Ab. Druzhko et al., 4-KETO-BACTERIORHODOPSIN FILMS AS A PROMISING PHOTOCHROMIC AND ELECTROCHROMIC BIOLOGICAL-MATERIAL, Biosystems, 35(2-3), 1995, pp. 129-132
Photochromic and electrochromic spectral properties of 4-keto-bacterio
rhodopsin (4-keto-BR) embedded in a polymer matrix were studied. The l
ight-induced spectral changes were found to be similar to those for 4-
keto-BR in suspension, but the duration of the photocycle is substanti
ally longer (up to ten bf h). Application of a constant electric field
induces a bathochromic shift of the main absorption band, the amplitu
de of the field-induced spectral changes, showing a quadratic dependen
ce on the field strength. Polymer films containing bacteriorhodopsin a
nalogs show promise as new spectrally-selective photochromic and elect
rochromic materials.