Researchers from Aalto University and the University of Jyväskylä have changed the quantum states of individual
In their work, physicists useda semiconductor substrate made from tin telluride (SnTe). The researchers demonstrated that the ferroelectric effect - the ability of SnTe to acquire a spontaneous polarization that can be controlled by an external electric field - allows you to tune the internal state of the molecules placed on the substrate.
The researchers note that setting propertiesmolecules is provided by internal electric fields, which are generated when voltage is applied to the substrate. The method proposed by the scientists is not yet ready for scaling, but opens up a new direction for the development of materials with controlled properties.
Control of molecules on a ferroelectric substrate. Image: Mohammad Amini et al., Advanced Materials
Controlling the internal states of quantumsystems is one of the biggest challenges in quantum materials, the scientists note. At the deepest level, individual molecules can exhibit different quantum states, even if they have the same number of electrons. These states are associated with different electronic configurations, which can lead to completely different properties.
Ability to manage electronic configurationindividual molecules in the future will allow the development of artificial molecular materials with switchable states. On the other hand, the scientists add, this will enable further miniaturization of classical computer memory, since two configurations will allow 0 and 1 to be encoded in the classical memory unit at the molecular level.
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On the cover: an artistic illustration of a molecule on a ferroelectric substrate. Image: Jose Lado, Aalto University