Diffractive optics from self-assembled DNA

An algorithm is presented for assembling tiles into a variable spaced grating, the one-dimensional analog of a Fresnel zone plate. The algorithm supports multi-level gratings. The x-ray properties of such a grating, assumed to be constructed from DNA are estimated, leading to the conclusion that thick structures may be useful for intermediate energy x rays, but that thin structures for soft x rays are best used as disposable masks. The diffraction of cold, coherent atoms is a plausible application for single layer stencils.