Cryptography Using Quantum-Dot Cellular Automata (QCA) for Secure Communication

Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA) is a promising alternative to traditional CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) based technologies, offering low power consumption and crafting extremely high speed nanoscale digital circuits. Cryptography enables secure data transfer through the utilization of cryptographic techniques, involving both encryption and decryption processes. In this project, the design of a secure cryptographic architecture using QCA is investigated, exploring the encryption and decryption algorithm using a symmetric key and their compatibility with QCA design principles. We aim to optimize these cryptographic architectures for high performance and energy efficiency, effectively utilizing the intrinsic logic and physical characteristics of Quantum-dot Cellular Automata. Also, the work assesses the scalability and practicality of QCA-based cryptographic systems for future integration into nanoscale computing devices. The software tool QCADesigner V 2.0.3 is utilized for simulating circuit layouts.