The Physics of Computing

The Physics of Computing gives a foundational view of the physical principles underlying computers. Performance, power, thermal behavior, and reliability are all harder and harder to achieve as transistors shrink to nanometer scales. This book describes the physics of computing at all levels of abstraction from single gates to complete computer systems.

It can be used as a course for juniors or seniors in computer engineering and electrical engineering, and can also be used to teach students in other scientific disciplines important concepts in computing. For electrical engineering, the book provides the fundamentals of computing that link core concepts to computing. For computer science, it provides foundations of key challenges such as power consumption, performance, and thermal. The book can also be used as a technical reference by professionals.

Chapter 1. Electronic Computers

Chapter 2. Transistors and Integrated Circuits

Chapter 3. Logic Gates

Chapter 4. Sequential Machines

Chapter 5. Processors and Systems

Chapter 6. Input and Output

Chapter 7. Emerging Technologies

Primary: Undergraduate students in computer engineering, electrical engineering, computer science. For EEs, provides fundamentals of computing that links core EE concepts to computing. For CS, provides foundations of key challenges such as power consumption, performance, and thermal.

Secondary: Some professional reference uses for people who want the basics for topics such as heat dissipation, leakage, performance, etc.

• Links fundamental physics to the key challenges in computer design, including memory wall, power wall, reliability
• Provides all of the background necessary to understand the physical underpinnings of key computing concepts
• Covers all the major physical phenomena in computing from transistors to systems, including logic, interconnect, memory, clocking, I/O