Realization of Molecular-Based Transistors

Molecular-based devices are widely considered as significant candidates to play a role in the next generation of “post-complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor” devices. In this context, molecular-based transistors: molecular junctions that can be electrically gated—are of particular interest as they allow new modes of operation. The properties of molecular transistors composed of a single- or multimolecule assemblies, focusing on their practicality as real-world devices, concerning industry demands and its roadmap are compared. Also, the capability of the gate electrode to modulate the molecular transistor characteristics efficiently is addressed, showing that electrical gating can be easily facilitated in single molecular transistors and that gating of transistor composed of molecular assemblies is possible if the device is formed vertically. It is concluded that while the single-molecular transistor exhibits better performance on the lab-scale, its realization faces signifacant challenges when compared to those faced by transistors composed of a multimolecule assembly.