Graphene has many exceptional features recommending it for use in graphene-based bio-devices, such as the recently highlighted graphene nano-pores for DNA sequencing and a graphene�DNA biosensor. Nanoscale patterning of graphene will be necessary in order to fulfill its promise to integrate nano-electronic and optoelectronic devices into a wide variety of systems. Simultaneously. Several reports indicate that DNA Origami nanostructures, the form of scaffolded self-assembled DNA, which has recently evolved into a powerful tool to organize various molecules at the nanometer and even sub-nanometer scale, could be used as a masking material for nanolithography. In this report, for the first time, we shall demonstrate an outstanding and simple method to prepare negative or positive patterns on graphite using DNA nanostructure and controlled plasma pressure.  Fig. 1: a) Schematic illustration of plasma etching of HOPG using Cross-like DO (top right corner: cross-like DO with ssDNA anchor) as a mask. Low and high air pressure plasma respectively produces positive and negative patterns on HOPG; AFM topography images show DO patterning of HOPG with b) positive pattern and c) negative pattern created by specific pressure air plasmas; Insets: high resolution AFM images (right top corners) and line profiles.To meet the challenge of binding origami masks rapidly on graphite, this paper will describe an approach in which the origami, rather than the graphene, is modified (illustrated in Fig. 1a top right corner). To meet the challenges of developing nanolithography, origami was used here as a lithography mask and no wet chemical processes were used for etching or to strip off the origami mask. To prepare positive or negative topography patterns of graphite/graphene different plasma pressures were used to switch the tone. Depending on the plasma pressure we demonstrate that origami can act as a mask to inhibit etching (Fig 1b) or as a catalyst to promote graphene/graphite etching (Fig. 1c), resulting in positive or negative patterns.

Positive and negative nanolithography of graphite using DNA origami mask

248th National Meeting (2014)

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