DNA Directed Nanofabrication - A novel, universal, highly parallel bottom-up assembly approach

This proposal aims to develop a universal low-cost technique to assemble nanometre-sized particles to larger functional structures with unique optical, electrical and mechanical properties. The proposed strategy is unique in that it combines simple state-of-the-art nanopatterning tools with DNA programmable self-assembly strategies. Our work goes beyond current assembly techniques in that DNA nanopatterned surfaces are used as catalytic assembly sites, rather then the final target substrate. This templated fabrication method will thereby yield solubilized nanostructures in repetitive cycles, similar to the way a heterogeneous catalyst facilitates the formation of larger molecules from smaller molecular subunits.