Asymmetric, mixed-valence molecules for spectroscopic readout of quantum-dot cellular automata.

Mixed-valence compounds may provide molecular devices for an energy-efficient, low-power, general-purpose computing paradigm known as quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA). Multiple redox centers on mixed-valence molecules provide a system of coupled quantum dots. The configuration of mobile charge on a double-quantum-dot (DQD) molecule encodes a bit of classical information robust at room temperature.