Computing with molecules

摘要

Computer components need to be small. Individual molecules are small. So, can individual molecules be used as computer components? In the world of computing, few things matter more than size—or, rather, the lack of it. The behemoth machines of the past have given way to speedier, cheaper descendants largely because their basic components (the transistors from which the logic gates that do the actual computing are assembled) have shrunk to the point where several million can fit on a single chip.