Emily M. Heckman

Processing techniques for deoxyribonucleic acid: Biopolymer for photonics applications

Marine-based deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), purified from waste products of the Japanese fishing industry, has recently become a material of interest in photonics applications. Using highly purified DNA, unique processing techniques developed specifically to transform the purified DNA into a biopolymer suitable for optical device fabrication are reported.

DNA Photonics [Deoxyribonucleic Acid]

ABSTRACT Purified deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) derived from salmon and scallop sperm has demonstrated excellent passive and active optical properties. Characterization of the optical and electromagnetic properties of DNA suggests suitability for photonic applications. One of interesting features of DNA we discovered was an intercalation of aromatic compounds into stacked layers within the double helix of DNA molecules. We found that various optical dyes inserted into the double helix of DNA molecules rendered active optical waveguide materials with excellent nonlinear optical properties. Our research included the investigation of DNA for use as an optical waveguide material as well as intercalation of fluorescent dyes, photochromic dyes, nonlinear optic chromophores, two photon dyes and rare earth compounds into DNA for use as a nonlinear optical material.

Development of chemical sensors using polymer optical waveguides fabricated with DNA

A number of studies are currently focused on using polymers derived from salmon DNA as the primary ingredient in the design of optical waveguide devices. Although the long term goal is to develop optical devices for rapid chemical and biosensing, this work was aimed specifically at studying the response of a planar DNA waveguide to ammonia in nitrogen and air with controlled amounts of humidity at ambient temperatures. This follows the work of S. S. Sarkisov et al. who used PMMA and other polymer films doped with the indicator dye bromocresol purple (BCP). These devices are characterized by absorption sensitivities of the order 0.1 dB attenuation of the transmitted light signal per 100 ppm change in the NH3 concentration with response times of better than 1 ms and can be recycled with no loss of sensitivity. The performances of waveguide devices using films fabricated with high and low molecular weight DNA with BCP are compared to BCP-doped PMMA devices.

DNA-based nonlinear photonic materials

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), extracted from salmon sperm through an enzyme isolation process, is a by-product of Japan’s fishing industry. To make DNA a suitable material for nonlinear optic (NLO) applications, it is precipitated with a surfactant complex, hexadecyltrimethlammonium chloride (CTMA). Preliminary characterization studies suggest DNA-CTMA may be a suitable host material for guest-host NLO polymer based electro-optic (EO) waveguide devices. The optical and electromagnetic properties of DNA-CTMA, as well as the development and EO measurement of a disperse red 1 (DR1) guest / DNA/CTMA host NLO material, are reported. Comparisons to a DR1 guest / poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) host NLO material are made.

DNA- new class of polymer

Suitable organic and polymeric based materials for electronic and photonic applications must possess the desired electromagnetic and optical properties to achieve optimal device performance in order to be more competitive with their inorganic counterparts. A new class of biopolymer, processed from purified marine-based deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), has been investigated for use in both electronic and photonic applications and has demonstrated promise as an excellent dielectric and optical waveguide material. In this paper we present examples of devices using this new DNA-based biopolymer.

Development of an all-DNA-surfactant electro-optic modulator

Marine-based deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), purified from waste products of the Japanese fishing industry, has recently become a new material of interest in photonics applications. The water soluble DNA is precipitated with a surfactant complex, cetyltrimethl-ammonium chloride (CTMA), to form a water insoluble complex, DNA-CTMA, for application as a nonlinear optical material. It is possible to fabricate an all-DNA-CTMA waveguide by crosslinking the DNA-CTMA. Crosslinking causes the material to become resistant to its initial solvents upon curing; this allows a core layer of crosslinked DNA-CTMA-chromophore to be spin coated directly on top of a cladding layer of crosslinked DNA-CTMA. The chromophore dye provides for the electro-optic effect to be induced through contact poling. The chromophore also raises the index of refraction of the core layer above that of the cladding needed for waveguiding. Progress on the development of this all-DNA-CTMA electro-optic modulator is presented.

DNA-based materials for electro-optic applications : current status

Purified deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), derived from salmon milt and roe sacs, waste products of the Japanese fishing industry in Hokkaido, has been processed into a promising, optical waveguide quality, biopolymer material suitable for both passive and active optical and electro-optic applications. Intercalation of aromatic compounds into stacked layers within the double helix of DNA molecules has rendered active optical waveguide materials with excellent nonlinear optical properties.

Poling and optical studies of DNA NLO waveguides

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), extracted from salmon sperm through an enzyme isolation process, is precipitated with a surfactant complex, cetyltrimethl-ammonium chloride (CTMA), for application as a nonlinear optical (NLO) material. Preliminary characterization studies suggest DNA-CTMA may be suitable for use as the host material in the poled core layer of electro-optically-active waveguide devices. Further studies have also indicated that it may be possible to create an all-DNA-CTMA NLO waveguide device using DNA-CTMA as both the core and cladding materials. Challenges and accomplishments in creating an all-DNA-CTMA waveguide device are discussed as well as poling results and techniques for poled-chromophore-DNA-CTMA films. Optical characterization studies, including optical propagation losses, of the DNA-CTMA films are presented.

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-based nonlinear optics

Highly purified deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was isolated from salmon and scallop sperm by an enzymatic isolation process. Characterization of the optical and electromagnetic properties of DNA suggested suitability for optical waveguide applications. One of the characteristic features of DNA we discovered was an intercalation of aromatic compounds into stacked layers within the double helix of DNA molecules. We found that various optical dyes inserted into the double helix of DNA molecules render optical waveguide films of dye-intercalated DNA suitable for active photonic devices. Our investigation includes intercalation of fluorescent dyes, photochromic dyes, nonlinear optic chromophores, two photon dyes and rare earth compounds into DNA comparing results with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) based materials.

Characterization of NLO polymer materials for optical waveguide structures

Polymers have a number of attributes that make them highly desirable for use in the design and fabrication of optical waveguide devices, such as modulators and directional couplers. They have relatively low (1.5-1.7) refractive indices, low (~4) dielectric constants at gigahertz frequencies, stable at high (150-190oC) temperatures, resistivities that can be tailored by adding guest molecules and electro-optical responses via the addition of chromophore molecules. These materials are easily spin-coated on glass, quartz or silicon wafers to form optically conducting films that have low (1-2 dB/cm) optical loss at the near-IR communication wavelengths. In this paper we update resistivity, dielectric, electrooptic coefficient and waveguide loss characterization methods and improvements that we are using to provide the data needed to fabricate polymer waveguide devices and report new results for DNA-based polymers.