Charged atom controls conduction

摘要

Researchers from the University of Alberta in Canada, the National Institute for Nanotechnology, Canada, and the University of Liverpool, UK, say they have shown for the first time that a single charged atom on a silicon surface can regulate the conductivity of a molecule nearby. The finding could be useful for developing single molecule transistors. "This concept could circumvent the limits of conventional transistor technology and permit miniaturization on a nanometric scale." said Robert Wolkow of the University of Alberta. "Better, faster, cheaper - that's the promise of molecular electronics. In our case, we also have a potentially powerful green technology because of its minimal power and material requirements, and the biodegradable nature of the device."