Modular Electronics for Flash Memory Production

摘要

The continued reduction of the feature density of memory chips has increased interest in the utilization of molecules as the functional elements in electronic memory devices because of the advantages they offer in terms of size compared to conventional circuit elements. The development of molecular electronic devices for memory applications in computing, however, continues to be an important challenge to researchers in nanoscience and nanotechnology, both from a fundamental and an applied standpoint. Molecular switch tunnel junctions (MSTJs), in which molecules are sandwiched between two electrodes, have been explored in the context of developing viable molecular electronic devices, but their behavior in these nanoscale junctions are complex and difficult to understand. One of the chief obstacles to understanding these physical phenomena arises from the inability to use conventional spectroscopic tools at the small length scales and low molecule concentrations (100's - 10, 000's) within the junctions. To this end, we are employing On-Wire Lithography (OWL) as a platform for the development and rapid synthesis of devices for examining the I-V response of a variety of molecular electronic systems. As was outlined in our proposed deliverables timelines, we are focusing our efforts on three areas: (1) optimizing OWL to accommodate a variety of molecular wire systems, (2) correlating the I-V response with Raman spectroscopic signatures, and (3) incorporating these devices into large scale arrays. Specifically, we proposed the synthesis of a variety of molecular wires incorporating functional macrocycles, beginning the investigation of host-guest model systems, and optimizing the electrode for Raman activity and beginning to build structures demonstrating large Raman enhancement.