DNA template-driven synthesis of HgTe nanoparticles

Nanoparticle (mercury telluride (HgTe))–single-stranded (ss) DNA complex has been synthesized using an electrodeposition technique. As demonstrated by transmission electron microscopic measurements, the morphology of these particles is found to depend upon the ssDNA sequence. The surface feature of HgTe–ssDNA deposit gives an appearance of nanostars with an average size as 1.4 nm and exhibits the single crystalline cubic phase, contrary to the polydispersity and polycrystallinity observed with HgTe nanoparticles alone. The change in infrared absorption band of ssDNA as a consequence of its association with HgTe nanoparticles have been confirmed from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic measurements. Photoluminescence (PL) at 300 K of these nanostars have yielded a unique single PL of line width 8 nm at wavelength 548.4 nm