2. Academic Validation
  3. An All-Optical Excitonic Switch Operated in the Liquid and Solid Phases

An All-Optical Excitonic Switch Operated in the Liquid and Solid Phases

  • ACS Nano. 2019 Mar 26;13(3):2986-2994. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.8b07504.
Donald L Kellis 1,  Christopher Sarter 2,  Brittany L Cannon 1,  Paul H Davis 1,  Elton Graugnard 1,  Jeunghoon Lee 1 3,  Ryan D Pensack 1,  Theresa Kolmar 2,  Andres Jäschke 2,  Bernard Yurke 1 4,  William B Knowlton 1 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Micron School of Materials Science & Engineering , Boise State University , Boise , Idaho 83725 , United States.
  • 2 Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology , Heidelberg University , 69120 Heidelberg , Germany.
  • 3 Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry , Boise State University , Boise , Idaho 83725 , United States.
  • 4 Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering , Boise State University , Boise , Idaho 83725 , United States.
PMID: 30758934 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b07504
Abstract

The excitonic circuitry found in photosynthetic organisms suggests an alternative to electronic circuits, but the assembly of optically active molecules to fabricate even simple excitonic devices has been hampered by the limited availability of suitable molecular scale assembly technologies. Here we have designed and operated a hybrid all-optical excitonic switch comprised of donor/acceptor chromophores and photochromic nucleotide modulators assembled with nanometer scale precision using DNA nanotechnology. The all-optical excitonic switch was operated successfully in both liquid and solid phases, exhibiting high ON/OFF switching contrast with no apparent cyclic fatigue through nearly 200 cycles. These findings, combined with the switch's small footprint and volume, estimated low energy requirement, and potential ability to switch at speeds in the 10s of picoseconds, establish a prospective pathway forward for all-optical excitonic circuits.

Keywords

DNA nanotechnology; all-optical switch; excitonic transfer; fret; photochromic nucleotide.

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