How Molecular Transistors Might Work When current is injected at the emitter the electron simultaneously takes all possible paths to the collector. The phase difference between paths 1 and 2 is exactly out of phase (1 and 2 are exactly 180 degrees apart). Because of this, the paths exactly cancel, and no current arrives at the collector. By introducing a base complex at one of three locations on the benzene ring (click to add a base complex!), and biasing it correctly, the path length of the electron wave function can be changed, tuning out the interference and allowing current to arrive at the collector. In this way, we make a molecular traffic light. The base complex serves as the switch that lets traffic go. Basically when the correct amount of charge is at the base complex (like having cars at the intersection) it changes the light, allowing, or stopping, current from going from the emitter to the collector. This style of transistor would be several thousand times smaller than current transistors, making it possible to have even more sophisticated computers. Now that we've got a transistor, and a way to build it, let's look at ways to link a group of transistors so we can perform some kind of logic function. Let's look at molecular junctions. Go Back to Transistors © 2006 M. Busuttil, I. Kandikov, M. Lubrick, J. Mutus, J. Nantais
When current is injected at the emitter the electron simultaneously takes all possible paths to the collector. The phase difference between paths 1 and 2 is exactly out of phase (1 and 2 are exactly 180 degrees apart). Because of this, the paths exactly cancel, and no current arrives at the collector. By introducing a base complex at one of three locations on the benzene ring (click to add a base complex!), and biasing it correctly, the path length of the electron wave function can be changed, tuning out the interference and allowing current to arrive at the collector. In this way, we make a molecular traffic light. The base complex serves as the switch that lets traffic go. Basically when the correct amount of charge is at the base complex (like having cars at the intersection) it changes the light, allowing, or stopping, current from going from the emitter to the collector. This style of transistor would be several thousand times smaller than current transistors, making it possible to have even more sophisticated computers. Now that we've got a transistor, and a way to build it, let's look at ways to link a group of transistors so we can perform some kind of logic function. Let's look at molecular junctions. Go Back to Transistors
© 2006 M. Busuttil, I. Kandikov, M. Lubrick, J. Mutus, J. Nantais