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DNA Nanowires

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 July 2020

J.F. Hainfeld
Affiliation:
Biology Department, Brookhaven National Lab, Upton, NY, 11973
F.R. Furuya
Affiliation:
Nanoprobes, Inc., 95 Horseblock Rd., Yaphank, NY, 11980
R.D. Powell
Affiliation:
Nanoprobes, Inc., 95 Horseblock Rd., Yaphank, NY, 11980
W. Liu
Affiliation:
Biology Department, Brookhaven National Lab, Upton, NY, 11973
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Abstract

Current computer chip technology is based on lithographic methods that limit components to ∼0.3 microns in size, due to the wavelength of light, and the photoresist/coating/etching processes. The size directly determines computer speed, complexity and cost, and advances in computers over the years have mostly been due to reduction in component size. It is here proposed to construct nanowires that are approximately 2 nm in diameter, or 150 times smaller than currently available. For 2 dimensions, this translates into a 1502 = 22,500-fold computational advantage. Additionally, 3 dimensional construction is proposed, bringing the potential improvement factor to 3,375,000. While it is probably unrealistic that this factor of packing density can be fully achieved, even several orders of magnitude improvement over current technology would be significant.

A wire width 2 nm may be achieved by placing gold quantum dots along a DNA template. Ends of the DNA-nanowire may be designed with sequences to attach by hybridization to complementary sequences on target connection pads, so that the two ends will seek and automatically wire correctly in solution. This strategy is easily adaptable to 3-dimensional wiring. Conduction between gold quantum dots may be studied as a function of spacing, size and coatings.

Type
Labeling for Microscopy and Correlative Microscopy (Organized by R. Albrecht)
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2001

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References

references

1. The authors wish to thank Dr. Joseph Wall, Dr. Martha Simon, Ms. Beth Lin, and Mr. Frank Kito for STEM operation. Research supported by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research of the U.S. Department of Energy under Prime Contract No. DE-AC02-98CH10886 with Brookhaven National Laboratory, and by National Institutes of Health Grant 2 P41 RR01777 and SBIR grants.Google Scholar