WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Purdue University engineers report creating a nanotech simulation tool showing how current flows between silicon atoms and individual molecules.
The researchers said the simulation will help researchers design "molecular electronic" devices for future computers and advanced sensors.
Molecular electronics could make it possible to manufacture hardware by "growing" circuits and devices in layers that may "self-assemble," similar to the growth of structures in living organisms.
Researchers will be able to use the new simulation tool to see precisely how electrical conductivity changes depending on how molecules are connected to silicon, information that is critical to properly design the devices.
"I believe we might be one of the first theorists who have created a tool to show how electricity is conducted between molecules and silicon at the atomic level," said Avik Ghosh, a research scientist in electrical and computer engineering who worked with fellow researcher Geng-Chiau Liang.
The research is detailed in the journal Physical Review Letters.
