title: Biomimetic self-assembly of a functional asymmetrical electronic device.
abstract: This paper introduces a biomimetic strategy for the fabrication of asymmetrical, three-dimensional electronic devices modeled on the folding of a chain of polypeptide structural motifs into a globular protein. Millimeter-size polyhedra-patterned with logic devices, wires, and solder dots-were connected in a linear string by using flexible wire. On self-assembly, the string folded spontaneously into two domains: one functioned as a ring oscillator, and the other one as a shift register. This example demonstrates that biomimetic principles of design and self-organization can be applied to generate multifunctional electronic systems of complex, three-dimensional architecture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Mila
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boncheva
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Gracias
authors.forename: Heiko O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: George M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Whitesides
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D004581:Electronics; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D017510:Protein Folding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides