Abstract for the Fourth Foresight
Conference on Molecular Nanotechnology.
PetaFLOPS Computing and Computational Nanotechnology
Subhash Saini
Algorithms, Applications and Architectures
NASA Ames Research Center, MS T27A-1
Moffett Field, California 94035-1000
email: saini@nas.nasa.gov
Abstract
At a recent press conference, NASA Administrator Dan Goldin encouraged
NASA Ames Research Center to take a lead role in promoting research
and development of advanced, high-performance computer technology, including
nanotechnology. Recently, the need for this intensive simulation and modeling
analysis has greatly increased, due in part to the ever-increasing complexity
of these devices, as well as the lessons of experiences such as the Pentium
divide error. Simulation, modeling, testing, and validation will be even more
important in the design of molecular nanosystems because of the complex
specification of millions of atoms, millions of assembly steps, as well as
the simulation and modeling needed to ensure reliable, robust and efficient
fabrication of the molecular devices and molecular systems. One of the biggest
challenges in nanotechnology is the capability of simulating an entire assembly
sequence of 100 million or more atoms nano-object. This needs about one
million to one billion fold increase;
more computing power than available today.
For the nanotechnology project to be success it will be essential to develop
PetaFLOPS computing system and associated software. We will survey the various
enabling technologies such as semiconductors, superconducting, optical, and
exotic (quantum integrated circuits, molecular computers, DNA computers)
available in the next 20 to 25 years for making PetaFLOPS computing systems.
Various possible PetaFLOPS computing systems architectures will also be given.