Which mechanism limits achievable data density in molecular electronic devices employing self-assembled monolayers?

💡 Explanation

When molecular electronic devices shrink, decreasing molecule pitch allows increasing data density, but quantum mechanical electron tunneling then acts as a leakage path between adjacent molecules, because of reduced barrier thickness giving shorter junction. Therefore electron tunnelling creates short-circuits, rather than repulsion, vibration, or electromigration requiring other limiting conditions.

• Which mechanism inhibits electron tunneling between quantum-dot orbitals in a flash memory cell?
• Which consequence results when a quantum dot's oxide layer degrades?
• Which outcome results when excess reactant energy bypasses effective heat conductance?
• Which consequence most directly results when anisotropic polymer films used in LCD screens experience excessive mechanical stress?
• Which outcome occurs when gallium arsenide semiconductor dimensions decrease anisotropically?
• Which mechanism limits catalytic activity in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) operating at high current density?