Functionalization of nanoparticles for nanoelectronics

Nowadays, DNA origami has become a key technique for designing well-defined nanostructures with any desired shape and for the controlled arrangement of nanostructures with few nanometer resolution. These unique features of DNA origami nanostructures make them promising candidates for use as a scaffolds in nanoelectronics and nanophotonics device fabrication. In recent years, a number of studies have shown the precise organization of functional nanoparticles on various shapes of DNA origami. Most of these studies used, however, homogeneous nanostructures such as either metallic or semiconducting nanoparticles. In this work, we demonstrate the assembly of heterogeneous nanostructures, i.e. 5 nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and 10 nm semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), on a single DNA origami. First, a streptavidin-conjugated QD was assembled on the center of biotin functionalized and immobilized DNA origami nanotube, then DNA coated AuNPs were hybridized along the right and left side of the QD-modified nanotube. The high yield of AuNP assembly was achieved by careful control of the buffer concentration and the hybridization time on Si surface.