Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea

Soft Molecule Electronics

Using more traditional organic and organo-metallic molecules as electronic components offers some aspects that are more attractive than using nanotubes, including both relative ease of assembly (and potential for self-assembly) and some of the control and recognition (including biorecognition) features that molecules permit. While most organic molecules are soft insulators—think of wax and polystyrene, tar and fingernails—under particular conditions these molecules can conduct current. Indeed, current transport in molecules can be controlled either by chemistry or by electromagnetic fields.

The advent of scanning tunneling microscopes described in Chapter 4 has led to burgeoning interest and activity in the field of ...