Patent ID: 7141299

Claim:
A solid-state electronic junction comprising: a first conductive component, said first conductive component comprising: a substrate having a contact surface; and at least one layer of molecular units having first and second ends, wherein at least one layer of molecular units is attached through their first ends to said contact surface through a type of association selected from the group consisting of: covalent bonding and strong electronic coupling; and a second conductive component comprising a layer of at least one metal and at least one metal oxide adjacent to, and in electrical communication with, said second ends of said at least one layer of said molecular units, said layer of at least one metal and at least one metal oxide having a conductance that reversibly changes in response to a reduction-oxidation reaction occurring between said layer of at least one metal and at least one metal oxide and said at least one layer of molecular units when a voltage is applied across said electronic junction, wherein said electronic junction is devoid of electrolytic solution.