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Updated: Sep 21, 2025

Assembly of Gold Nanorods into Chiral Plasmonic Metamolecules Using DNA Origami Templates
Published on: March 5, 2019
DNA-Assembled Chiral Satellite-Core Nanoparticle Superstructures: Two-State Chiral Interactions from Dynamic and
Li Ma1,2,3,4, Yan Liu3,4,5, Cong Han3,4,5
1Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, China.
Researchers created chiral nanostructures using DNA origami for advanced optical studies. These structures exhibit unique optical responses based on their conformation, paving the way for chiral metasurfaces.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Chirality
- Optical Physics
Background:
- Developing chiral nanostructures for solution-phase self-assembly and solid-phase preservation is challenging.
- Observing optical responses influenced by conformation and excitation requires stable chiral nanostructures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create quasi-planar chiral nanoparticle superstructures using DNA origami.
- To investigate complex chiral mechanisms including planar, 3D, and induced chirality transfer.
- To demonstrate distinct optical responses based on dynamic and static conformations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized DNA origami technology to construct satellite-core nanoparticle superstructures.
- Performed combined theoretical studies and experimental measurements on solution- and solid-phase samples.
- Analyzed circular dichroism (CD) line shapes to understand optical responses.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated chiral nanostructures with an intermediate geometry between monolayer and double layer.
- Disentangled complex chiral mechanisms, including planar, 3D, and induced chirality transfer.
- Observed two distinct optical response states (split or nonsplit CD line shape) correlating with dynamic and static conformations.
Conclusions:
- The developed chiral nanostructures are suitable for both solution-phase self-assembly and solid-phase preservation.
- The study represents a significant advancement toward realizing colloidal chiral metasurfaces.
- Demonstrated the potential of DNA origami for designing sophisticated chiral nanomaterials with tunable optical properties.
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