Bucky shuttle memory device:: Synthetic approach and molecular dynamics simulations

Thermal treatment is reported to convert finely dispersed diamond powder to multiwall carbon nanocapsules containing fullerenes such as C-60. We investigate the internal dynamics of a related model system, consisting of a K@C-60(+) endohedral complex enclosed in a C-480 nanocapsule. We show this to be a tunable two-level system, where transitions between the two states can be induced by applying an electric field between the C-480 end caps, and discuss its potential application as a nonvolatile memory element. [S0031-9007(99)08484-7].