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Field effect transistors based on semiconductive microbially synthesized chalcogenide nanofibers
Ian R McFarlane1, Julia R Lazzari-Dean2, Mohamed Y El-Naggar3
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, 920 Bloom Walk, Seaver Science Center 215C, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0484, USA.
Shewanella bacteria efficiently synthesize arsenic sulfide nanofibers for electronic devices. This sustainable bioprocess yields high-purity nanomaterials at low temperatures, demonstrating potential for optoelectronics.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology and Nanomaterials Science
- Microbial Synthesis of Inorganic Materials
- Low-Temperature Nanomaterial Fabrication
Background:
- Microbial redox activity is a promising route for low-temperature synthesis of nanostructured inorganic materials.
- Dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria, such as Shewanella, can produce photoactive filamentous arsenic sulfide nanomaterials.
- Understanding the kinetics and characteristics of biogenic nanomaterials is crucial for their technological application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the precipitation kinetics and yield of extracellular arsenic sulfide (As2S3) nanofibers produced by Shewanella sp. strain ANA-3.
- To characterize the synthesized As2S3 nanofibers using advanced microscopy and spectroscopy.
- To demonstrate the potential of these biogenic nanofibers in functional electronic devices.
Main Methods:
- Utilized anaerobic culture conditions with Shewanella sp. strain ANA-3 for biogenic As2S3 nanofiber synthesis.
- Employed in situ microscopic observations and kinetic measurements to determine precipitation rates and activation energy.
- Characterized the nanomaterials using electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, electron probe microanalysis, UV-vis spectrophotometry, and X-ray diffraction.
- Fabricated and tested field-effect transistors (FETs) using individual As2S3 nanofibers.
Main Results:
- Achieved high yield (504 mg/L, 82% theoretical) of extracellular As2S3 nanofibers using Shewanella sp. strain ANA-3.
- Determined the thermally activated precipitation kinetics with an activation energy of 79 kJ mol(-1).
- Characterized the material as primarily amorphous As2S3 nanofibers with an indirect optical band gap of 2.37 eV, alongside crystalline As8S(9-x) minerals.
- Demonstrated successful fabrication of nanoscale FETs with charge mobility of ~10(-5) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1).
Conclusions:
- Shewanella sp. strain ANA-3 facilitates fast, efficient, and sustainable low-temperature synthesis of arsenic sulfide nanofibers.
- Biogenic As2S3 nanofibers possess properties suitable for electronic and optoelectronic applications.
- Bacterial biotransformation offers a viable method for producing technologically relevant chalcogenides.
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