University of Pittsburgh researchers are developing novel intermolecular electron waveguides to facilitate coherent electron wave-like transport on the nanometer spatial and femtosecond temporal scale. Nanoporous materials, such as carbon and other covalently bonded nanotubes, zeolites, metal organic frameworks, and protein can also act as intramolecular electron waveguides. Through the development of synthetic or self-assembled hollow molecular composites, it is possible to control the speed of electron transport through modification of the chemical components of these waveguides.
Description
There is much need for high-speed electron transport to aid the global demand for opto-electronics and increased computational demands. Many current methods for electron transport are inefficient with scattering or high energy inputs required. These intramolecular waveguides could optimize electron wave transport without the need for high energy inputs. With time, this novel approach could revolutionize the multi-trillion-dollar semiconductor industry and overcome many of the existing challenges in quantum computing development.
Applications
- Opto-electronics
- Quantum computing
- Photovoltaic devices
Advantages
Solid state materials can transport electron currents as quasiparticles through a vacuum as matter waves. However, this transport is subject to scattering or resistance, impacting on efficiency. While conducting molecules can overcome some of these challenges, introducing an electron can change the structure of any molecular wire due to the Coulomb field from the additional charge. While propagation through a vacuum transports charge as a matter wave with less scattering, this approach requires energy inputs making the method unfeasible.
These novel waveguides can overcome many of the shortcomings of current electron transport methods using ordered molecular composites which, when in crystal form, can act as waveguides for wave-like electron transport. While the intermolecular space in molecular crystals is generally unfavorable to electron transport, this novel approach uses chemical compounds including hollow molecules (e.g., nanotubes) or electron-withdrawing groups (e.g., ¬C6F6) to widen the intermolecular space and form molecular quantum wells. Through modification of the chemical composition of the molecular composites, the size of the molecular quantum well can be controlled, in turn controlling electron transport.
Invention Readiness
Bipyridyl ethylene (BPE) molecules were deposited on a silver surface. Analysis identified quantum wells of non-nuclear states that can act as electron waveguides allowing electron transport from the metal-molecule to molecule-vacuum interface. Ultrafast spectroscopy analysis indicated that electrons excited to these quantum well states undergo wave-like non-nuclear transport over the molecular length of ~1.3 nm in 1.7 fs.
IP Status
Patent Pending
