The Physics of Information Technology (Cambridge Series on Information and the Natural Sciences)

The Physics of Information Technology explores the familiar devices that we use to collect, transform, transmit, and interact with electronic information. Many such devices operate surprisingly close to very many fundamental physical limits. Understanding how such devices work, and how they can (and cannot) be improved, requires deep insight into the character of physical law as well as engineering practice. The book starts with an introduction to units, forces, and the probabilistic foundations of noise and signaling, then progresses through the electromagnetics of wired and wireless communications, and the quantum mechanics of electronic, optical, and magnetic materials, to discussions of mechanisms for computation, storage, sensing, and display. This self-contained volume will help both physical scientists and computer scientists see beyond the conventional division between hardware and software to understand the implications of physical theory for information manipulation. Cover......Page __sk_0000.djvu Copyright......Page __sk_0006.djvu Contents......Page __sk_0009.djvu Preface......Page __sk_0015.djvu 1 Introduction......Page __sk_0017.djvu 2.1 Units......Page __sk_0019.djvu 2.2 Particles and Forces......Page __sk_0023.djvu 2.3 Orders of Magnitude......Page __sk_0026.djvu 2.4 Selected References......Page __sk_0028.djvu 2.5 Problems......Page __sk_0029.djvu 3.1.1 Expectation Values......Page __sk_0030.djvu 3.1.2 Spectral Theorems......Page __sk_0031.djvu 3.2.2 Poisson......Page __sk_0034.djvu 3.2.3 Gaussian......Page __sk_0035.djvu 3.2.4 Central Limit Theorem......Page __sk_0037.djvu 3.3.1 Shot Noise......Page __sk_0038.djvu 3.3.2 Johnson Noise......Page __sk_0039.djvu 3.3.3 1/f Noise and Switching Noise......Page __sk_0040.djvu 3.3.4 Amplifier Noise......Page __sk_0041.djvu 3.4.1 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics......Page __sk_0043.djvu 3.4.2 Equipartition Theorem......Page __sk_0046.djvu 3.4.3 Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorem......Page __sk_0047.djvu 3.5 Selected References......Page __sk_0050.djvu 3.6 Problems......Page __sk_0051.djvu 4.1 Information......Page __sk_0052.djvu 4.2 Channel Capacity......Page __sk_0056.djvu 4.3 The Gaussian Channel......Page __sk_0058.djvu 4.4 Fisher Information......Page __sk_0061.djvu 4.5 Information and Thermodynamics......Page __sk_0064.djvu 4.7 Problems......Page __sk_0065.djvu 5.1.1 Vectors......Page __sk_0067.djvu 5.1.2 Differential Operators......Page __sk_0069.djvu 5.1.3 Integral Relationships......Page __sk_0071.djvu 5.2.1 Electrostatics......Page __sk_0072.djvu 5.2.2 Magnetostatics......Page __sk_0076.djvu 5.2.3 Multipoles......Page __sk_0079.djvu 5.3.1 Maxwell's Equations......Page __sk_0082.djvu 5.3.2 Boundary Conditions......Page __sk_0084.djvu 5.3.3 Electromagnetic Units......Page __sk_0086.djvu 5.4.1 Waves......Page __sk_0087.djvu 5.4.2 Electromagnetic Energy......Page __sk_0088.djvu 5.6 Problems......Page __sk_0090.djvu 6.1.1 Current and Voltage......Page __sk_0092.djvu 6.1.3 Resistance......Page __sk_0093.djvu 6.1.5 Capacitance......Page __sk_0095.djvu 6.1.6 Inductance......Page __sk_0096.djvu 6.2.1 Skin Depth......Page __sk_0097.djvu 6.2.2 Transmission Lines......Page __sk_0099.djvu 6.2.3 Wave Solutions......Page __sk_0101.djvu 6.2.4 Reflections and Terminations......Page __sk_0103.djvu 6.3.1 Governing Equations......Page __sk_0106.djvu 6.3.2 Rectangular Waveguides......Page __sk_0108.djvu 6.3.4 Dielectric Waveguides and Fiber Optics......Page __sk_0109.djvu 6.4 Selected References......Page __sk_0111.djvu 6.5 Problems......Page __sk_0112.djvu 7.1 Time-Dependent Potentials......Page __sk_0114.djvu 7.2.1 Infinitesimal Length......Page __sk_0118.djvu 7.2.2 Finite Length......Page __sk_0120.djvu 7.3 Duality and Reciprocity......Page __sk_0122.djvu 7.4 Antenna Types......Page __sk_0125.djvu 7.6 Problems......Page __sk_0127.djvu 8.1 Reflection and Refraction......Page __sk_0128.djvu 8.2 Geometrical Optics......Page __sk_0133.djvu 8.2.1 Ray Matrices......Page __sk_0135.djvu 8.2.2 Optical Transforms......Page __sk_0136.djvu 8.3 Beyond Geometrical Optics......Page __sk_0138.djvu 8.5 Problems......Page __sk_0142.djvu 9.1 Matched Filters and Synthetic Lenses......Page __sk_0144.djvu 9.2 Coherent Imaging......Page __sk_0147.djvu 9.3 Computed Tomography......Page __sk_0150.djvu 9.4 Magnetic Resonance Imaging......Page __sk_0151.djvu 9.5 Inverse Problems......Page __sk_0154.djvu 9.7 Problems......Page __sk_0155.djvu 10.1 Quantum Statistical Mechanics......Page __sk_0157.djvu 10.2 Electronic