Technologies and Computing Paradigms: Beyond Moore's law?

Abstract

As it is pretty sure that Moore's law will end some day, questioning about the post-Moore era is more than interesting. Similarly, looking for new computing paradigms that could provide solutions is important. Revisiting the history of digital electronics since the 60's provide significant insights on the conditions for the success of a new emerging technology to replace the currently dominant one. Specifically, the past shows when constraints and {\guillemotleft} walls {\guillemotright} have contribute to evolution through improved technical techniques and when they have provoked changes of technologies (evolution versus breakthrough). The main criteria for a new technology or a new computing paradigm is a significant performance improvement (at least one order of magnitude). Cost, space requirement, power and scalability are the other important parameters.