Conductive atomic force microscopy study of single molecule electron transport through the Azurin-gold nanoparticle system
Author(s)
Date Issued
2013
Type
article
Volume
102
Issue
20
Journal
Abstract
Transduction of biorecognition events into electrical signals through integration of single redox metalloproteins in bioelectronic nanodevices requires both a reliable electrical contact between the biomolecule and the metallic electrode and an efficient overall conduction mechanism. These conditions have been met in the hybrid system obtained by linking gold nanoparticles on top of Azurin proteins, in turn assembled on gold surfaces. Such an assembling strategy, combined with a conductive atomic force microscopy investigation, has allowed us to put into evidence an unprecedented matching between current and topography features and to attribute the intramolecular charge transport to a non-resonant tunnelling mechanism. © 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.