Patent ID: 7239769

Claim:
A nanowire switching device comprising: a nanowire structure comprising an elongated member having a cross-sectional diameter ranging from about 1 nanometers but less than about 300 nanometers; a first terminal coupled to a first portion of the nanowire structure; a second terminal coupled to a second portion of the nanowire structure, the second portion of the nanowire structure being disposed spatially from the first portion of the nanowire structure; and an active surface structure comprising a first chemical species coupled to the nanowire structure, the active surface structure extending from the first portion to the second portion along the elongated member; whereupon the nanowire structure has a first conductivity value as measured between the first terminal and the second terminal while the active surface is subjected to a first intensity of electro-magnetic radiation illumination, the nanowire structure having a second conductivity value as measured between the first terminal and the second terminal while the active surface is subjected to a second intensity of electro-magnetic radiation illumination; wherein the electromagnetic radiation illumination releases a portion of the first chemical species from the active surface structure.