Patterning of monolayers of crystalline S-layer proteins on a silicon surface by deep ultraviolet radiation

This paper describes the patterning of S-layers on untreated silicon wafer surfaces by deep UV radiation. S-layers are two-dimensional crystalline 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 — even on a demanding three dimensional topography. The possibility of structuring S-protein monolayers in the submicron range opens a broad spectrum of applications in the field of molecular nanotechnology and biomimetics. S-layers play a key role as geometrically and physicochemically precisely defined immobilisation matrices in the binding of functional molecules (e.g. enzymes or antibodies) in bioanalytical sensors, as supporting layers for functional lipid membranes (e.g. in ion sensitive field effect transistors), or as intermediate layers for binding ligands in the design of resists for nanostructure lithography.