Molecular clusters as building blocks for nanoelectronics: the first demonstration of a cluster single-electron tunnelling transistor at room temperature

This work is the result of coherent effort of a multi-disciplinary research team working for a considerable number of years in the former USSR in the area of nanocluster molecular electronics. For the first time the successful demonstration of a single-electron tunnelling transistor working reliably at room temperature and based on a single molecular metallorganic cluster is presented. A broad spectrum of different molecular clusters was investigated. Our group has developed a complete cycle of custom-designed molecular cluster manufacturing, deposition, characterization and modification of nanoelectronic devices based on a single molecular cluster. It was shown that the atomic and electronic structure of nanoclusters containing from 3 up to 23 metal atoms had no crucial importance for the transistor fabrication. At the same time extensive research into characteristics of nanoelectronic devices based on single molecular clusters and their tunnelling properties is summarized.