Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!nanotech From: dant@mrloog.wr.tek.com (Dan Tilque) Newsgroups: sci.nanotech Subject: Molecular transistors Message-ID: Date: 22 Jul 90 18:55:02 GMT Sender: nanotech@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Upper Left Coast Liberation Army Lines: 20 Approved: nanotech@aramis.rutgers.edu In the July 12 Science News, there is a report of a step forward in the attempt to construct molecular electronic devices (basically transistors from what I could tell, but they didn't call them that). A couple years ago, some scientist at IBM designed a molecule which should function about the same as a transistor. This report describes the construction of a similar molecule by a scientist at U of S. Carolina. The key difference seems to be that the ideal molecule has a silicon atom in its center and this one has a carbon there. The molecule is about 3 orders of magnitude smaller than what can currently be done on chips. However, some researchers think that quantum effects will keep the molecule from functioning as advertised. --- Dan Tilque -- dant@mrloog.WR.TEK.COM This post was done from memory, which is why there are no names in it. Please forgive any inaccuracies.