Photonic crystals are a new approach towards the realization of photonic devices. By periodic structures with periodicities in the order of visible wavelengths, the propagation of light in a photonic crystal can be prohibited, guided by defects or redistributed. The emission properties of dyes within a photonic crystal can also be modified, which leads to the realization of photonic crystal lasers.
Common techniques of producing photonic crystals are microsystem technology (lithography) and self-assembling techniques (colloidal crystals). In our group, we explore a third way: the use of biological structures.
Our object of study are centric diatoms, single-celled algae with a cell wall made of silica which is regularly structured. We explore the optical properties of the diatom shell with respect to two main questions:
- Can the diatom cell wall be used for the control of light (technological question) ?
- Does the diatom uses its structure by itself for efficient light-harvesting (biological question) ?
Coworkers: Melanie El-Rharbi-Kucki
Our cooperation partners: University of Regensburg, Prof. Dr. Manfred Sumper, University of Kassel, Prof. Dr. Markus Maniak
This project was funded within the DFG Schwerpunktprogramm 1113 "Photonische Kristalle". Partially it forms a project within the Center for Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology (CINSaT) at the University of Kassel.
References: T. Fuhrmann, S. Landwehr, M. El Rharbi-Kucki, M Sumper, "Diatoms as living photonic crystals", Appl. Phys. B. 78, 257 (2004)
M. Kucki, S. Landwehr, H. Rühling, M. Maniak, T. Fuhrmann-Lieker, "Light-emitting biological photonic crystals: the bioengineering of metamaterials", Proc. SPIE 6182, 61821S (2006)
M. Kucki, T. Fuhrmann-Lieker, "Staining diatoms with rhodamine dyes: control of emission colour in photonic biocomposites", J. R. Soc. Interface, doi:10.1098/rsif.2011.0424 (2011)