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Hewlett Packard Selling Molecular Electronics Patents

Since the late 1990’s HPLabs has arguably been the leading corporate contributor to the development of molecular electronics and have obtained numerous patents on the application of molecular switching elements to novel memory and logic systems. However, in recent years HP has shifted directions from molecular switching elements toward resistive thin film switches called memristors which may be easier to fabricate using existing semiconductor process capabilities.  As an apparent byproduct of this shift in direction HP is selling several of their molecular electronics patents using an online patent auction available at this link. The sale for this patent lot entitled “Next Generation Device” is set to expire on October 8, 2009.