US Patent 7229847 Forming electrical contacts to a molecular layer

The present invention provides a process for forming electrical contacts to a molecular layer in a nanoscale device, the nanoscale device, and a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit comprise such devices. The process includes coating a surface of a stamp with a metal layer and forming an attached layer of anchored molecules by coupling first ends of the anchored molecules to a conductive or semiconductive substrate. The process also includes placing the metal layer in contact with the attached layer of anchored molecules such that the metal layer chemically bonds to free ends of the anchored molecules. The resulting devices produced have superior reliability as compared to conventional prepared devices.