PATTERNING OF MONOLAYERS OF CRYSTALLINE S-LAYER PROTEINS ON A SILICONSURFACE BY DEEP-ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION

This paper describes the patterning of S-layers on untreated silicon w afer surfaces by deep UV radiation. S-layers are two-dimensional cryst alline protein layers with the unique capability to recrystallise with perfect uniformity at liquid surface interfaces or on solid supports such as silicon wafers. This effect occurs - without planarisation - e ven on a demanding three dimensional topography. The possibility of st ructuring S-protein monolayers in the submicron range opens a broad sp ectrum of applications in the field of molecular nanotechnology and bi omimetics. S-layers play a key role as geometrically and physicochemic ally precisely defined immobilisation matrices in the binding of funct ional molecules (e.g. enzymes or antibodies) in bioanalytical sensors, as supporting layers for functional lipid membranes (e.g. in ion sens itive field effect transistors), or as intermediate layers for binding ligands in the design of resists for nanostructure lithography.