Nanoengineered biophotonic hybrid device

• US 7,067,293 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2003
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey T. Labelle, Vincent B. Pizziconi
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey T. Labelle, Vincent B. Pizziconi
• Inventors: LaBelle, Jeffrey T., Pizziconi, Vincent B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wax, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kosson, Rosanne
• Application Number:
  US10/658,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20060008893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 435/173.4, 435/176, 435/286.1, 435/283.1, 435/243, 435/252.1
• US Class Current: 435/173.4
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/168 Specific optical properties, e.g. reflective coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/31 Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry G01N21/72 takes precedence

Abstract

An improved method for the design and development of high performance hybrid devices having biological and nonbiological components. A figure of merit is developed for the biological component or components. The component is subjected to various environmental variables as it or its biological source organism is grown. The biological component is force adapted to cause its figure of merit to reach a goal or an acceptable measure. The biological component is used in hybrid constructs that may be nanostructures, given the small size of the biological parts. In one specific embodiment, force-adapted chlorosomes of C. aurantiacus enhance performance of a silicon photovoltaic cell. The bacteria, Chloroflexus aurantiacus (C. aurantiacus), strain J-10-fl, has the A.T.C.C. designation number 29366, having been deposited in July, 1976.

Claims

1. A method of making a hybrid photoactive device, comprising:

(a) providing photosynthetic chlorosome-containing bacteria Chloroflexus aurantiacus;

(b) extracting the RC⁻

chlorosomes from the bacteria;

(c) providing a photoactive semiconductor; and

(d) locating the RC⁻

chlorosomes proximate a light receiving surface of the photoactive semiconductor, wherein step (c) includes providing a photoactive semiconductor having a light response that is diminished at a first range of light wavelengths, and step (a) comprises choosing an RC⁻

chlorosome having

(i) 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

(ii) light emission outside the first range of light wavelengths, and wherein choosing an RC⁻

chlorosome comprises force adapting bacteria with chlorosomes with the light response enhanced at the second range of light wavelengths and light emission outside the first range.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein force adapting comprises

(a) design of experiment determination of environmental factors forcing adaptation of bacteria based upon multiple environmental variables applied to C. aurantiacus sample bacteria;

and

(b) exposing the C. aurantiacus bacteria to an environment in which the factors identified in the previous step are present to force adapt the exposed C. aurantiacus bacteria.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein force adapting comprises calculating a figure of merit for chlorosomes of the bacteria and identifying environmental factors resulting in an acceptable figure of merit.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the figure of merit is:

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the photoactive semiconductor diminished response is in the blue region of the visible spectrum and force adapting the bacteria comprises force adapting the bacteria to have chlorosomes responsive to light in said blue region to emit light outside said blue region.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the light emitted by the chlorosomes is light in the near infrared region of the visible spectrum.

7. A hybrid photoactive device made by the method of claim 1.

8. A hybrid photoactive device made by the method of claim 5.

9. A hybrid photoactive device made by the method of claim 6.