Biomolecular Recognition of Semiconductor and Magnetic Materials to Pattern Quantum Confined and Magnetoelectronic Structures.

摘要

Semiconductor materials synthesized as oriented nanocrystals or assembled into nanowires and quantum dot solids of a single or multiple materials have technological potential in device fabrication. Our research over the past several years has demonstrated the application of peptides and biological templates to control growth and assemble nanocrystals into potential technologically important materials. The research covered by this grant had three key stages: Selection of Peptides that interacted specifically with a certain material; Using peptides to bind and/or grow nanoparticles or quantum dots; and finally using specific peptide moieties to pattern materials, including heterostructured materials. M13 bacteriophage library screening was used to isolate peptide fusions capable of not only material specific recognition, but directed crystal phase nucleation of some if not all of the semiconductor and magnetic materials studied, including ZnS, CdS, PbS, Co, CoPt, FePt, Fe2O3, Fe3O4, GaAs, InP, Si and carbon. Virus-semiconductor films were synthesized using the recognition viruses isolated. Genetic engineering encoding the specific peptides was also used to create a viral template to nucleate nanocrystals in an oriented fashion, forming wire-like structures, thus achieving patterning of materials using biological precursors. The nanocrystalline viral nanowires were further transformed to single crystalline nanowires through a heat treatment process.