NIRT: GOALI: Self Assembly at Photonic and Electronic Scales

这项资助解决了两个对纳米和中尺度制造至关重要的问题：(1)自组装DNA支架能否用于自组装复杂的光子和电子结构？(2)脚手架本身的部分部件是否可以用作此类组件的活动部件？基于沃森-克里克碱基配对的自组装DNA纳米结构（以及三向结的组装）只需将组成DNA序列混合在一起并将混合物退火即可制成。大型（毫米级）纳米基元阵列已被报道。这样的阵列可以是可寻址的，并且可以结合化学功能和光学元件，为构建电子、光子和化学设备开辟了新的可能性。如果设计得当，覆盖表面的阵列的成本可以相当小，每平方米覆盖的表面可能只有几美元。这笔拨款的重点是可再生能源。这些支架可以放置量子点、光子天线、用于光驱动制氢的催化剂或用于合理设计的光伏电池的导电聚合物。一种阵列将结合天线结构，将光集中在分离电荷的分子上。其目标是将所有入射阳光都吸收到一层染料分子中，这将大大简化分子光伏器件的设计。如果成功，这种方法开启了将高度光学和电子复杂性整合到完全自组装的超分子系统中的可能性。纳米工程材料可以模拟自然的能源生产（但也更强大），可以为产生可再生能源提供一种新的途径。与摩托罗拉的合作为该技术的经济发展提供了可能性。

This grant addresses two issues critical to manufacturing at the nano- and meso-scales:(1) Can self-assembled DNA scaffolds be used to self-assemble complex photonic and electronic structures? (2) Can parts of the scaffold itself be used as active components of such assemblies?Self-assembled DNA nanostructures based on Watson-Crick base-pairing (and the assembly of three-way junctions) are made simply by mixing together component DNA sequences and annealing the mix. Large (mm-scale) arrays of nanometer-scale motifs have been reported. Such arrays can be made addressable, and can incorporate chemical function and optical elements, opening up new possibilities for building electronic, photonic and chemical devices. Designed appropriately, the cost of arrays that cover surfaces can be quite small, perhaps a few dollars per square meter of surface covered. This grant focuses on renewable energy. The scaffolds could position quantum dots, photonic antennas, catalysts for light-driven hydrogen generation or conducting polymers for rationally-designed photovoltaics. One type of array will incorporate antenna structures that concentrate light on molecules that separate charge. The goal is to absorb all incident sunlight in just a monolayer of dye molecules, which would greatly simplify the design of molecular photovolataic devices. If successful, this approach opens up the possibility of incorporating a high degree of optical and electronic complexity into a supramolecular system that is entirely self-assembled. Nano-engineered materials that mimic nature's energy production (but that are also much more robust) could contribute a new approach to the generation of renewable energy. A partnership with Motorola offers possibilities for economic development of the technology.