Nanofabrication Using Viral Biotemplates for MEMS Applications

这项工作的目的是利用生物纳米结构烟草花叶病毒（TMV）的自组装和金属结合特性，开发用于小规模能源微系统应用的新型功能材料和制造工艺。TMV是一种高纵横比的圆柱形植物病毒，可以通过基因工程使其包含具有增强金属结合特性的氨基酸。这些基因修饰促进了分子的化学镀以及在各种底物上的自组装。特别强调的是，通过结合自下而上和自上而下的方法，如dna定向图案化、分子自组装、光刻和薄膜沉积，将TMV生物制造集成到标准的微加工中。所开发的工艺将很容易地用于制造纳米结构的小型储能装置。本提案的结果将导致实现纳米制造的新策略，减轻目前涉及将纳米结构集成到微系统制造中的几个限制。设想的结果不仅局限于能源领域，而且可以被研究人员用于开发其他类型的设备，其中纳米材料可以标志着显著的改进，例如具有高选择性和灵敏度的传感器，以及可以与商业电子产品集成的小型化散热组件。本调查涉及的广泛科学问题为来自不同背景的对研究和教育事业感兴趣的学生提供了理想的跨学科“训练矩阵”，将科学和工程的各个方面结合在一起，以前彼此不同。

The objective of this work is to utilize the self-assembly and metal-binding properties of a biological nanostructure, the Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), in the development of novel functional materials and fabrication processes for small-scale energy microsystems applications. The TMV is a high aspect ratio cylindrical plant virus that can be genetically engineered to include amino acids with enhanced metal-binding properties. These genetic modifications facilitate electroless plating of the molecules as well as self-assembly onto various substrates. Particular emphasis will be placed on integrating the TMV biofabrication into standard micromachining through the combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches such as DNA-directed patterning, molecular self-assembly, photolithography and thin-film deposition. The developed processes will be readily incorporated in the fabrication of nanostructured small-scale energy storage devices. The outcome of this proposal will result in the realization of novel strategies for nanomanufacturing that alleviate several limitations currently involved in the integration of nanostructures into microsystems fabrication. The envisioned results are not limited only in the field of energy, but can be used by researchers to develop other types of devices where nanomaterials can mark a significant improvement, such as sensors with high selectivity and sensitivity and miniaturized heat dissipation components that can be integrated with commercial electronic products. The wide range of scientific matters involved in this investigation provides an ideal interdisciplinary "training matrix" for students from diverse backgrounds interested in research and education careers by bringing together aspects of science and engineering previously distinct from one another.