TAKING BABY STEPS TO 'MOLETRONICS'
RON DAGANI · Chemical & Engineering News · 2000
Nobody really knows what the most advanced electronic devices will look like decades from now, or how they will be fabricated. But one thing seems certain: They will be smaller, faster, and more powerful than anything in use today. That's been the trend since the first clunky transistor was put together, and it's expected to continue as circuit components shrink into the molecular realm. Today, scientists are taking their first baby steps toward designing electronic circuits based on organic molecules or other nanoscale components such as nanoparticles, metallic nanowires, or carbon nanotubes. These steps are being taken because the semiconductor industry is edging closer and closer to fundamental limits on how many transistors and wires can be crammed onto a conventional silicon chip. Furthermore, as circuit density increases, the cost of chip-manufacturing facilities is growing at a worrisome pace. Some scientists think salvation could come in the form of a new technology based on molecules ...