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Molecular electronics

Cool computing

Proposals for carrying out computing at the molecular level generally involve current-carrying circuitry, as in conventional computers. A possible alternative, using an electrostatically operating 'cellular automata', reduces, among other things, the problem of excess heat production.

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Figure 1: Electronic chips made of molecular materials will be unusually sensitive to the heat generated by the flow of electric current.
Figure 2: Quantum dot cellular automata cells (QCAs) can be realized using molecular electron switches.

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Hush, N. Cool computing. Nature Mater 2, 134–135 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat842

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