Chemistry Scholarships

DNA-directed nanofabrication

Contacts: Udo Bach, Leone Spiccia

This project aims to develop a universal low-cost fabrication 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.

The project is highly interdisciplinary, involving various aspects of biochemistry, surface science and nanolithography techniques. We are looking for a highly self-motivated individual who is eager to widen his scientific horizon across the classical borders of chemistry, physics and biology.
The project will be carried out in collaboration with the University of California Berkeley as well as the Laurence Berkeley National Laboratory (USA). It is funded by the new ARC Centre of Excellence in Electromaterials Science (ACES)¹ as well as an Australian Research Fellowship (ARF).

Figure 1. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of discrete nanostructures of semiconductor (CdSe) and gold nanoparticles. The images show two, three, and four gold nanoparticles around the central CdSe particle. Gold particles have much higher contrast and are easier to spot in the TEM image than CdSe (scale bar =100 nm). Figure according to reference²

[1] http://www.arc.gov.au/grant_programs/electromaterials.htm
[2] A. Fu et al. J. Am. Chem Soc. 126 (2004) 10832