Applications, molecular electronics switching devices

Furthermore, a way must be found to permit the transfer of information between the molecules and the macroscopic world. An information exchange with other molecular-electronic subunits and, via an interface, with conventional electronic devices must be possible. Research in these areas is stiU in its infancy. In any case, molecular electronics will require molecules as switching elements and as connecting wires . These applications are discussed in the next Sects. 12.2 and 12.3. 

In addition, if these assemblies can be effectively coupled to appropriate solid supports including sensing devices, they may find application in such molecular electronic devices as ultrathin electrodes and interconnects in multilayer superlattices, optical waveguides and switches, and chemical and biochemical sensors. 

Metallophthalocyanine polymers offer good stability in thermal, chemical, hydrolytic and photochemical environments. The reversible redox property and cycle stability of phthalocyanine compounds and their polymers make them useful as active components in sensors, switches, diodes, memory devices, NLO materials, etc. different types of phthalocyanine polymers are available and they are amenable to chemical modifications to suit the devices requirements. It is possible to exercise chemical control of the properties of the phthalocyanine polymers as well as functionalize other conducting polymers with the characteristics of phthalocyanines. Hence phthalocyanine polymers have become potential candidates for producing useful and viable materials for electronic, optoelectronic and molecular electronic applications. 

In this chapter, the application of this technique to the thin film processing of electroactive polymers is discussed. The fabrication of controlled molecular assemblies of electroactive polymers provides a unique opportunity to investigate the structure-property and structure-function relationships of multilayer thin films containing electrically conductive, optically nonlinear and redox active polymers. These assemblies can also be coupled to appropriate solid supports for application in such molecular electronic devices as ultrathin electrodes and transistors, opticd waveguides and switches, and chemical and biochemical microelectronic sensors. 

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