Nanoscale Biomolecular Optoelectronic Function

Figure. Protein ligand assures noncentrosymmetric
chromophore-chromophore organization of hyperpolarizble
Ru-PZn in 2- and 3-dimensionally-ordered ensembles.

M. J. Therien, PI

Goals:
Establish nanoscale architectures that carry out electrical-to-optical signal transduction, optical beam steering, optical phase control, and optical limiting functions.

Strategy:
Chromophore engineering (Therien) and de novo protein design (Saven, DeGrado) are exploited to develop nanoscale analogues (Blasie, Bonnell, Johnson) of macro-scale electrooptic devices such as frequency doublers, electrooptic modulators, waveguide switches, and polarization transformers.

Impact:
Demonstrated de novo design of a four-helix bundle protein that selectively binds a non-biological cofactor defines a path to developing well-defined nanoscale materials that have unique electrooptic functionality.

References: J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 13806-13813; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 1346-1347; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 9710-9720.