Engineers develop light-controlled molecular devices

Bogotá: In a breakthrough study detailed in Nature Communications, Columbia Engineering researchers have introduced highly conductive, customisable single-molecule devices.

Using direct metal-metal contacts, they've crafted a method to employ light for controlling these devices' electronic properties.

This innovation could revolutionise molecular electronics, offering solutions to the miniaturization challenges faced by traditional semiconductors.

Lead researcher Latha Venkataraman explains, "We've unlocked a new dimension in molecular electronics, where light can be used to control how a molecule binds within the gap between two metal electrodes."

This development promises smarter and more efficient electronic components.