Ohio University researchers have made four-molecule-long nanowires — the smallest superconducting structure yet reported.

The nanowires achieve two objectives of engineers trying to maintain exponential growth in the power of electronics: making components smaller and making them produce less waste heat.

The nanoscopic wires were made by placing a mixture of a large organic molecule and a salt of the metal gallium. The molecules in the mixture then automatically arrange themselves into long strings or wires that are superconducting.