Atomic switches: atomic-movement-controlled nanodevices for new types of computing.

Atomic switches are nanoionic devices that control the diffusion of metal cations and their reduction/oxidation processes in the switching operation to form/annihilate a metal atomic bridge, which is a conductive path between two electrodes in the on-state. In contrast to conventional semiconductor devices, atomic switches can provide a highly conductive channel even if their size is of nanometer order. In addition to their small size and low on-resistance, their nonvolatility has enabled the development of new types of programmable devices, which may achieve all the required functions on a single chip.

Syntheses, crystal structures, and spectral properties of a series of 3,8-Bisphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline derivatives: precursors of 3,8-Bis(4-mercaptophenyl)-1,10-phenanthroline and Its ruthenium(II) complex for preparing nanocomposite junctions with gold nanoparticles between 1 microm gap gold electrodes.

A multistep synthesis was achieved to obtain 3,8-bis(4-mercaptophenyl)-1,10-phenanthroline, which has two free thiol end groups with a molecular length of 1.89 nm, and its ruthenium(II) complex. Five single-crystal structures and UV-vis spectra of related intermediates in methanol and the solid state were studied in order to obtain additional information on the molecules as well as on the supramolecular interactions in the structures.