Light driven, integrated optical device
AssigneeThe Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
InventorsPal Ormos, Andras Der, Elmar Klaus Wolff, Jeremy J. Ramsden
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Abstract
A fully light-controllable integrated optical switch applicable in a slab geometry configuration includes a waveguide and an ad-medium in contact with the waveguide. The the ad-medium comprises a photochromic protein as a material of non-linear optical property, wherein switching of a light propagating in the waveguide is effected by a change of an optical property of the ad-medium caused by a light-induced transition of the photochromic protein from one defined molecular state to another.
Claims12
A fully light-controllable integrated optical switch applicable in a slab geometry configuration, comprising:
- a waveguide;
- and
- an ad-medium in contact with the waveguide, the ad-medium comprising a photochromic protein as a material of non-linear optical property, wherein switching of a light propagating in the waveguide is effected by a change of an optical property of the ad-medium caused by a light-induced transition of the photochromic protein from one defined molecular state to another.
A method for carrying out switching using a fully light-controllable integrated optical logical device including a waveguide and in contact with the waveguide an ad-medium comprising a photochromic protein as a material of non linear optical property, comprising the steps of;
- changing an optical property, preferably the refractive index of the ad-medium by inducing a transition of the photochromic protein from one defined molecular state to another by using a control light, preferably a controlling laser and thereby effecting switching of a light in the waveguide.
A method for the preparation of a fully light controllable integrated optical device comprising a photochromic protein as a material of non linear optical property, comprising the steps of:
- i) coating the surface of a waveguide with an ad-medium, preferably an ad-layer, comprising a protein of non linear optical property, preferably of the bacteriorhodopsin family, and, optionally
- ii) preparing, within the ad-layer, either a permanent grating by holographic bleaching or a transient, holographic grating by the interference of two identical laser beams.
- wherein preferably
- a water suspension of bacteriorhodopsin is prepared,
- the suspension is mixed with an inert, film-forming material, preferably gelatine, the final concentration of which is 0.1 to 0.6% preferably 0.5%, the obtained medium, preferably as an ad-layer, is applied to the waveguide, and dried, preferably under laminar air flow.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.