Publications Repository - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

The self-assembly of conducting nanostructures is currently investigated intensively in order to evaluate the feasibility of creating novel nanoelectronic devices and circuits using such pathways. In particular, methods based on so-called DNA Origami nanostructures have shown great potential in the formation of metallic nanowires. The main challenge in this method is the reproducible generation of very well-connected metallic nanostructures which may be used as interconntects in future devices. Here we use a novel design of nanowires with a quasi-circular cross-section as opposed to rectangular or uncontrolled cross-sections in earlier studies. We find indications that the reliability of the fabrication scheme is enhanced and the overall resistance of the wires is comparable to metallic nanostructures generated by electrochemistry or top-down methods. In addition, we observe that some of the nanowires are annealed when passing a current through them, which leads to a clear enhancement for the conductance. We envision that these nanowires are providing further steps towards the succesful generation of nanoelectronics using self-assembly.