Generalized model for all-optical light modulation in bacteriorhodopsin

Abstract

We present a generalized model for the photochemical cycle of bacteriorhodopsin (bR) protein molecule. Rate equations have been solved for the detailed light-induced processes in bR for its nine states: B→K↔L↔MI→MII↔N↔O↔P→Q→B. The complete steady-state intensity-induced population densities in various states of the molecule have been computed to obtain a general, exact, and analytical expression for the nonlinear absorption coefficient for multiple modulation pump laser beams. All-optical light modulation of different probe laser beam transmissions by intensity induced population changes due to one and two modulation laser beams has been analyzed. The proposed model has been shown to accurately model experimental results.