A new study that comes to us from physicists in the EU has shown that they can create a self assembling computer circuit. This breakthrough, while currently in its lab stages could eventually be brought to the marketplace, and revolutionize how computer parts, and even whole systems are made.

Currently, computer chips are made by etching patterns onto semiconducting wafers using a combination of light and photosensitive chemicals.

In the new study, the scientists took a long organic molecule with mobile electrons, called quinquethiophene that acts like a semiconductor and attached it to a long carbon chain with a silicon group at the end, which acts as an anchor.

They later soaked the circuit board and its preprinted electrodes into a solution of their new molecules.

The experiment showed that the molecules can be attached to the insulating layer that sits between the electrodes,and can make a bridge from one electrode to the next.

The work, appearing in this week’s Nature1.