Project Description: Diatoms, a class of single-celled algae, possess elaborately patterned exoskeletons made of silica. These organisms have the ability to actively take up soluble silicon from water, polymerize soluble silicon into solid silica nanospheres, and then assemble these nanospheres into intricate microstructures.
We are harnessing the biochemical machinery of the diatom cell to biologically fabricate nanostructured silicon-germanium oxide semiconductor materials. These materials may contain novel nanostructures possessing unique optoelectronic properties, and could inspire the development of new microelectronic devices and thin-film displays. Current technologies for nanostructured Si-Ge materials synthesis require exotic, high temperature processes such as molecular beam epitaxy, laser ablation, and DC magnetron sputtering. In contrast, biofabrication is a simple, environmentally benign, room-temperature process.
