Nanoengineered biophotonic hybrid device

• US 20090090410A1
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey T. Labelle, Vincent B. Pizziconi
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey T. Labelle, Vincent B. Pizziconi
• Inventors: LaBelle, Jeffrey T., Pizziconi, Vincent B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,173,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/248
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/58 using luminescence generated by light
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02322 comprising luminescent members, e.g. fluorescent sheets upon the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/055 where light is absorbed and re-emitted at a different wavelength by the optical element directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. by using luminescent material, fluorescent concentrators or up-conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/761 Biomolecules or bio-macromolecules, e.g. proteins, chlorophyl, lipids or enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators

Abstract

An improved method for the design and development of high performance hybrid devices having biological and nonbiological components. The biological component is used in hybrid constructs that may be nanostructures, given the small size of the biological parts. In one specific embodiment, chlorosomes of Chloroflexus aurantiacus (C. aurantiacus) enhance performance of a silicon photovoltaic cell. C. aurantiacus, strain J-10-f1, has the A.T.C.C. designation number 29366, having been deposited in July, 1976. Its chlorosomes are harvested and positioned in light communicating relation to a photoactive semiconductor. The chlorosomes react to light of a first wavelength by emitting light at a second wavelength to which the semiconductor electrically responds.

Claims

1. A hybrid photoactive device comprising:

(a) a photoactive semiconductor; and

(b) a plurality of chlorosomes supported in light communicating relation to a surface of the photoactive semiconductor.

2. The hybrid photoactive device according to claim 1, wherein the chlorosomes comprise a cytoplasmic membrane sack of photosensitive molecular structures and a baseplate, and the plurality of cholorosomes comprises chlorosomes oriented with their baseplates facing the photoactive semiconductor and their cytoplasmic sack facing away from the photoactive semiconductor.

3. The hybrid photoactive device according to claim 1, wherein the photoactive semiconductor has a light response that is diminished at a first range of light wavelengths, and the chlorosomes have a light response that is enhanced at a second range of light wavelengths that coincides, at least in part, with the first range of light wavelengths and an emission in the direction of the photoactive semiconductor of light outside the first range of light wavelengths.

4. The hybrid photoactive device according to claim 3, wherein the photoactive semiconductor is a silicon photovoltaic cell.

5. The hybrid photoactive device according to claim 1, wherein at least a majority of the chlorosomes are oriented in a light emitting direction toward the photoactive semiconductor.

6. The hybrid photoactive device according to either claim 1 or 2, wherein the chlorosomes are RC chlorosomes of Chloroflexus aurantiacus (C. aurantiacus).

7. The hybrid photoactive device according to claim 2, wherein the chlorosome baseplates are contiguous to a light receiving surface of the photoactive semiconductor.

8. The hybrid photoactive device according to claim 2, wherein the chlorosome baseplates are spaced from the photoactive semiconductor.

9. The hybrid photoactive device according to either claim 1 or 2, wherein the chlorosomes are adherent to a transparent plate overlying a light receiving surface of the photoactive semiconductor.

10. The hybrid photoactive device according to claim 9, wherein the chlorosomes are adherent to a hydrophobic surface of the transparent plate.

11. The hybrid photoactive device according to claim 10, wherein the plate is a borosilicate plate.

12. The hybrid photoactive device according to claim 3, wherein the photoactive semiconductor diminished response is in a blue region of the visible spectrum and the chlorosomes respond to light thereon in the blue region of visible spectrum by emitting light outside the blue region.

13. The hybrid photoactive device according to claim 12, wherein the light emitted by the chlorosomes is light in the 800 nm near infrared region of the visible spectrum.

14. A method of making a hybrid photoactive device including:

(a) providing photosynthetic chlorosome-containing bacteria,

(b) extracting the chlorosomes from the bacteria,

(c) providing a photoactive semiconductor, and

(d) locating the chlorosomes proximate a light receiving surface of the photoactive semiconductor.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein step (d) comprises orienting at least the majority of chlorosomes in a light emitting direction toward the photoactive semiconductor.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the chlorosomes comprise a cytoplasmic membrane sack of photo-sensitive molecular structures and a baseplate, and step (d) comprises orienting chlorosomes with their baseplates facing the photoactive semiconductor and their cytoplasmic sack facing away from the photoactive semiconductor.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein step (a) comprises providing Chloroflexus aurantiacus (C. aurantiacus).

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein step (b) comprises extracting the RC⁻

chlorosome from the C. aurantiacus.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein orienting at least the majority of chlorosomes comprises locating the chlorosomes contiguous to a light receiving surface of the photoactive semiconductor.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein orienting chlorosomes comprises locating the chlorosomes with their baseplates contiguous to a light receiving surface of the photoactive semiconductor.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein step (d) comprises locating the chlorosomes spaced from and proximate the light receiving surface of the photoactive semiconductor.

22. The method according to either claim 14 or 15, wherein step (d) comprises providing a transparent plate, securing the chlorosomes to the transparent plate and positioning the transparent plate overlying a light receiving surface of the photoactive semiconductor.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein providing the transparent plate further comprises providing a transparent plate having a hydrophobic surface and securing the chlorosomes further includes securing the chlorosomes to the hydrophobic surface.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein providing the transparent plate comprises providing a borosilicate plate.

25. The method according to claim 14, wherein step (c) comprises providing a photoactive semiconductor having a light response that is diminished at a first range of light wavelengths, and step (a) comprises choosing a chlorosome having light response that is enhanced at a second range of light wavelengths that coincides, at least in part, with the first range of light wavelengths and light emission outside the first range of light wavelengths.

26. A hybrid photoactive device made by the method of one of claims 14-25.

27. A hybrid photoactive device comprising:

(a) a photoactive semiconductor;

(b) photoactive biological units extracted from photosensitive organisms;

(c) the photoactive biological units having an enhanced response to light in a first range of light wavelengths to emit light prominent in light wavelengths in a second range of light wavelengths;

(d) the photoactive semiconductor having enhanced photosensitivity to light in the second range of light wavelengths; and

(e) the photoactive biological units supported and positioned to emit light towards the photosensitive semiconductor when illuminated by light in the first range of light wavelengths.

28. A method of making a hybrid photoactive device including:

(a) providing photosensitive organisms;

(b) extracting from the photosensitive organisms photoactive biological units responsive to illumination by light in a first spectral region to emit light in a second spectral region;

(c) providing a photoactive semiconductor responsive to illumination by light in the second spectral region; and

(d) locating the photoactive biological units so as to illuminate the photoactive semiconductor by light emitted in the second spectral region when illuminated by light in the first spectral region.