Molecular Electronics

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Molecular Electronics

• Jason Chiesa
• May 3, 2006

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Overview

• What is Molecular Electronics?
• Advantages of Molecular Electronics
• Molecular Switch
• Issues

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What is Molecular Electronics?

• Sometimes called moletronics
• Molecular electronics is a branch of applied
  physics which aims at using molecules as passive
  or active electronic components.
• These molecules will perform the functions
  currently performed by semiconductors.

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Why use Molecular Electronics?

• Size
• Power
• Speed
• Low Manufacturing Cost
• Easier to Manufacture

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Size

• Molecular Electronics is a way to extend Moores
  Law past the limits of standard semiconductor
  Circuits.
• 100X smaller than their counterparts

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Power / Speed

• Currently Transistors cannot be stacked, which
  makes them quite ineffecient!
• Molecular technology will be able to add a 3rd
  dimension.
• Femtoseconds switching times.

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Manufacturing

• Most designs use either spin coating or
  Self-Assembly process.
• Individual Molecules can be made exactly the same
  by the Billions.
• Molecular assembly tends to occur at Room
  Temperature.

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Molecular Switch

• Semiconductor switches can be made on a very
  small scale.
• Perform computational functions when placed in
  the right combination.
• Molecular switch is orders of magnitude smaller.

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Molecular Chiropticene Switch

• One molecule in size.
• Switch has two distinct states
• Spatial Mirror images of one another.
• Electronically and Optically distinct
• Distinct but Equal
• Chiral property

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Symmetric Amine Molecule

• Rapid thermal oscillation between two forms of an
  Amine Molecule.

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Assymetrical Narcisstic Reactions
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Operation

• In practice, the switch is triggered by light and
  controlled with an electric field.
• Both of these actions can change the direction of
  the molecules dipole by 180 degrees.

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Operation contd
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Constructing the Switch

• In order to have control of the crossed arrow
  dipole vector we must
• Long axis for reaction to occur
• Dipole vector points along this axis
• Transformation cannot occur at room temp.

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Orientation of Dipole Vectors
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Potential Energy Profile
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Prochiral Form
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Photo Reaction
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Finally.
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Switch Properties

• Stability- Two equal but opposite energy states
  in these molecules affords stablility as well as
  reversibility.
• Speed- Femtosecond switching speeds

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Problems facing Moletronics

• Molecular electronics must still be integrated
  with Silicon.
• Among the important issues is the determination
  of the resistance of a single molecule (both
  theoritical and experimental).
• It is difficult to perform direct
  characterization since imaging at the molecular
  scale is often impossible in many experimental
  devices.

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Questions?