The study of DNA nanofibers

Abstract

AbstractWe study the acousto-optic effect on the polaritonic properties of DNA nanofibers which are fabricated by embedding a DNA wire into a polaritonic material. This is a new research area and can be called nanobiopolaritonics. Polaritonic materials have energy gaps in their dispersion relation due to the coupling between optical photons and photons. The bound states of DNA wire are calculated using transfer matrix method. It is found that some of the bound states of the DNA wire lie within the band gap of the polaritonic material. These states do not decay into the polaritonic material since there are not states available for decay process to occur. This means DNA nanofibers has an extremely high Q factor. We have also studied the acousto-optic effect on the photon absorption in DNA nanofibers doped with ensemble of quantum dots. The quantum dots interact with the DNA wire via electron bound polaritons interaction. We have discovered a switching mechanism in DNA nanofibers. When the resonance energy of the quantum dots lies near bound polaritons states, the system becomes transmitting for frequency of a probe field due to the strong electron bound polaritons interaction. This is can be assigned as ‘ON’ of the switch. However, when the strain field is applied the DNA fiber can now absorb the probe beam. This is can be assigned as ‘OFF’ of the switch.