All-optical switching in dye-doped DNA nanofibers

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates all-optical switching in DNA-based nanofibers doped with a nonlinear dye, showing reversible birefringence control with fast response times, promising for photonic applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel all-optical switching mechanism using dye-doped DNA nanofibers with reversible birefringence and rapid switching capabilities.

Findings

Optical birefringence observed in dye-doped DNA nanofibers.

Reversible switching controlled by continuous-wave laser irradiation.

Switching times are in the sub-millisecond range.

Abstract

All-optical switches are introduced which are based on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in the form of electrospun fibers, where DNA is semi-intercalated with a push-pull, luminescent nonlinear pyrazoline derivative. Optical birefringence is found in the organic nanofibers, with fully reversible switching controlled through continuous-wave laser irradiation. The photoinduced signal is remarkably large, with birefringence highlighted by optically-driven refractive index anisotropy approaching 0.001. Sub-millisecond characteristic switching times are found. Integrating dye-intercalated DNA complex systems in organic nanofibers, as convenient and efficient approach to template molecular organization and controlling it by external stimuli, might open new routes for realizing optical logic gates, reconfigurable photonic networks and sensors through physically-transient biopolymer components.