Dye stabilization and wavelength tunability in lasing fibers based on DNA
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Lasers based on biological materials are attracting an increasing interest in view of their use in integrated and transient photonics. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as optical biopolymer in combination with highly emissive dyes has been reported to have excellent potential in this respect. However, achieving miniaturized lasing systems based on solid-state DNA shaped in different geometries to confine and enhance emission is still a challenge, and the physicochemical mechanisms originating fluorescence enhancement are not fully understood. Herein, a class of wavelength-tunable lasers based on DNA nanofibers is demonstrated, for which optical properties are highly controlled through the system morphology. A synergistic effect is highlighted at the basis of lasing action. Through a quantum chemical investigation, it is shown that the interaction of DNA with the encapsulated dye leads to hindered twisting and suppressed channels for the nonradiative decay. This is combined with effective waveguiding, optical gain, and tailored mode confinement to promote morphologically controlled lasing in DNA-based nanofibers. The results establish design rules for the development of bright and tunable nanolasers and optical networks based on DNA nanostructures.
Date Issued
2020-11-18
Date Acceptance
2020-09-16
Citation
Advanced Optical Materials, 2020, 8 (22)
ISSN
2195-1071
Publisher
Wiley
Journal / Book Title
Advanced Optical Materials
Volume
8
Issue
22
Copyright Statement
© 2020 The Authors. Advanced Optical Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
License URL
Sponsor
The Leverhulme Trust
Commission of the European Communities
Commission of the European Communities
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000571657400001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
RPG-2014-238
800410
859841
EP/T027258/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Technology
Physical Sciences
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Optics
Materials Science
deoxyribonucleic acid
electrospinning
microfibers
microlasers
time-dependent density functional theory
NANOWIRE LASERS
FLUORESCENCE
GAIN
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 2001039
Date Publish Online
2020-09-16