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High-contrast, all-optical switching in bacteriorhodopsin films
Ravinder Kumar Banyal1, B Raghavendra Prasad
1Optical Science Laboratory, Centre for Research and Education in Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore 560034, India.
Applied Optics
|September 16, 2005
Summary
Photochromic bacteriorhodopsin films enable all-optical switching by controlling light transmission. Switching performance depends on probe wavelength, pump intensity, and excitation rate, offering tunable optical control.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Biophysics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) is a photochromic protein with potential for optical switching applications.
- All-optical switching offers advantages in speed and integration for photonic devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate nonlinear-absorption-based all-optical switching in bacteriorhodopsin films.
- To explore the influence of key experimental parameters on switching performance.
- To compare switching characteristics of wild-type and D96N variant BR films.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a pump-probe spectroscopy setup to induce and measure optical switching.
- Employed a 532 nm pump beam to control probe beam transmission through BR films.
- Varied probe wavelengths (543, 594, 633 nm), pump intensities, and excitation rates.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated high-contrast, all-optical switching in BR films.
- Identified significant dependence of switching properties on probe wavelength, pump intensity, and excitation rate.
- Presented comparative data for wild-type and D96N BR variants.
Conclusions:
- Bacteriorhodopsin films are effective for all-optical switching applications.
- Tunable control over switching behavior is achievable by adjusting experimental parameters.
- The study provides valuable insights for developing BR-based photonic devices.