Nano- and micro-fabrication for single-molecule biological studies

Heterogeneity is a general feature in biological system. In order to avoid possible misleading effects of ensemble averaging, and to ensure a correct understanding of the biological system, it is very important to look into individuals, such as a single bio-molecule or a single cell, for details. The size of a single bio-molecule/cell typically...

Topoisomerase and the unwinding of stressed DNA

Advancing single-molecule instrumentation through nanoscale optics, fabrication, and surface functionalization

This thesis describes developments in the single-molecule instrumentation, in particular optical torque wrench and DNA nanocurtains, with the goal of employing these techniques in studies of biomolecules and biomotors. Importantly, the use of single-crystal rutile titanium dioxide nanocylinders is suggested for optical torque wrench, enabling...

Nanofabrication of electrodes with sub-5 nm spacing for transport experiments on single molecules and metal clusters