Molecular Computing

A Seminar By:
PANKAJSHARMA
 Definition

The field of molecular computing seeks to use

individual molecules to perform functions in
electronic circuitry used for computational processes
presently performed by semiconductor devices. 

Individual molecules are hundreds of times smaller

than the smallest features conceivably attainable by
Semiconductor technology.
 Origin

Inspiration came when, on June 25, 1992, the

space shuttle Columbia thundered into orbit
carrying a most unusual payload:

A purplish looking, coastal swamp marsh bacteria

commonly found in the San Francisco Bay area.
 Features…

 Can meet modern computational requirements.

(i) Massively Parallel and distributed
(ii) Sleek Sized/ Palm held
(iii) Tremendous processing power
(iv) Outsized Storage capacity (in TB)
(v) Lesser heat radiant
 Features (Contd)…

(vi) Use ‘WET’ intelligence ( beyond AI).

(vii) Lesser power requirements
(viii) Multi-dimensional/ Holographic Computing
(ix) Revolution in Technology
1) Bio-molecular Electronics
2) Nanotechnology
 Theory Behind…

 This bacteria, HALOBACTERIUM HALOBIUM,

has a unique pigment found in its cell
membrane called bacteriarhodopsin (bR).
 bR protein captures incoming energy and
converts it into cellular energy for
Halobacterium.
 bR devices can switch between alternate
states, just like the binary logic of today's
semiconductor-based digital systems.
 Molecular Computing Tree

Molecular
Computing

Bio-molecular
Electronics Nanotechnology

Ultra fast molecular sized Miniaturized molecular

devices grown from devices
biological systems
 Bio-molecular approach…

This approach circles around two researches:

 By Prof. Robert Birge

bR light output as information carrying

medium.
 By Dr. Hong

bR’s electrical signal as output signal.

 Concept of Birge

It states:

 The bR molecules will kink out of shape when

struck by a green laser.
 The altered bR molecules can be made to snap
back to their original form if hit by a red laser.
 Thus bR can act as the basis for a molecular
binary switch
 Concept of Hong

Based on Genetic engineering it :

 Used chemistry to control the switching by

modifying the pH surrounding the protein.

 Easily modulates the electrical behavior of his

mutant bR device.
 Molecular Computing Tree

Molecular
Computing

Bio-molecular
Nanotechnology
Electronics

Ultra fast molecular sized Miniaturized molecular

devices grown from devices
biological systems
 Nanotechnology approach…

 Richard Potember has patented new kind of

storage device called Scanning Tunneling
Microscope (STM).
 This is already been brought in use in form of
Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) storing 4.7 GB.
 This storage is extensible to 20 GB. It has capacity
to offer Tera bytes of storage space.
 Implies no more data compression required to
store audio/visual data.
 Scanning Tunneling Microscope
(STM)

Needle is brought so Sharp STM Needle

close that their respective
electrons spinning within
their atomic orbits
actually overlap

Storage Material
 Scanning Tunneling Microscope
(STM)
-
When a small potential difference is
applied between the STM needle and
the underlying material, electrons will
'tunnel' from the needle's tip to the
material, or vice versa.

+
Tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ)
 Scanning Tunneling Microscope
(STM)
-
The electric field thus induced at the tip of the
needle causes REVERSIBLE phase transition in
underlying substrate like TCNQ which cause
TCNQ to go back and forth from a high
impedance state to a low impedance state,
thereby yielding specific angstrom-sized
domains.

+
Tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ)
 Revelation…

Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM)

device is designed to do read, write, and erase
operations within individual domains whose
dimensions are just 30 to 40 angstroms
Vs
present-sized domains on magnetic or electro-
optical disc drives are at about one square micron
 Storage Capacity (Summary)

bR-based molecular storage devices can:

 store as much as 480 gigabytes of data.
 size five cubic centimeters.
 Be read, written, or erased in as little as
five picoseconds using present laser
diode technology.
 Pros…

 Escalating costs to design and fabricate

semiconductor devices.
 Bio-molecular systems, like bR, are economical.
 Can be quickly harvested in a normal working
environment (cleanliness restrictions).
 Can be easily controlled via ordinary chemistry, or
use of the shelf laser diodes no need to build
complex and expensive control circuitry.
 The continuing revolution in genetics engineering
also offers the promise of being able to easily refine
and extend the useful features of such biologically-
based systems.
 Pros…

 The weird world of quantum mechanics.

As the size of semiconductor materials goes on decreasing,
According to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle it is
impossible to ever know what is precisely going on in the
atomic realm.
Obviously, this can cause all sorts of problems, especially
for those engineers designing semiconductor systems
having vanishingly small transistors.

LET US NOW LOOK HOW MOLECULAR SYSTEMS

HANDLE IT!!
 Answer to Quantum Mechanics Problem

Answer Is

REDUNDANCY
But in semiconductor computers introducing redundant
circuits adds to the already high costs and thus is not
feasible…

BUT
 Answer to Quantum Mechanics Problem

 Molecular-based systems can have as many billions

of atoms stuffed into even the smallest patch of
material. Thousands of molecules can thus be used
to carry or encode identical information without
worrying about using up all of the available storage
capacity.
By taking advantage of this natural redundancy, and
using averaged output, one can predict that the data
is being handled correctly, despite quantum effects.
This particular technique is called
ENSEMBLE AVERAGING
 Pros…

 In the possible case of semiconductor-based

processors, massive heat generation is a big
problem.
Molecular systems offer great solution to this
problem.
 Cons..

 Relatively new technology so less reliability

 Difficult to operate at molecule or atomic realm
because of their size
 Research and development phase still on
 Initial costs are large
 Conclusion

Though highly promising, but like any radically new technology,

there is a daunting learning and manufacturing curve that must
first be overcome before these molecular devices can be mass
produced. They are still 5 to 10 years away from becoming
commercial reality. Given such projected long lead times, one
could speculate that advances in semiconductor based
systems, as well as in magnetic and laser storage technologies,
might put them on an equal footing with any far off molecular
system.
 Bibliography

Relevant Sites:

 Vxm.com
 Calmec.com
 Ananova.com
 Howstuffworks.com
Thank You!!
Questions…