Self-Assembled Circuit Patterns

Abstract. Self-assembly is a process in which basic units aggregate under attractive forces to form larger compound structures. Recent theoretical work has shown that pseudo-crystalline self-assembly can be algorithmic, in the sense that complex logic can be programmed into the growth process [26]. This theoretical work builds on the theory of twodimensional tilings [8], using rigid square tiles called Wang tiles [24] for the basic units of self-assembly, and leads to Turing-universal models such as the Tile Assembly Model [28]. Using the Tile Assembly Model, we show how algorithmic self-assembly can be exploited for fabrication tasks such as constructing the patterns that define certain digital circuits, including demultiplexers, RAM arrays, pseudowavelet transforms, and Hadamard transforms. Since DNA self-assembly appears to be promising for implementing the arbitrary Wang tiles [30, 13] needed for programming in the Tile Assembly Model, algorithmic self-assembly methods such as tho...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2003
• Where: DNA
• Authors: Matthew Cook, Paul W. K. Rothemund, Erik Winfree
• Keywords: Algorithmic Self-assembly, DNA 2003, Self-assembly, Tile Assembly Model