Viral-assisted assembly and photoelectric response of individual Au/CdSe core–shell nanowires

Individual viral-templated Au/CdSe core–shell nanowires were synthesized and electrically characterized at room temperature. The Au nanowire cores were constructed using a genetically-modified filamentous M13 bacteriophage as a scaffold. Au nanoparticles were selectively bound to the viruses and used as seeds for electroless deposition, forming continuous Au nanowires. The nanocrystalline CdSe shell material which formed a coaxial heterojunction with the Au nanowire was created by electrodeposition. Electrical characterization of the Au nanowires revealed resistance variations associated with the viral-templated assembly process. The photoelectrical response of the core–shell nanowires was used to assess the interaction between the two component materials. A correlation was found between the dark current of the Au/CdSe core–shell nanowire and the magnitude of the collected photocurrent.

► Individual Au/CdSe core–shell nanowires were assembled using a viral scaffold.
► Core–shell material interaction was assessed with photoelectrical measurements.
► Collected photocurrent was proportional to nanowire dark current.