Coherent Bio-inspired Nanomaterials
Abstract
With prior support from the Army Research Office (award W911NF-17-1-0329), we have shown that viromimetic nanoparticles, which support multiple, coupled fluorophores can exhibit bright collective emission at room temperature, and at fluorophore densities that would normally completely quench emission. This is a system with intriguing collective photonic properties, which warrants further basic study, in view of its basic science and technological potential. The proposal builds upon our experience with virus-like particles to explore the factors responsible for the newly discovered collective optical phenomenon, thus seeking to develop an understanding of its physical origins, and of ways to control it. The virus scaffold has a major, albeit currently unclear role; the effect is not observed if we replace the virus template by a glass nanosphere or if we modulate the interaction between virus and chromophores to induce static or dynamic disorder. The mechanism behind the role of the virus template in the onset of collective behavior appears to be different from other previous instances of cooperative relaxation. For instance, similar cooperative behavior was observed at low temperatures, but not at room temperature and in soft-matter. We plan to study it using an array of complementary time-resolved spectroscopic and interferometric methods, combined with sample engineering, through chemical and genetic manipulations. If successful, we will deliver a laser-like, nanoscopic particle that will be completely assembled in a micro-organism or a plant. Such viromimetic particles could boost technologies that require deep sub-wavelength light sources for optical imaging and control. Not only will such viromimetic particles provide a coherent, bright burst of photons on demand, but they could be specifically engineered to interact with human tissue. For instance they could be tailored for targeted delivery of active compounds, for implementing optical - neural interfaces able of selective, deep-tissue neuromodulation and high-spatial resolution, for sensing biomechanical stresses as quantum-optical sensors, or for laser-guided microsurgery - to give just a few examples of cutting-edge technologies relevant to defense.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 09, 2020
- Source ID
- W911NF2010072
Entities
People
- Bogdan Dragnea
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Indiana University
- United States Army