X-Message-Number: 12743
From: "George Smith" <>
References: <>
Subject: Single Molecule Computer Memory - NOW A REALITY.
Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1999 22:46:55 -0800

YALE News Release

CONTACT: Karen Peart (203) 432-1326

For Immediate Release: November 1, 1999

Yale Research Team First to Describe Molecular-Sized Memory --Discovery has
Implications for Drastically Reducing Cost of Computer Memory

New Haven, Conn. -- Computer storage capacity can be vastly increased using
a molecular memory based on a single molecule, a research team from Yale and
Rice Universities has discovered.

The discovery attacks one of the major problems facing the microelectronics
industry -- cost. Detailed results of the study will be presented at the
International Electron Devices Meeting in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 6, 1999.

The tremendous improvements and reduced cost seen over the last three
decades in electronics -- computers, telecommunications, multimedia -- will
eventually stop because circuits cannot be made smaller economically, says
Mark Reed, Harold Hodgkinson Professor of Engineering and Applied Science
and chair of electrical engineering at Yale.

"We've demonstrated a memory element the size of a single molecule," said
Reed, principal investigator on the paper. "This is the ultimate in size
that one can achieve in microminaturization. The fabrication of the
molecular memory was done using a method called 'self-assembly,' which has
the potential to dramatically reduce cost."

The single molecule memory effect is more robust in storing information than
conventional silicon memory, which is typically 'dynamic random access
memories' (DRAM). The single molecule memory has a life approximately one
million times longer than DRAM, which is not capable of holding stored
charges for long.

"With the single molecule memory, all a general-purpose ultimate molecular
computer now needs is a reversible single molecule switch," said Reed. "I
anticipate we will see a demonstration of one very soon."

Papers presented at the International Electron Devices Meeting represent the
world's leading applied research in electronics. As such, the papers give
important clues about where electronics technology will be three-to-five
years from now. The meeting runs from December 5-8, 1999.

The research team consisted of Reed and graduate student Jia Chen in Yale's
electrical engineering department; and Professor James Tour and graduate
student Adam Rawlett of the Department of Chemistry and Center for Nanoscale
Science and Technology at Rice University.

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