MIT Building Self-Assembling Computer Chips

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MIT researchers are developing computer chips to self-assemble by coaxing molecules to arrange themselves into tiny but useful patterns. The scientists used electron beam lithography to create nanoscale "posts" on a silicon chip. They then deposited copolymers--large molecules of two polymers with repeating structural units--on the chip. The copolymers spontaneously linked to the posts and arranged themselves into useful patterns.

The polymers naturally want to separate from each other, thus causing them to arrange in predictable ways. A variety of patterns that can be used in circuit design could be achieved by changing the shape and position of the posts, the proportions of the polymers, and the length of the molecule chains, MIT said.
When exposed to plasma, one polymer burns away, while the other turns to glass.

The team is still working to produce functioning circuits in a prototype chip, and to create even smaller chip features with the copolymer technique. This was from a short article, but you can read the rest at Self-Assembling Computer Chips