November 2, 2024

Columbia Engineers Develop Light-Controlled Molecular Devices

Credit: Venkatraman labIn a recent study published in Nature Communications, researchers from Columbia Engineering have revealed the creation of extremely conductive, tunable single-molecule gadgets in which the molecule is connected to leads by using direct metal-metal contacts. Their unique technique uses light to control the electronic residential or commercial properties of the devices and opens the door to more comprehensive usage of metal-metal contacts that could facilitate electron transport across the single-molecule device.The challengeAs gadgets continue to diminish, their electronic components must likewise be miniaturized. Single-molecule gadgets, which utilize organic molecules as their conductive channels, have the possible to solve the miniaturization and functionalization obstacles dealt with by conventional semiconductors.” By harnessing the light-induced oxidation, we discovered a method to control these small building obstructs at space temperature, opening doors to a future where light can be used to control the habits of electronic devices at the molecular level,” said the studys lead author Woojung Lee, who is a Ph.D. trainee in Venkararamans lab.Potential impactVenkataramans brand-new approach will allow her team to extend the types of molecular terminations (contact) chemistries they can use for creating single-molecule devices.

Credit: Venkatraman labIn a recent study released in Nature Communications, researchers from Columbia Engineering have announced the creation of extremely conductive, tunable single-molecule gadgets in which the particle is connected to leads by using direct metal-metal contacts. Their novel approach uses light to control the electronic homes of the gadgets and opens the door to broader use of metal-metal contacts that might assist in electron transport throughout the single-molecule device.The challengeAs gadgets continue to diminish, their electronic parts need to also be miniaturized.” By harnessing the light-induced oxidation, we found a way to control these small building blocks at room temperature, opening doors to a future where light can be used to manage the behavior of electronic gadgets at the molecular level,” stated the studys lead author Woojung Lee, who is a Ph.D. student in Venkararamans lab.Potential impactVenkataramans new method will allow her team to extend the types of molecular terminations (contact) chemistries they can use for producing single-molecule gadgets.