Light Emitting Single Molecules

Future nanoelectronics engineers might be capable of using individual molecules to perform the functions in an electronic circuit that are performed by semiconductor devices today. A joint research team from Basel University and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany has now demonstrated that rigidly wired molecules can emit light under voltage bias. This result is important for fundamental science but it also adds to the molecular electronics vision an optoelectronic component, i.e. the development of optoelectronic components on the basis of single molecules. The team synthesized a specifically designed rod-like molecule with a fluorescent core and electrodes of carbon nanotubes. These findings are reported in Nature Nanotechnology.

For more information click Adding an optoelectronic component to molecular electronics