All-optical light modulation in bacteriorhodopsin films
Year: 1995
Type: article
Abstract: We report a convenient method to obtain all-optical light modulation in bacteriorhodopsin films using a degenerate four-wave mixing geometry. Chemically stabilized films of bacteriorhodopsin in a polymer matrix for which the lifetime of the excited M state is tens of seconds were used to demonstrate all-optical light intensity modulation. The films are observed to be stable over a period of 4 years. Due to the sensitivity of the films, small intensities of order microwatt/ cm2 are required in the modulation experiments. Furthermore the fast photochemical transition from M to B permit reasonably fast modulation speeds independent of the slow thermal M and B relaxation time. The experimental system also acts as an all-optical switch where a low power blue pulse turns on a signal red beam.
Source: Applied Physics Letters
DOI: 10.1063/1.115401
Authors: F. J. Aranda, R. Garimella, N. F. McCarthy, D. Narayana Rao, D. V. G. L. N. Rao, Z. Chen, J. A. Akkara, D. L. Kaplan, J. F. Roach
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2082939236