Protein-based ultrafast photonic switching

Abstract

Several inorganic and organic materials have been suggested for utilization as nonlinear optical material performing light-controlled active functions in integrated optical circuits, however, none of them is considered to be the optimal solution. Here we present the first demonstration of a subpicosecond photonic switch by an alternative approach, where the active role is performed by a material of biological origin: the chromoprotein bacteriorhodopsin, via its ultrafast BR->K and BR->I transitions. The results may serve as a basis for the future realization of protein-based integrated optical devices that can eventually lead to a conceptual revolution in the development of telecommunications technologies.

Functional Nanohybrid Materials from Photosynthetic Reaction Center Proteins

“…Obviously, these unique characteristics offer special possibilities for application where fast response at specific wavelength is required. Based on the optical characteristics (in the light absorption and refractive index) during the photocycle, implications for ultrafast integrated optical data-processing technology were already demonstrated by using bacteriorhodopsin, which is another light energy-converting protein [67,68]. Similar to the case of the bacteriorhodopsin, RC also accomplishes a photocycle-accompanying tunable lifetimes and wavelength ranges of absorption and refractive index changes from sub-ps to s time scales [20,69] (Figure 6).…”

Photonic spectral modulation in bacteriorhodopsin molecules and optimization of signal wavelength

“…Most of the photonic applications of BR are proposed considering operating wavelengths either corresponding to peak absorption of its longerlived intermediates, or conveniently obtained from various types of lasers [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14], which may not result maximum modulation due to large overlap and complexity of its intermediates spectra. To the best of our knowledge, a very important aspect, optimization of operating wavelengths in the intensity-induced nonlinear absorption based photonic devices of BR, has not been explored so far.…”

Integrated optical application of bacteriorhodopsin

“…Here we present the first experimental demonstration of a picosecond photonic switch using the refractive index change of the bR adlayer accompanying the ultrafast BR→K transition, allowing greater than 100 GHz communication speed in integrated optical devices [66].…”