A robust nanoscale biomemory device composed of recombinant azurin on hexagonally packed Au-nano array

We developed a nanoscale memory device consisting of signal-responsive biomaterial, which is capable of switching physical properties (such as electrical/electrochemical, optical, and magnetic) upon application of appropriate electrical signals to perform memory switching. Here, we propose a highly robust surface-confined switch composed of an electroactive cysteine-modified azurin immobilized on an Au hexagonal pattern formed on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates that can be controlled electrochemically and reversibly converted between its redox states. The memory effect is based on conductance switching, which leads to the occurrence of bistable states and behaves as an extremely robust redox switch in which an electrochemical input is transduced into optical and magnetic outputs under ambient conditions. The fact that this molecular surface switch, operating at very low voltages, can be patterned and addressed locally, and also has good stability and excellent reversibility, makes it a promising platform for nonvolatile memory devices. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.