using single-electron circuit technology. The single-electron circuit shows quantized behavior in its operation because of the discrete tunnel transport of electrons. It can therefore be successfully used for implementing neuron operation of the multiple-valued Hopfield network. The authors developed a single-electron neuron circuit that can produce the staircase transfer function required for the multiple-valued neuron. A method for constructing a multiple-valued Hopfield network by combining the neuron circuits was also developed. A sample network was designed that solves an example of the quadratic integer-programming problem. And a computer simulation demonstrated that the sample network can converge to its optimal state that represents the correct solution to the problem.