R. S. Williams

Bio: R. S. Williams is an academic researcher from Hewlett-Packard. The author has contributed to research in topics: Nucleation & Annealing (metallurgy). The author has an hindex of 7, co-authored 8 publications receiving 1846 citations.

Electronically Configurable Molecular-Based Logic Gates

Abstract: Logic gates were fabricated from an array of configurable switches, each consisting of a monolayer of redox-active rotaxanes sandwiched between metal electrodes. The switches were read by monitoring current flow at reducing voltages. In the “closed” state, current flow was dominated by resonant tunneling through the electronic states of the molecules. The switches were irreversibly opened by applying an oxidizing voltage across the device. Several devices were configured together to produce AND and OR logic gates. The high and low current levels of those gates were separated by factors of 15 and 30, respectively, which is a significant enhancement over that expected for wired-logic gates.

Individual and Collective Electronic Properties of Ag Nanocrystals

Abstract: We report on the electronic transport properties of individual alkanethiol-passivated Ag nanocrystals and their superlattices. Isolated Ag particles with diameters in the range of 2.7−4.8 nm supported by a metallic substrate passivated with an organic layer show a Coulomb gap. Monolayer films of Ag particles exhibit four distinct electronic signatures, two of which have not been previously reported, depending on their structures. In two-dimensional ordered superlattices of octanethiol-capped 4.8 nm diameter nanocrystals on graphite, the strong interparticle electronic coupling produces metallic films. A disordered monolayer of dodecanethiol-capped 6.6 nm diameter nanocrystals exhibits a temperature-dependent differential conductance, which is attributed to the localized states formed by the disorder in the lattice. For two-dimensional ordered superlattices of pentanethiol- and hexanethiol-capped 2.7 nm diameter Ag particles, we find that the films are insulating, and individual nanocrystals maintain their...

Fabrication of molecular-electronic circuits by nanoimprint lithography at low temperatures and pressures

Abstract: We have utilized a modified version of thermal nanoimprint lithography to fabricate a rewritable, nonvolatile, molecular memory device with a density of 6.4 Gbit/cm2. It has the advantages of a relatively low operating temperature of (∼70 °C) and pressure of (<500 psi or 4.5 MPa), both of which are critical to preserving the integrity of the molecular layer. The architecture of the circuit was based on an 8×8 crossbar structure, with an active molecular layer sandwiched between the top and bottom electrodes. A liftoff process was utilized to produce the top and bottom electrodes made of Pt/Ti bilayers. The active molecular layer was deposited by the Languir–Blodgett technique. We utilized a new class of nanoimprint resist formulated by dissolving a polymer in its monomer. The formulation we used, was poly(benzyl methacrylate), dissolved in benzyl methacrylate with t-butyl peroxy 2-ethylhexanoate added as a self-initiator (8:90:2 by weight). The new resist allowed us to achieve Pt/Ti lines of 40 nm in width and 130 nm in pitch.

Spatially Confined Chemistry: Fabrication of Ge Quantum Dot Arrays

Abstract: We report a technique for investigating nucleation and growth confined to nanometer scale surfaces. Lithographic and etching processes were used to create arrays of 100 and 150 nm holes through a t...

Equilibrium Shape Diagram for Strained Ge Nanocrystals on Si(001)

Abstract: We introduce a chemical-thermodynamic model to explain the formation and annealing behavior of Ge nanocrystalline islands grown on Si(001). Assuming the nanocrystals are essentially large adsorbed ...

Quantum Dot Bioconjugates for Ultrasensitive Nonisotopic Detection

Abstract: Highly luminescent semiconductor quantum dots (zinc sulfide-capped cadmium selenide) have been covalently coupled to biomolecules for use in ultrasensitive biological detection. In comparison with organic dyes such as rhodamine, this class of luminescent labels is 20 times as bright, 100 times as stable against photobleaching, and one-third as wide in spectral linewidth. These nanometer-sized conjugates are water-soluble and biocompatible. Quantum dots that were labeled with the protein transferrin underwent receptor-mediated endocytosis in cultured HeLa cells, and those dots that were labeled with immunomolecules recognized specific antibodies or antigens.

Prospects of Colloidal Nanocrystals for Electronic and Optoelectronic Applications

Abstract: Nanocrystals (NCs) discussed in this Review are tiny crystals of metals, semiconductors, and magnetic material consisting of hundreds to a few thousand atoms each. Their size ranges from 2-3 to about 20 nm. What is special about this size regime that placed NCs among the hottest research topics of the last decades? The quantum mechanical coupling * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: dvtalapin@uchicago.edu. † The University of Chicago. ‡ Argonne National Lab. Chem. Rev. 2010, 110, 389–458 389

Electronics using hybrid-molecular and mono-molecular devices

Abstract: The semiconductor industry has seen a remarkable miniaturization trend, driven by many scientific and technological innovations. But if this trend is to continue, and provide ever faster and cheaper computers, the size of microelectronic circuit components will soon need to reach the scale of atoms or molecules—a goal that will require conceptually new device structures. The idea that a few molecules, or even a single molecule, could be embedded between electrodes and perform the basic functions of digital electronics—rectification, amplification and storage—was first put forward in the mid-1970s. The concept is now realized for individual components, but the economic fabrication of complete circuits at the molecular level remains challenging because of the difficulty of connecting molecules to one another. A possible solution to this problem is ‘mono-molecular’ electronics, in which a single molecule will integrate the elementary functions and interconnections required for computation.

Logic circuits with carbon nanotube transistors

Abstract: We demonstrate logic circuits with field-effect transistors based on single carbon nanotubes. Our device layout features local gates that provide excellent capacitive coupling between the gate and nanotube, enabling strong electrostatic doping of the nanotube from p-doping to n-doping and the study of the nonconventional long-range screening of charge along the one-dimensional nanotubes. The transistors show favorable device characteristics such as high gain (>10), a large on-off ratio (>10(5)), and room-temperature operation. Importantly, the local-gate layout allows for integration of multiple devices on a single chip. Indeed, we demonstrate one-, two-, and three-transistor circuits that exhibit a range of digital logic operations, such as an inverter, a logic NOR, a static random-access memory cell, and an ac ring oscillator.

Synthetic molecular motors and mechanical machines.

Abstract: The widespread use of controlled molecular-level motion in key natural processes suggests that great rewards could come from bridging the gap between the present generation of synthetic molecular systems, which by and large rely upon electronic and chemical effects to carry out their functions, and the machines of the macroscopic world, which utilize the synchronized movements of smaller parts to perform specific tasks. This is a scientific area of great contemporary interest and extraordinary recent growth, yet the notion of molecular-level machines dates back to a time when the ideas surrounding the statistical nature of matter and the laws of thermodynamics were first being formulated. Here we outline the exciting successes in taming molecular-level movement thus far, the underlying principles that all experimental designs must follow, and the early progress made towards utilizing synthetic molecular structures to perform tasks using mechanical motion. We also highlight some of the issues and challenges that still need to be overcome.