Archimedes screw inspires single-molecule motor powered by electric current

Key Points:

• Researchers have created a molecular motor inspired by the Archimedes screw, where electrons flowing through a helical molecule cause it to rotate, marking the first current-driven molecular motor with controllable rotation direction.
• The molecular screw, produced by the University of Copenhagen team, is attached between two gold electrodes, and its rotation direction can be reversed by changing the voltage polarity.
• Quantum mechanical simulations by the University of Augsburg revealed that the molecule's rotation significantly enhances its electrical conductivity, increasing it by up to two orders of magnitude during rotation.
• This interdisciplinary research, involving institutions from Denmark, Israel, Germany, and China, combined experimental and theoretical approaches to understand the motor's operation and conductivity changes.
• The discovery opens new possibilities for molecular electronics, spintronics, microfluidic systems, and atomic-scale physical process research, showcasing a novel operating principle for ultra-miniaturized machines.