Functionalized DNA Origami Nanostructures for Molecular Electronics

The DNA origami method provides a programmable bottom-up approach for creating nanostructures of any desired shape, which can be used as scaffolds for nanoelectronics and nanophotonics device fabrications. This technique enables the precise positioning of metallic and semiconducting nanoparticles along the DNA nanostructures. In this study, two nanostructures i.e. DNA origami nanotube and DNA origami molds are used for the fabrication of nanoelectronic devices. To this end, the DNA origami nanotubes are modified to assemble 14 gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) along with them. Then electroless gold deposition is used to selectively grow the AuNPs and create eventually continues nanowires. Similarly, AuNPs are also grown within the DNA origami molds.6 In order to investigate the transport properties of the so-fabricated two nanostructures, a method is developed using electron beam lithography. Additionally, the assembly of heterogeneous nanostructures, i.e. AuNPs and semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), on a single DNA origami nanotube is demonstrated and further metalized, thus representing a first step toward the future fabrication of DNA origami-templated quantum dot transistors.