Molecular‐Scale Logic Gates

TLDR

Photochemical electron and energy transfer principles underpin several molecular logic gate approaches, contrasting with the reconfigurability and superposability of complex systems relative to semiconductor electronics. The study summarizes and compares existing molecular‑scale logic gate approaches and discusses how simple logic functions can be integrated into more complex systems. Approaches include chemically controlled fluorescent and transmittance switches, DNA oligonucleotide fluorescence readouts, DNA‑based catalytic reactions, chemically gated photochromics, reversibly denaturable proteins, optical and electronic molecular machines, two‑photon fluorophores, and multichromophoric transient optical switches.

Abstract

Abstract Currently available approaches to molecular‐scale logic gates are summarized and compared. These include: chemically‐controlled fluorescent and transmittance‐based switches concerned with small molecules, DNA oligonucleotides with fluorescence readout, oligonucleotide reactions with DNA‐based catalysts, chemically‐gated photochromics, reversibly denaturable proteins, molecular machines with optical and electronic signals, two‐photon fluorophores and multichromophoric transient optical switches. The photochemical principles of electron and energy transfer are involved in several of these approaches. More complex molecular logic systems with reconfigurability and superposability provide contrasts with current semiconductor electronics. Integration of simple logic functions to produce more complex ones is also discussed in terms of recent developments.