  Surface plasmon resonances generated in metallic nanostructures can be
utilized to tailor electromagnetic fields. The precise spatial arrangement of
such structures can result in surprising optical properties that are not found
in any naturally occurring material. Here, the designed activity emerges from
collective effects of singular components equipped with limited individual
functionality. Top-down fabrication of plasmonic materials with a predesigned
optical response in the visible range by conventional lithographic methods has
remained challenging due to their limited resolution, the complexity of
scaling, and the difficulty to extend these techniques to three-dimensional
architectures. Molecular self-assembly provides an alternative route to create
such materials which is not bound by the above limitations. We demonstrate how
the DNA origami method can be used to produce plasmonic materials with a
tailored optical response at visible wavelengths. Harnessing the assembly power
of 3D DNA origami, we arranged metal nanoparticles with a spatial accuracy of 2
nm into nanoscale helices. The helical structures assemble in solution in a
massively parallel fashion and with near quantitative yields. As a designed
optical response, we generated giant circular dichroism and optical rotary
dispersion in the visible range that originates from the collective
plasmon-plasmon interactions within the nanohelices. We also show that the
optical response can be tuned through the visible spectrum by changing the
composition of the metal nanoparticles. The observed effects are independent of
the direction of the incident light and can be switched by design between left-
and right-handed orientation. Our work demonstrates the production of complex
bulk materials from precisely designed nanoscopic assemblies and highlights the
potential of DNA self-assembly for the fabrication of plasmonic nanostructures.

Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics;Materials Science;Soft Condensed Matter;Biological Physics;Optics