Electrical properties characterization of Ni-DNA devices

Chia-Ching Chang^1,2,3*, Wen-Bin Jian², Yu-Chang Chen²

¹Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
²Department of Electrophysics, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, hsinchu, Taiwan
³Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan

* Presenter:Chia-Ching Chang, email:ccchang01@nycu.edu.tw

DNA chelated with Ni ions (Ni-DNA) has been fabricated in our laboratory. The Ni-DNA nanowire devices demonstrated both memristor and memcapacitor behaviors which may attribute to the redox states transition between Ni²⁺ and Ni³⁺. Interestingly, thermal fluctuation may enhance redox state transition rate of Ni ions and ultrahigh Seebeck coefficients (S) can be observed by applying various thermal gradient on this device. Furthermore, 2-D Y-shape Ni-DNA device has been developed and its demonstrated BJT-like analog transistor behavior. Comparing to the electrolytic analog transistor which reported by John Bardeen in 1954, our device is the first solid type analog transistor in the world. Moreover, a Ni-DNA with 3-D structure, DNAzyme, has been fabricated. The structural analysis indicated that it contains non-Ni ions chelating loop. Its effective impedance is not good than linear Ni-DNA by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. These results indicated that the phosphate backbone of DNA may block charge transfer and the change transfer may pass through the π-π corridor. Namely, each linear Ni-DNA molecule is a conducting nanowire with a potential barrier cladding.

Keywords: Ni-DNA, memristor, memcapacitor, Seebeck coefficient, analog transistor