One important aspect of nanoscience is the assembly of nanoscale building blocks into complex nanostructures using self-assembly methods. DNA is well understood and base-pair programmable, making it a versatile and useful building block in the self-assembly of nanostructures. I am using DNA as a template to self-assemble metallic wires and semiconducting elements for nanoscale electronic circuits. Through the technique of DNA origami, I have constructed several thin, branched DNA structures. Using base-pairing recognition within the DNA structures, 5 nm gold nanoparticles were directed and attached to specific locations along two different DNA templates. Then the aligned gold nanoparticles were plated with gold to fuse them together, forming metallic, conducting wires. We are currently working to place semiconducting carbon nanotubes along the template to complete the assembly. All of these pieces, combined with surface attachment and orientation, should enable the formation of nanoscale electronic circuits using bottom-up self-assembly methods.

Progress toward nanoscale electronic circuits from self-assembled DNA templates

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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