Structure......Page __sk_0159.djvu 10.3 Junctions, Diodes, and Transistors......Page __sk_0167.djvu 10.4 Logic......Page __sk_0172.djvu 10.5 Limits......Page __sk_0177.djvu 10.7 Problems......Page __sk_0179.djvu 11.1.1 Incandescence......Page __sk_0181.djvu 11.1.2 Luminescence: LEDs, Lasers, and Flat Panels......Page __sk_0183.djvu 11.2 Detection......Page __sk_0188.djvu 11.3.1 Polarization......Page __sk_0193.djvu 11.3.2 Liquid Crystals......Page __sk_0195.djvu 11.3.3 Smoke and Mirrors......Page __sk_0199.djvu 11.5 Problems......Page __sk_0202.djvu 12.1 Magnetism......Page __sk_0203.djvu 12.1.1 Diamagnetism......Page __sk_0205.djvu 12.1.2 Paramagnetism......Page __sk_0206.djvu 12.1.3 Ferro-, Antiferro-, and Ferri-magnetism......Page __sk_0208.djvu 12.2.1 Magnetic Media......Page __sk_0213.djvu 12.2.2 Magnetic Recording......Page __sk_0214.djvu 12.2.3 Recording Systems......Page __sk_0216.djvu 12.4 Problems......Page __sk_0217.djvu 13.1.1 Amplifiers......Page __sk_0219.djvu 13.1.2 Grounding, Shielding, and Leads......Page __sk_0223.djvu 13.1.3 Bridges......Page __sk_0225.djvu 13.2.1 Synchronous Detection......Page __sk_0227.djvu 13.2.2 Phase Detection and Encoding......Page __sk_0229.djvu 13.2.3 Spread Spectrum......Page __sk_0232.djvu 13.2.4 Digitization......Page __sk_0236.djvu 13.3.1 Compression......Page __sk_0238.djvu 13.3.2 Error Correction......Page __sk_0241.djvu 13.3.3 Channel Coding......Page __sk_0243.djvu 13.3.4 Cryptography......Page __sk_0244.djvu 13.5 Problems......Page __sk_0245.djvu 14.1 Many-Body Effects......Page __sk_0247.djvu 14.1.1 Superconductivity......Page __sk_0248.djvu 14.1.2 SQUIDs......Page __sk_0251.djvu 14.2 Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics......Page __sk_0252.djvu 14.2.1 Thermoelectricity......Page __sk_0255.djvu 14.2.2 Piezoelectricity......Page __sk_0258.djvu 14.3.1 Clocks......Page __sk_0259.djvu 14.3.2 Time......Page __sk_0262.djvu 14.3.3 Position......Page __sk_0265.djvu 14.5 Problems......Page __sk_0267.djvu 15 Quantum Computing and Communications......Page __sk_0268.djvu 15.1.1 States and Operators......Page __sk_0269.djvu 15.1.2 Angular Momentum......Page __sk_0274.djvu 15.1.3 Density Matrices......Page __sk_0279.djvu 15.2 Information......Page __sk_0282.djvu 15.3.1 Cryptography......Page __sk_0285.djvu 15.3.2 Circuits......Page __sk_0286.djvu 15.3.3 Teleportation......Page __sk_0287.djvu 15.3.4 Error Correction......Page __sk_0289.djvu 15.4 Computation......Page __sk_0291.djvu 15.4.1 Searching......Page __sk_0292.djvu 15.4.2 Transforms and Factoring......Page __sk_0294.djvu 15.4.3 Simulation......Page __sk_0297.djvu 15.4.4 Experimental Implementation......Page __sk_0298.djvu 15.5 Selected References......Page __sk_0300.djvu 15.6 Problems......Page __sk_0301.djvu A1.2 Interactions, Units, and Magnitudes......Page __sk_0302.djvu A1.3 Noise in Physical Systems......Page __sk_0307.djvu A1.4 Information in Physical Systems......Page __sk_0312.djvu A1.5 Electromagnetic Fields and Waves......Page __sk_0316.djvu A1.6 Circuits, Transmission Lines, and Wave Guides......Page __sk_0321.djvu A1.7 Antennas......Page __sk_0325.djvu A1.8 Optics......Page __sk_0327.djvu A1.9 Lensless Imaging and Inverse Problems......Page __sk_0333.djvu A1.10 Semiconductor Materials and Devices......Page __sk_0338.djvu A1.11 Generating, Modulating, and Detecting Light......Page __sk_0343.djvu A1.12 Magnetic Storage......Page __sk_0346.djvu A1.13 Measurement and Coding......Page __sk_0350.djvu A1.14 Transducers......Page __sk_0354.djvu A1.15 Quantum Computing and Communication......Page __sk_0358.djvu Bibliography......Page __sk_0363.djvu Index......Page __sk_0378.djvu The Physics of Information Technology explores the familiar devices that we use to collect, transform, transmit, and interact with electronic information. Many such devices operate surprisingly close to very many fundamental physical limits. Understanding how such devices work, and how they can (and cannot) be improved, requires deep insight into the character of physical law as well as engineering practice. The book starts with an introduction to units, forces, and the probabilistic foundations of noise and signalling, then progresses through the electromagnetics of wired and wireless communications, and the quantum mechanics of electronic, optical, and magnetic materials, to discussions of mechanisms for computation, storage, sensing, and display. This self-contained volume will help both physical scientists and computer scientists see beyond the conventional division between hardware and software to understand the implications of physical theory for information manipulation