On the road to single-molecule transistors, researchers at Lucent Bell Labs publish their latest work in the journal _Science_. A subscription is required for access to full text.

Abstract: "Field-effect transistors based on two-component self-assembled monolayers of conjugated and insulating molecules have been prepared, the conductance through which can be varied by more than three orders of magnitude by changing the applied gate bias. Using very small ratios of conjugated to insulating molecules in the two-component monolayer, devices with only a few "electrically active" molecules can be achieved. At low temperatures the peak channel-conductance is quantized in units of 2e2/h. This behavior is indicative of transistor action in single molecules. Based on such single-molecule transistors inverter circuits with gain are demonstrated."

Field-Effect Modulation of the Conductance of Single Molecules