Light-Driven Modulation of Electrical Current through DNA Sequences: Engineering of a Molecular Optical Switch

Designing a molecular switch with bistable on/off states is of particular interest in molecular electronics. Motivated by experimental studies of molecular conductors, interplays of photons and electrons and their effects on electrical properties are studied theoretically. We have tried to model a molecular optical switch based on DNA sequences of the hepatitis delta virus and Toxocara canis parasite. The electrical response of chains to the light irradiation was examined to optimize the function of an optical switch. The switch turns on when the amplitude of incident irradiation and its frequency approach to 0.3 at the unit of (ℏc)/(er₀) and 2 THz, respectively. We can modulate the switching of the system via the simultaneous variation of effective factors and obtain different islands in the parameter settings. The appearance of different islands in the parameter surface relates to the on/off states of electrical current, which can be verified and estimated through the multifractal analysis.