A molecular system is provided for electric field activated switches, such as
a
crossed-wire device or a pair of electrodes to which the molecular system is linked
by linking moieties. The crossed-wire device comprises a pair of crossed wires
that form a junction where one wire crosses another at an angle other than zero
degrees and at least one connector species connecting the pair of crossed wires
in the junction. The connector species comprises the molecular system, which has
an electric field induced band gap change, and thus a change in its electrical
conductivity, that occurs via one a molecular conformation change, based on a rotor/stator
construction of the molecular system, involving a rotating portion (rotor) connected
between to stationary portions (stators). Nanometer-scale reversible electronic
switches are thus provided that can be assembled easily to make cross-bar circuits,
which provide memory, logic, and communication functions.
