Annealing of Polymer-Encased Nanorods on DNA Origami Forming Metal-Semiconductor Nanowires: Implications for Nanoelectronics

DNA origami-assembled metal-semiconductor junctions have been formed as a step toward application of these nanomaterials in nanoelectronics. Previously, techniques such as electroless plating, electrochemical deposition, or photochemical reduction have been used to connect metal and semiconductor nanomaterials into desired patterns on DNA templates. To improve over prior work and provide a more general framework for the creation of electronic nanodevices as an alternative nanofabrication step, we have developed a method to connect gold (Au) and tellurium (Te) nanorods on a single DNA origami template without electroplating by annealing after coating with a heat-resistant polymer. Bar DNA origami templates (17 nm x 410 nm) were seeded site-specifically with Au and Te nanorods in an alternating manner. These templates were then coated with a polymer and annealed at different temperatures. At 170 degrees C, the Au and Te nanorods were best connected, and we hypothesize that the junctions were established primarily due to the atomic mobility of gold. Electrical characterization of these Au/Te/Au assemblies revealed some nonlinear current-voltage curves, as well as linear plots that are explained. This annealing method and the metal-semiconductor nanomaterials that are formed simply through controlled seeding and annealing on DNA origami templates have potential to yield complex nanoelectronic devices in the future.

Automated summary

Researchers have developed a method to connect gold and tellurium nanorods on a single DNA origami template without electroplating. By site-specific seeding and annealing at different temperatures, gold and tellurium nanorods were successfully connected, primarily due to the atomic mobility of gold.