Energy dissipation during two-state switching for quantum-dot cellular automata

We examine the energy dissipated by a two-state quantum system during switching operation when interacting with thermal environment. For an isolated system, excess decreases exponentially time. classically damped systems, dissipation linearly model coupled to environment using Lindblad equation for density matrix. rapid switching, exponential adiabaticity holds. slow enough damping from bath yields linear dissipation, as in classical limit. Between these two limits, time is comparable characteristic transfer bath, there inverted region increases longer times. Consequences design of molecular quantum-dot cellular automata are discussed.