Stable and reproducible electronic conduction through DNA molecular junctions
Date of this Version
8-2009Citation
DOI: 10.1063/1.3186056
This document has been peer-reviewed.
Abstract
This letter presents the observation of stable and reproducible electronic conduction through double stranded (ds) DNA molecules in a nominally dry state. Stable conduction was realized by immobilizing 15 base-pair guanine:cytosine rich dsDNA within gold nanogap junctions, stabilizing the dsDNA with a polycation, and characterizing in nitrogen. In air, the current levels decrease with successive voltage scans likely due to oxidation of the guanine bases under bias. In nitrogen, reproducible current-voltage traces are observed and the current levels at specific bias points are stable with time. The stability allows comprehensive electrical studies and could enable conductance-based DNA sensors.
Discipline(s)
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
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