Cellular automata-based byte error correction in QCA

It is important for Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA) systems to reliably communicate with other circuits. In this work, we detail a circuit designed in QCA that corrects single byte errors. The circuit implements a Reed–Solomon code and was designed using principles from Cellular Automata (CA) theory. We present an encoder and a decoder that are able to correct single byte errors. Moreover, we also design other building blocks such as: pulse generator, syndrome calculator, position locator, word inverter, and error corrector circuits. We also include an application example, demonstrating how to use and connect the encoder and decoder in QCA communication systems. We validate the design by means of simulations in QCADesigner. Our results show the correct behavior of the circuit, being able to detect and correct a byte error. We also present the cost function and energy dissipation analysis of the system. The proposed circuit is of fundamental importance as it can be used and applied in QCA communications systems, improving its robustness in the presence of communication errors.