Abstract
DNA self-assembly: from basic science to practical applications
Nanofabrication technologies tend to fall into two categories: those, like semiconductor lithography, with a strong market pull, and those, such as DNA self-assembly, that originate from a technology push. While the former serve to sustain existing industries, the latter can create new ones. In both cases, the journey from initial concept to working product is a long one, with many twists and turns along the way. In this talk, I will briefly compare and contrast optical lithography and DNA-based assembly. I will focus on the latter, describing our efforts to build an understanding of the capabilities and limitations of this new nanofabrication paradigm, and ultimately to identify and demonstrate applications for which it is uniquely suited.
Biography
J. Alexander Liddle received his undergraduate and doctoral degrees in materials science from the University of Oxford. From there, he moved to Bell Laboratories, where he worked on developing technology for advanced semiconductor lithography and microelectromechanical systems for telecom applications. He then joined the Center for X-ray Optics at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and was later involved in the startup of the Molecular Foundry nanoscience user facility at LBNL. Before joining Canon Nanotechnologies, he spent two decades at NIST, most recently as chief of the Microsystems and Nanotechnology Division. His research focus is on lithography and directed self-assembly for the creation and manufacture of advanced devices. He has over 275 published papers, serves on numerous advisory committees, and is a fellow of the American Physical Society.