Devices based on molecular electronics

• US 6,673,424 B1
• Filed: 06/18/2002
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
• Original Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
• Inventors: Lindsay, Stuart, Cui, Xiaodong, Gust, John Devens
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Deborah
• Assistant Examiner(s): XU, LING X
• Application Number:
  US10/173,939
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 428/209, 428/704, 428/457, 428/546, 428/624, 428/686, 428/220, 428/402, 428/910, 427/430.1, 427/435, 427/384, 427/388.1
• US Class Current: 428/209
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/701 Organic molecular electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/701 Langmuir Blodgett films
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/91 Product with molecular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12014 having metal particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24917 including metal layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal

Abstract

Molecular electronic devices and method of making molecular electronic devices having a self-assembled ordered insulating molecular electronic film having insulating molecules attached at one end to a first electrode, and conducting device molecules inserted into the insulating molecular electronic film such that the device molecules are attached at the bottom end to a first electrode and the top end to a second electrode are provided.

Claims

1. A molecular electronic device, consisting of

a bottom electrode;

an insulating molecular monolayer disposed on said bottom electrode;

at least one device-forming molecule with a reactive group at a first end and a reactive group at a second end, the reactive group on the second end being inserted into said insulating molecular monolayer;

metal particles reacted with said reactive group on the first end of said device-forming molecule; and

a top metal electrode contacted with said metal particles.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said insulating molecular monolayer is made of alkanethiol molecules.

3. The device of claim 2 in which said alkanethiol molecules are chosen to be of similar length to said device-forming molecule.

4. The device of claim 1 in which said bottom electrode is gold.

5. The device of claim 1 in which said reactive groups at each end of said device-forming molecule are thiols.

6. The device of claim 1 in which said metal particles are phosphine-stabilized gold particles.

7. The device of claim 1 in which said top metal electrode is evaporated gold.

8. The device of claim 1 in which said top metal electrode is a gold probe.

9. A method of fabricating a molecular electronic device in which

forming a bottom electrode;

forming an insulating molecular monolayer on said bottom electrode;

providing at least one device-forming molecule having a reactive group on a first end and a reactive group on a second end;

inserting the second end of the at least one device-forming molecule into said insulating molecular monolayer;

reacting metal particles with said reactive group on the first end of said device-forming molecule; and

contacting a top electrode to said metal particles.

10. The method of claim 9 in which said insulating molecular monolayer is made of alkanethiol molecules.

11. The method of claim 10 in which said alkanethiol molecules are chosen to be of similar length to said device-forming molecule.

12. The method of claim 9 in which said bottom electrode is gold.

13. The method of claim 9 in which said reactive groups at each end of said device-forming molecule are thiols.

14. The method of claim 9 in which said metal particles are phosphine-stabilized gold particles.

15. The method of claim 9 in which said top metal electrode is evaporated gold.

16. The method of claim 9 in which said top metal electrode is a gold probe.