Guiding motor-propelled molecules with nanoscale precision through silanized bi-channel structures

We report on the design and fabrication of a channel structure for high precision guidance and achieving excellent confinement properties for motor-propelled molecular shuttles. The techniques used to manufacture the channel structure are mainly e-beam lithography and selective monolayer functionalization. The structure consists of two lateral layers of concentric channels on a SiO2 surface made biocompatible with the molecular motors. The quality and advantages of the design are demonstrated by experiments using the motor proteins actin and myosin. The special channel geometry leads to stable biochemical conditions with full motor protein functionality. ATP is sufficiently supplied to all parts of the structure by dedicated service channels, as is the venting of ADP and P-i (inorganic phosphorus). Channels of different widths (100-700 nm) and shapes are fabricated and measurements made on them.