Voltage-gated potassium channels (Kv) of the Shaker-related superfamily are assembled from membrane-integrated alpha subunits and auxiliary beta subunits. The beta subunits may increase Kv channel surface expression and/or confer A-type behavior to noninactivating Kv channels in heterologous expression systems. The interaction of Kv alpha and Kv beta subunits depends on the presence or absence of several domains including the amino-terminal N-type inactivating and NIP domains and the Kv alpha and Kv beta binding domains. Loss of function of Kv beta 1.1 subunits leads to a reduction of A-type Kv channel activity in hippocampal and striatal neurons of knock-out mice. This reduction may be correlated with altered cognition and motor control in the knock-out mice.

Resistance thermometry is a time-tested method for taking temperature measurements. In recent years, fundamental limits to resistance-based approaches have spurred considerable interest in developing photonic temperature sensors as a viable alternative. In this study, we demonstrate that our photonic thermometer, which consists of a silicon waveguide integrated with a Bragg grating, can be used to measure temperature changes over the range of 5°C-160°C, with a combined expanded uncertainty [k=2, 95% confidence level] of 1.25°C. Computational modeling of the sensor predicts the resonance wavelength and effective refractive index within 4% of the measured value.

We have systematically examined the impact of structural parameters on silicon ring resonator-based photonic temperature sensor's performance by systematically varying the ring radius, waveguide width and gap separating the ring and waveguide.

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