DNA photonics

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) extracted and purified from salmon sperm was investigated for use in electro-optic devices as a cladding layer. The 500,000 molecular weight material has a refractive index less than that of common core materials such as poly(methyl)methacrylate (PMMA) and amorphous polycarbonates, shows a resistivity two orders of magnitude lower than common core materials, and shows no signs of degradation within 100°C of the host poling temperature. DNA was analyzed as a cladding material for two different chromophore systems, Disperse Red 1 (DR1), and Cheng-Larry Dalton 1 (CLD1) in a PMMA guest/host system. A baseline device, comprised only of a 1.7μm layer of PMMA, was tested for non-linearity with each chromophore, with the r 33 value increasing with increasing temperature and voltage. Doublestack devices included a 1μm thick DNA f ilm as the cladding layer with the baseline core layer above. Based on the dielectric properties of DNA, values of r 33 were calculated for the theoretical behavior of the devices. The recorded r 33 values were accurate within 5% of the calculated values with the DR1 chromophore, and within 20% with the CLD1 chromophore, hence showing good device reproducibility.