DOI 10.1393/ncb/i2008-10621-8 IL NUOVO CIMENTO Online First Monte Carlo simulations for statistical physics: Janus

Summary. — Janus is an FPGA-based computer optimized for the simulation of spin glasses or similar condensed matter systems. Computing requirements in this area are still not met by available commercial systems, so an application-driven machine, boosting performance by approximately a factor 100 × is in this case the only viable option to simulate large systems for a time window comparable with experiments. PACS 05.10.Ln – Monte Carlo methods. PACS 75.40.Mg – Numerical simulation studies. 1. – Spin glass systems Several problems in computational physics, requiring computing power that com-modity HPC systems are not yet able to deliver, have triggered the development of application-driven computers. This is the case of Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics [1,2] and of large gravitating systems [3]. Spin glass simulation is another challenging problem for which computing power cur-rently available in high-end processors is still not enough. Also in this case, application