Nanoscale molecular electronic devices and circuits
Yong Chen (

)
Quantum Science Research, Hewlett-Packard Laboratories,
1501 Page Mill Road, MS1123, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
What will be the possible alternatives to semiconductor-based computing
devices beyond Moore's Law? In HP labs, we have experimented molecular
electronic devices with bistable electronic properties, which offer
opportunities for future nanoscale high-density electronic circuits.
In these devices, metal wires with the widths at sub-50 nm scale were
fabricated by imprinting lithography as contact electrodes and
connections. Langmuir-Blodgett molecular thin films with switchable
electronic properties were assembled between the nanowire electrodes
to form molecular electronic devices. Bistable electronic statuses
with high on-off ratio and reversible switching properties have been
observed in these devices. A crossbar network of the nanowire arrays
can form circuits with memory functions at a density of
~40 Gbit/cm2.
The design and fabrication of the molecular devices, circuits, and
their applications will be discussed.