Selective electroless deposition of metal clusters on solid-supported bacteriorhodopsin: Applications to orientation labeling and electrical contacts

Izhar Ron, Noga Friedman, David Cahen, Mordechai Sheves

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Controlling the orientation of bacteriorhodopsin (bR) monolayers is an important step in studying and utilizing such membranes in a solid-state configuration in, for example, photoelectric applications. Macroscopic monolayers of bR have been fabricated in a variety of ways, but characterization of the distribution of the two possible orientations in which the membrane fragments can adsorb has not yet been addressed experimentally. Here, an approach is presented that labels only one of the membrane surfaces by electroless growth of metal nanoparticles on top of the solid-supported membranes. In this way, it is possible to observe which surface of the membranes is actually adsorbed to the substrate. How this technique serves to interface the membranes with a top metal contact for further electrical measurements is also demonstrated.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2271-2278
Number of pages8
JournalSmall
Volume4
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Dec 2008
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Bacteriorhodopsin
  • Electroless deposition
  • Platinum
  • Silver

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • General Chemistry
  • Biomaterials
  • General Materials Science
  • Engineering (miscellaneous)

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