EMT/NANO: Integration of DNA nanotechnology with nanoelectronics

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DNA is well-known for its role in biology as the genetic material. In recent years, however, DNA has begun to be used as a material for creating technology. In particular, DNA can be used to make complex nanometer-scale patterns which, in turn, can be used as templates to arrange nanometer-scale devices. For example, DNA patterns might be used to organize nanowires and nanoswitches to create computer circuits much smaller, cheaper, and faster than current semiconductor computer chips.Recently the investigators invented a method called DNA origami, whereby a long DNA strand is folded into any desired pattern. The method is powerful but has limitations: current DNA origami only contain 200 pixels, which means they can organize at most 200 different devices---not enough to create a complex circuit. In practice it takes 10-20 pixels to align a single carbon nanotube wire on DNA origami, so the most complex device created using DNA origami is a field effect transistor composed of two crossed carbon nanotube wires. Another difficulty is that DNA origami are made in solution, but must be used on surfaces like silicon. Transferring DNA origami to silicon currently results in random placement and orientation, but to build circuits DNA origami must positioned accurately.The investigators are interested in overcoming these limitations. They are working on: (1) combining DNA origami into larger patterns with larger numbers of pixels by treating DNA origami as puzzle pieces that fit together based on "stacking interactins", (2) precisely placing and orienting DNA origami on lithographically-defined sticky patches on silicon, and (3) using DNA origami to organize multiple carbon nanotubes to create more complex circuits, such as NAND logic gates.