DNA-templated nanowire fabrication

DNA-based nanotechnology is a vibrant and expanding field. The specific molecular recognition properties and large aspect ratio of DNA make the molecule a promising template for bottom-up fabrication of nanowires and nanodevices. Fabricating well-defined DNA-templated nanowires requires aligned surface deposition and specific metallization of DNA molecules. DNA localization on surfaces has been achieved by bulk fluid flow or a moving air-water interface, and localization efficiency has been improved by surface modifications that favor DNA-substrate interaction. DNA-templated nanowires have been constructed from gold, silver, copper, palladium, and platinum, and template modifications have allowed the bottom-up construction of a simple electronic nanodevice. These achievements demonstrate the promising feasibility of using bottom-up nanofabrication to create increasingly sophisticated nanodevices.