Researchers develop world’s smallest electric motor

A team of Tufts University researchers have developed a new ‘molecular electric motor’, which is set to replace a 200 nm wide motor as the world’s smallest motor.

The new motor, made from a single molecule, can be used in various domains from medicine to engineering. Researches say that the single molecule motor is not a new concept but they were driven either by chemicals or light. However, this motor is powered by electric charge and allows further development in field of technology.

The team used the low temperature scanning and tunneling microscope at Tufts University to get a single molecule and then measure it and spin it. They gave electric charge to butyl methyl sulfide molecule placed on a copper plate.

The research paper from the engineers of the motor was published on September 4 in Nature Nanotechnology.