This invention relates to techniques which utilize programmable functionalized self-assembling nucleic acids, nucleic acid modified structures, and other selective affinity or binding moieties as building blocks. The invention is a method for the fabrication of micro scale and nanoscale devices comprising the steps of: fabricating first component devices on a first support, releasing at least one first component device from the first support, transporting the first component device to a second support, and attaching the first component device to the second support. The invention also provides for orienting a structure in an electric field, reacting affinity sequences, and assembling chromophoric structures by photoactivation.

Nanometre scale particles (3) are deposited on a substrate (1,2) that provides receptor sites of a first polarity on its surface. The particles are provided with a surface charge of a second opposite polarity such that they are attracted to the receptor sites on the substrate and adhere to it at locations that are spaced apart as a result of an electrostatic repulsion force between adjacent particles. As a result, a monolayer of particles is formed with even spacing, for use in quantum electronic devices.

A novel carbon material is obtained by bending at least one carbon atom layer of graphite in at least one selected region along either, or both, of lines I and II in Fig. 1. The bending can be accomplished by scanningly picking the carbon atom layer(s) with a probe of an atomic force microscope or another scanning microscope. The obtained carbon material has at least one round bend having a width of 0.1-10 nm and at least one flap region having a triangular, rectangular or still differently polygonal shape in plan view. When the carbon atom layer(s) is bent with very small radii of curvature, a finely striped ridge-and-groove structure appears in the round bend. The physical properties of the obtained carbon material are uniquely determined by the direction(s) of bending, width of each bend, shape and size of each flap region and the stripe pitch of the ridge-and-groove structure.

Submicron structures are written on a surface (12) by positioning in nanometer range proximity, preferably within current tunnelling range, of the surface a scanning tip (11) of a material that emits atoms upon application of an applied voltage of low magnitude. While the tip is maintained within said range, it is moved relative to the surface, and a series of short voltage pulses are concurrently applied between the tip and surface. These pulses cause atoms of tip material to directly transfer to the surface and concurrently cause remaining atoms (21) of tip material to migrate to the tip and continuously reform the tip and maintain its sharp configuration, thereby insuring uninterrupted writing ability. Various tip materials exhibiting low field evaporation potentials may be used; however, gold is preferred if deposition is to be under ambient conditions. Heating the tip enhances the ability of the material to emit atoms. The deposited structures (20) may be selectively sensed or erased by application of appropriate voltages.

Die Erfindung betrifft ein Verfahren zu gezielten, ortsselektiven und zeitstabilen Modifikation von Festkörperoberflächen im Nanometerbereich ohne Zerstörung der atomaren Ordnung der Festkörperoberfläche am Ort der Struktur und in deren Umgebung wobei an der Oberfäche von Festkörpern mit Schichtstruktur durch den Einfluß einer lokalen Sonde eine lokale Delamination erzeugt wird sowie die Verwendung dieses Verfahrens zur Speicherung von Informationen.