Photos: From E. coli to electronics

The proteins, the white glowing bits in the photograph, came from a virus genetically engineered by Cambrios. One end of the protein is attracted to, and sticks to, copper. The other end sticks to cobalt. By dipping a silicon wafer etched with microscopic copper wires in a soup of these proteins, a semiconductor maker can effectively lay down the glue for putting on a layer of cobalt on top of the copper. To put on cobalt, the manufacturer just has to dip the wafer in a second soup. Now, putting an insulating layer on copper?which will connect transistors in chips--requires several expensive steps.

Photo by Cambrios