Molecule Sized Transistors

IceFoot writes "Bell Labs announced it has created organic transistors with a single-molecule channel length, more than a factor of ten smaller than anything that has been demonstrated even with the most advanced lithography techniques. The really cool part is the transistors assemble themselves: the molecules do the work of finding the electrodes and attaching themselves. Webcast on Wednesday, October 17, 2001 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time"

Comments

Step one accomplished...

[InfinityWpi]

Now for step 2: Can we do this and make it cost-efficient?

And Step 3: Can we make new things with this that we couldn't before, or will this just help us shrink down current things?

And Step 4: How can this make us more money (only the salespeople worry about this one)?

And don't forget Step 5: How can this get us laid (only the engineers typically worry about that one)?

Mr. Moore

[Mr. Sketch]

So how do we get smaller than this? Smaller molecules? Atoms? Sub-atomic particles? Photons?

It just seems like there is a finite limit to how small we can make these things, and it looks like we're approaching that limit, so where to next? Get rid of transistors all together and use a different method? Optical matricies that perform switching functions? Who knows, but I know I'm excited to find out what happens next.

Reliability

[BlackGriffen]

With single molecule transistors, wouldn't there be reliability concerns? After all, the uncertainty principle could wreak havoc on a circuit that is too small. Both information processing and durability would be hampered.

BlackGriffen

Vague and Over-Hyped

[DumbSwede]

Hopefully one day, one of these things will have the promised impact on computing, but like many promised breakthroughs, this report leaves many details vague.

molecular-scale transistors that rival conventional silicon transistors in performance
And rival here means what? Slower, but will become faster; Slower, but less power? Aren't we aiming for superior in all facets, not just size?

factor of ten smaller...
A Million Times Smaller Than a Grain of Sand
In what dimensions? Width, Area, Volume? What are the actual dimensions, and not just the molecule switch, but the whole gate arrangement?

A good switch perhaps, but it looks as though it is still hooked up to conventional circuitry, unless I'm reading there diagram incorrectly. This isn't so much nano-technology, as a nano-coating on existing technology. Self assembly doesn't impress me in a coating.

Self-assemble the paths in and out of the circuit and then we'll talk.