Integrated optical switching based on the protein bacteriorhodopsin.
According to our earlier pioneering study, a dry film containing native bacteriorhodopsin (bR) shows unique nonlinear optical properties (refractive index change, controllable by light of different colors, greater than 2 x 10(-3)) that are in many respects superior to those of the materials presently applied in integrated optics. Here, we report on the first integrated optical application based on a miniature Mach-Zehnder interferometer (see Figs. 1 and 2) demonstrating a real switching effect by bR (efficiency higher than 90%) due to the M-state. Our results also imply that the refractive index change of the K-state (9 x 10(-4)) is high enough for fast switching.
Dér
András
A
Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary.
Valkai
Sándor
S
Fábián
László
L
Ormos
Pál
P
Ramsden
Jeremy J
JJ
Wolff
Elmar K
EK
D001436:Bacteriorhodopsins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004581:Electronics; D008857:Microscopy, Interference / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D010777:Photochemistry
D001436:Bacteriorhodopsins