title: Spiers Memorial Lecture. Molecular mechanics and molecular electronics.
abstract: We describe our research into building integrated molecular electronics circuitry for a diverse set of functions, and with a focus on the fundamental scientific issues that surround this project. In particular, we discuss experiments aimed at understanding the function of bistable rotaxane molecular electronic switches by correlating the switching kinetics and ground state thermodynamic properties of those switches in various environments, ranging from the solution phase to a Langmuir monolayer of the switching molecules sandwiched between two electrodes. We discuss various devices, low bit-density memory circuits, and ultra-high density memory circuits that utilize the electrochemical switching characteristics of these molecules in conjunction with novel patterning methods. We also discuss interconnect schemes that are capable of bridging the micrometre to submicrometre length scales of conventional patterning approaches to the near-molecular length scales of the ultra-dense memory circuits. Finally, we discuss some of the challenges associated with fabricated ultra-dense molecular electronic integrated circuits.
authors.affiliation: Caltech Chemistry, MC 127-72, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beckman
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Beverly
authors.forename: Akram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boukai
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bunimovich
authors.forename: Jang Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: DeIonno
authors.forename: Johnny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Ezekiel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Johnston-Halperin
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sheriff
authors.forename: Fraser
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stoddart
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Heath
mesh_terms: D039301:Computers, Molecular / Q000639:trends*; D004581:Electronics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000639:trends*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019563:Mechanics; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*