NSF: Nanofabrication Using Viral Biotemplates for MEMS Applications

Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR) is the PI for a three-year, $401,712 NSF grant, "Nanofabrication Using Viral Biotemplates for MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) Applications." The research will make use of the self-assembly and metal-binding properties of a biological nanostructure, the Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV), in the development of novel functional materials and fabrication processes for energy microsystems applications. The TMV is a high aspect ratio cylindrical plant virus that can be genetically engineered to include amino acids with enhanced metal-binding properties. These genetic modifications facilitate electroless plating of the molecules as well as self-assembly onto various substrates. The developed processes will be incorporated in the fabrication of new, nanostructured small-scale energy storage devices.