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AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsPatricia A. Beck, Xiao-An Zhang, Zhang-Lin Zhou
Estimating the term…
Bistable molecules are provided with at least one photosensitive functional group. As thus constituted, the bistable molecules are photopatternable, thereby allowing fabrication of micrometer-scale and nanometer-scale circuits in discrete areas without relying on a top conductor as a mask. The bistable molecules may comprise molecules that undergo redox reactions, such as rotaxanes and catenanes, or may comprise molecules that undergo an electric-field-induced band gap change that causes the molecules, or a portion thereof, to rotate, bend, twist, or otherwise change from a substantially fully conjugated state to a less conjugated state. The change in states in the latter case results in a change in electrical conductivity.
A bistable molecule for a multiple electrode device comprising at least one pair of electrodes that form at least one junction and at least one connector species connecting said pair of electrodes in said junction, said junction having a functional dimension in nanometers or micrometers, wherein said “at least one connector species” comprises said bistable molecule provided with at least one photosensitive functional group for patterning said connector species.
A method for fabricating a multiple electrode device comprising at least one pair of electrodes that form at least one junction and at least one connector species connecting said pair of electrodes in said junction, said junction having a functional dimension in nanometers or micrometers, wherein said at least one connector species comprises said bistable molecule provided with at least one photosensitive functional group for patterning said connector species, said method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency: using organic memory…
Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission
Photosensitive materials: with organic non-macromolecular light-sensitive compounds not otherwise provided for, e.g. dissolution inhibitors
RRAM elements whose operation depends upon chemical change: comprising cells based on organic memory material
Term end not estimated
The present invention relates generally to methods of making electronic circuitry, and, more particularly, to forming the elements of the electronic circuitry directly, without the need for separate photoresist steps.
Photoresist masks for patterning layers to fabricate electronic circuits are well-known. That technology is the basis for today's microcircuits. Briefly, positive or negative polymeric resists are used, involving the formation of a layer of resist on a surface, exposing the resist to radiation (visible, UV, X-ray, etc.) through a mask to cross-link (or unlink) portions of the resist, followed by removal of unwanted portions of the resist. The resist then serves as a mask for further processing steps, such as ion implantation, oxidation, metallization, and the like.
The area of molecular electronics is in its infancy. Developments in nanotechnology (critical dimension measured in nanometers) are directed to new generations of electronic circuitry, having much smaller dimensions than present technology can provide.
FIG. 1 is a perspective elevational view, schematically depicting two crossed wires, with at least one molecule at the intersection of the two wires;
FIGS. 2a-2f provide a schematic representation of the prior art steps that use lithographically deposited (micrometer or sub-micrometer scale diameter) wires;
FIGS. 3a-3d depict a schematic representation of process steps in accordance with the present invention for producing photo-patternable molecular circuitry;
Definitions
As used herein, the term “self-aligned” as applied to “junction” means that the junction that forms the switch and/or other electrical connection between two wires is created wherever two wires, either of which may be coated, cross each other, because it is the act of crossing that creates the junction. The junction in its critical dimensions may be measured in nanometers or micrometers.
The term “self-assembled” as used herein refers to a system that naturally adopts some geometric pattern because of the identity of the components of the system; the system achieves at least a local minimum in its energy by adopting this configuration.