MOLECULAR CIRCUIT DEVELOPMENT

Research and development was continued on mate rials and techniques suitable for the formation of molecular circuits. Material research concerned semiconductive films of silicon carbide, boron, and cadmium selenide and dielectric films of neodymium oxide. Chemical vapor depositions were successful in producing various types of crystallites and crystalline aggregates of silicon carbide; experiments aimed at obtaining uniform films were continued. Amorphous boron films, deposited by means of electron beam evaporation, proved useful in the study of electron transmission through thin films. This research indicates that amorphous films may possess valuable properties quite distinct from those representative of the crystalline state. An operating clipping circuit based on conduction through a boron film was devised. Investigations of dielectric films were concerned with the characterization of neodymium oxide. Deposition procedures were carefully investigated, and electrical properties evaluated over a wide temperature range. This material shows excellent capabilities for use as a high temperature dielectric. Work on field effect devices continued. Cadmium selenide remains the preferred material for the semiconductor film. The application of a field effect device in a current limiter circuit was studied.