Single molecule electronics is the ultimate goal in shrinking electrical circuits. Where a single molecules or groups of molecules are used as traditional electrical components. Some researchers at the orbital fringe of nanotechnology have designed, built, single molecule transistors. For example, physicists at the University of Arizona working with Chemists at the University of Madrid built a ring-shaped molecule of benzene that functions like a transistor. They dubbed it the "QuIET," Quantum Interference Effect Transistor, and promptly applied for a patent.
UA ring-shaped transistor. Gold colored moledules are metalic contacts.
UA is not alone. Single molecule transistors have also been made by the following:
1. Harvard University, Hongkun Park made a molecule of 2 atoms of vanadium between gold electrodes
2. Dr Robert Wolkow, at Canada's National Institute for Nanotechnology made one from styrene
3. Yale & Gwangju Institute in Korea controlled energy passing through a molecule by manipulation voltage levels
4. University of Liverpool, Dr Werner Hofer, showed a single atom can control conductivity of a nearby molecule
All of these people have the same issue, how to connect wires to their transistors. Various methods have been attempted in the past, but with little or no success. Yuji Okawa from the National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, has the latest and more potential solution to the problem. With a monomolecular film of diacetylene on a graphite substrate, a deposit of phthalocyanine is applied to form nanoclusters. A pulsed voltage is applied from the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope across that deposit. The result is a sequential polymerization of the diacetylene that binds with the phthalocyanine layer . In other words, a polymer nanowire is drawn to connect to each single molecule electrical component.
Depiction of the scanning tunneling microscope placing a wire.
Okawa and his team will attempt to make a single circuit based on his research and development. Molecular electronics are closer than ever. Now, which one of the transistor makers above will be the first to adopt Okawa's wires?
Eavesdropper
