Towards a 160 kBit molecular electronic memory at 10$^{11}$ Bits/cm$^{2}$

Since its inception by Avirim and Ratner in 1974, molecular-based electronics has emerged as a promising alternative to scaled CMOS technology and its eventual integration limit. Here we present progress towards an electronically configurable, molecule-based 160,000 Bit random access memory at a Bit density approaching 10$^{11}$ Bits/cm$^{2}$. This device is based on a cross-bar architecture in which the active switching elements are bi-stable [2]-rotaxane supramolecules sandwiched between perpendicular arrays of SNAP-fabricated [1] metallic and n-Si nanowires at 34 nm pitch. Challenges in memory fabrication and testing will be discussed. [1] \textit{Science} \textbf{300}, 112 (2003); \textit{J. App. Phys.} \textbf{96}, 5921 (2004).