"We aim to do nothing less than reinvent the computer and this patent is the foundation of the effort," said R Stanley Williams, director, quantum science research at HP Labs.
HP says that the process described in patent number US 6 459 095 could be used to create molecular-scale electronic devices, such as logic, memory, communications and signal-routing devices. The inventors of the process are R Stanley Williams, James Heath of the University of California at Los Angeles, and HP senior scientist Philip Kuekes.
HP already holds three related patents in conjunction with the University of California at Los Angeles. These are entitled "Molecular-wire crossbar interconnect for signal routing and communications", "Molecular wire crossbar memory" and "Demultiplexer for a molecular wire crossbar".
"It's important to recognize that this is a whole new field and a lot of work remains to be done," added Williams. "That's why we're talking about it - to encourage others to pursue research as well. The more people working on it, the stronger it will become, and that will benefit everybody."
Back in September, HP announced that it had made the highest density electronically addressable memory to date. The 64-bit memory contained two perpendicular sets of eight 40-nm wide parallel platinum wires on either side of a single layer of electronically switchable molecules. A bit of memory sat at each of the points where the wires crossed in the roughly 1000 molecules sandwiched between a higher and lower wire.