Toward Atomic‐Level Manufacturing of Metals, Insulators, and Semiconductors Using Framework Nucleic Acids
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Atomic‐level manufacturing has rapidly emerged as a frontier in materials science, chemistry, and engineering, aiming to fabricate functional materials and devices with atomic‐level precision. Framework nucleic acids (FNAs), defined as nucleic acid‐based nanostructures with programmable spatial organization and properties beyond those of conventional nucleic acids, offer a powerful platform for this pursuit. Their precise spatial addressability enables the bottom‐up arrangement and integration of functional building blocks at nanometer and even atomic scales. FNAs have been employed to template the synthesis of metallic, insulating, and semiconducting nanomaterials. Metallization enables continuous or site‐specific conductive pathways, while insulating and semiconducting nanomaterials enable nanoscale control of dielectric and electronic components. Integration of FNAs with top‐down lithography further bridges mesoscopic and macroscopic dimensions, surpassing the precision limits of conventional fabrication. Despite challenges such as large‐area uniformity, FNAs hold great promise for cross‐scale manufacturing in next‐generation nanoelectronic and photonic devices with atomic‐level precision.
Source: Small Structures
Authors: Tiantian Fan, Xiaoliang Chen, Meiyuan Qi, Yingying Liu, Qinglong Yan, Lihua Wang, Jianlei Shen, Guangbao Yao
Institutions: Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai University
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,110
OpenAlex ID: W7120000803