Molecular switches: An applied voltage rotates the vertical rings (crown ether), turning the catenane switches on--that is, increasing current flow across the molecules. In the off position, the blue rings (cyclobis(paraquat-paraphenylene)) encircle the green blocks (tetrathiafulvalene); in the on position, the blue rings encircle the red blocks (1,5-dioxynaphthalene). The catenane molecules are embedded in a layer of phospholipids (orange) and sandwiched between electrodes. Each junction of the criss-crossed electrodes can be independently switched. (From the work of the California NanoSystems Institute's James Heath, Fraser Stoddart, and colleagues. Schematic courtesy of Anthony Pease, UCLA.)

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© 2001 American Institute of Physics