Self-assembled DNA nanostructures and DNA-templated silver nanowires

DNA-based nanotechnology has been attractive as a novel assembly method for fabricating nanostructures for the last two decades. Artificially designed, self-assembled DNA nanostructures have been reported with various geometrical structures and functionalities: one- and two-dimensional periodically patterned structures, three-dimensional polyhedra, nanomechanical devices, molecular computers, and organization of other functionalized molecules. This thesis describes self-assembled DNA nanostructures and DNA-templated metallic nanowires. One- and two-dimensional periodically patterned superstructures, such as filaments, lattices, nanoribbons, nanotracks, and nanogrids, utilizing newly conceived two distinct DNA motifs---three helix bundles, and the cross-tiles as well as synthetic double-stranded DNA molecules---will be discussed with unique design schemes and characteristics. DNA complexes have been visualized by high-resolution tapping mode atomic force microscopy under buffer. Their dimensions are shown to be in excellent agreement with designed structures. We have also presented fabrication of size-controllable, fully addressable, and precisely programmable DNA-based nanomatrices, consisting of two different cross-tiles using a novel stepwise assembly technique. Especially in design and construction of functionalized electronic nanodevices, properly fabricated DNA lattices can serve as a precisely controllable and programmable scaffold for organizing functionalized nanomaterials. DNA-templated metallic nanowires are an example demonstration of DNA molecules' scaffold capability and have been considered an interesting research subject for the last decade. Until recently, mostly native lambda-DNA molecules have been used as template for fabricating various metallic nanowires, such as silver, gold, palladium, platinum, and copper. In this thesis, we also present fabrication of metallic silver nanowires templated on artificially designed one-dimensional DNA nanostructures as well as native lambda-DNA molecules by a novel electroless deposition technique and demonstration of electrical measurements through silver nanowires at room temperature. DNA templated silver nanowires have a uniform width with a diameter down to ∼15 nm, which are among the thinnest conductive metal wires available to date by any method. The wires have been contacted by leads formed by electron beam lithography and show mostly ohmic behavior with resistances of ∼1 kO.