CAREER: Economical and Simple Fabrication of Quantum Dot-Electronics Using Biofunctionalized Protein Nanotubes as Building Blocks

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EIA-0133493 Matsui, Hiroshi CUNY Hunter CollegeTitle: CAREER: Economical and Simple Fabrication of Quantum Dot-Electronics Using Biofunctionalized Protein Nanotubes as Building BlocksThe project involves a blending of molecular biology, nanotechnology, and materials physics, in an attempt to create a new class of electronics. A new architecture for nanostructures using biologically modified metal /semiconductor coated protein ananotube and quantum dots are being created that will inherently be high speed, light weight, high stability, and low power consumption.The architecture being used is a form of molecular self-assembly based on biological models. The protein nanotubes are formed from tubular peptide templates, which can be coated with various semiconductors, metals, and quantum dots. By functionalizing the end of the tubes with specific protein molecules, the nanotubes can use biological recognition, modeled after the biological antibody-antigen interactions, to attach the wire end to the appropriate substrate location. This strategy is at the center of the fabrication method being investigated. Designs of electronics devices are built into nanostructures by themselves, rather than having to be imposed afterwards using a patterning process. The functionality of this biological recognition is one of the major advantages as compared with other nanotubes. The project is having a significant educational benefit for the graduate, undergraduate and high school students in this interdisciplinary research ranging from spectroscopy to materials characterization. A summer Nanotechnology laboratory course is being offered to talented high school students.