|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15/04/2008
 Email to a friend
|
| |
Researchers from the University of Glasgow have developed a molecule sized switch which, they believe, will allow data storage density to be increased dramatically without the need to increase device size.
According to Professor Lee Cronin and Dr Malcolm Kadodwala, their work could allow 500,000Gbyte of data to be housed on 1sq in of substrate. Current technology is said to accommodate 3.3Gbyte on the same area. And, because the switches can work on carbon, the development may be suited to plastic electronics, rather than silicon based devices.
Professor Cronin said: “We have been able to assemble a functional nanocluster that incorporates two electron donating groups, and position them precisely 0.32nm apart so they can form a totally new type of molecular switching device. This is unprecedented and provides a route to produce new a molecule based switch that can be manipulated using an electric field.
“By taking these nanoscale clusters, just a nanometer in size, and placing them onto a gold or carbon, we can control the switching ability. Not only is this a new type of switchable molecule, but by grafting the molecule on to metal (gold) or carbon, we can potentially bridge the gap between traditional semiconductor devices and components for nanoscale plastic electronics.
Although the researchers have demonstrated the concept, they have yet to solve the fabrication problems or developed a means to address the memory.
“Since these switches are little balls of metal oxide,” Prof Cronin noted, “they are made of similar stuff to normal semiconductors, but are much easier to manipulate as discrete molecular units.”
|
|
| |
Author
Graham Pitcher
|
| |
| |
|
| |
This material is protected by Findlay Media copyright 2009.
See Terms and Conditions.
One-off usage is permitted but bulk copying is not.
For multiple copies contact the sales team.
|
| |
|
|
| |
To comment on news stories or blogs you need to complete our 60 second registration process. Once completed this then allows you to download any and all white papers, register for e-zines and access our detailed supplier directory for FREE.
If you are all ready a registered user then enter your e-mail address and login.
You will need to have logged in prior to entering your comments in the boxes provided.
|