The Computing Research Center, 1400, was created to undertake the continual process of enabling high performance computing (HPC). This mission is now undergoing a qualitative change from following Moore’s law to extending“Moore’s law”, and this change is demanding that more attention be given to understanding device physics.

Enabling HPC is a multi-faceted endeavor that entails being at the cutting edge of computing hardware, operating systems, and algorithmic developments.  Even so, our pursuit of enabling HPC  is now undergoing a qualitative change.  To date, Center 1400 has followed Moore’s law in establishing parallel computing as a practical approach to scientific and informatics computing, and providing leadership in expanding capability computing.  Now that CMOS technology advances are asymptoting, a significant part of Center 1400’s further work in enabling HPC will focus on extending Moore’s-law-type growth in computer performance to meet on-going growth in national security needs.  This pursuit of advanced computing is one of two main thrusts of  Department 1425.  Our aim, in collaboration with basic science departments in Center 1100 (Physical, Chemical, and Nano Science) and device fabrication department in Center 1700 (Microsystems S&T and Components), is to identify and demonstrate alternate physical phenomena and devices on which to base future computing hardware.  The work in our department requires both computational simulation-based materials research to understand and characterize candidate new materials, device and component design to support fabrication of new hardware elements, and low level architecture development to optimally employ new hardware elements for future computers.  Additionally, we are delving into the physics of computation, itself.   By moving to a succession of ‘Beyond-CMOS’ technologies, we will strive to continue the steady Moore’s-law-type increase in computer performance, effectively extending “Moore’s Law”.

The department’s second main thrust is developing simulation capabilities and performing simulations to support nuclear weapons components (primarily electronics) development and qualification.