Single-molecule switch is a million times faster than a transistor

Amazing stuff! Machine learning & AI depend on among other things on better & faster computers!

"... The researchers made a huge breakthrough that could be a game-changer in all tech industries by using fullerene to make a switch from a single molecule. The switching speed is insane, almost a million times faster than a classical computer.

This development could pave the way for the creation of computers beyond what is currently possible with electronic transistors. It could also lead to significant improvements in microscopic imaging, enabling researchers to scrutinize the physical world in unprecedented detail. ..."

From the abstract:

"Single-molecule electron sources of fullerenes driven via constant electric fields, approximately 1 nm in size, produce peculiar emission patterns, such as a cross or a two-leaf pattern. By illuminating the electron sources with femtosecond light pulses, we discovered that largely modulated emission patterns appeared from single molecules. Our simulations revealed that emission patterns, which have been an intractable question for over seven decades, represent single-molecule molecular orbitals. Furthermore, the observed modulations originated from variations of single-molecule molecular orbitals, practically achieving the subnanometric optical modulation of an electron source."

Single-molecule switch is a million times faster than a transistor The ultrafast electron switch could theoretically enable computations orders of magnitude faster than currently possible with classical transistors.

I believe this is the paper:

Light-Induced Subnanometric Modulation of a Single-Molecule Electron Source (open access)

FIG. 1. Conceptual diagram of ultrafast electron emissions from a nano-object by irradiating a light pulse

Schematic representation of a fullerene C60 molecule