Abstract

Electronic devices as small as a single molecule represent the ultimate limit of Moore’s law. Fundamental problems of nanofabrication, device reproducibility, and power dissipation must be overcome to reach this goal.

I will describe a new concept for a single-molecule transistor, which we call a Quantum Interference Effect Transistor (QuIET). This device exploits quantum interference stemming from molecular symmetry to control the flow of electrical current, and promises to overcome the problems of power dissipation and environmental sensitivity that beset nanoscale devices.

As daunting as the challenge of creating a single-molecule device is the problem of connecting large numbers of nanodevices into an integrated circuit. I will describe our research program on metal nanowires, which has led to the study of a new class of nonlinear dynamics that correctly describes the self-assembly of perfect nanoconductors.