An electromechanical amplifier using a single molecule

We describe the first single-molecule electromechanical amplifier, the active element of which is one fullerene molecule (C60) with a junction length and width of ∼ 1 nm. Forces in the nano-Newton range are generated by a metallic tip pressing on the molecule in its adsorbed state. This working nanodevice is based on the modulation of virtual resonance tunneling through the molecule by electromechanical deformation of the C60 cage. © 1997 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.