Proceedings of the molecular electronic devices workshop

Switching at the molecular level is discussed in several papers. The Bell Laboratories' workers developed the concept of 'smart molecules' where eight bit data processing could be carried out via optical methods. F. L. Carter's discussion of both conformational switching and electron tunnelling at the molecular level envisions either soliton propagation in conjugated linear polymers or metal-like conduction in (SN)x as modes of communication with the switching elements. An experimental example of fast switching in thin films of CuTCNQ is provided. The section on materials and microfabrication includes D. Sandman's (GTE) generalized approach to organic pi-donor-acceptor systems and K. Ulmer's (Genex) speculation on the engineered biological assembly of molecular ultracircuits. The first step toward the biological assembly of an electronic device is discussed in two related papers in which Ag metal was selectively deposited on a polylysine substrate. Two serious problem areas that might be anticipated are considered by D. K. Ferry (quantum effects in arrays of devices) and C. S. Guenzer ('soft' errors). That nature has, of course, numerous practical examples of 'molecular' switching which is evident from, among others, the two stimulating papers of L. L. Shipman (ANL) on the photosynthesis process and from a paper of S. R. Hameroff and R. Watts (U. of Arizona) on microtubules. They developed a micro-computer model of the ubiquitous microtubules that strongly suggests that considerable information processing occurs in the alpha, beta tubulin helical structure.