RECORDING OF TRANSIENT GRATINGS USING THE SHORT-LIVED BACTERIORHODOPSIN PHOTOCYCLE INTERMEDIATES

Bacteriorhodopsin, a light-transducing protein in the purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium, has unique properties that make it a potent ially attractive material for use in optical imaging and processing. A transient diffraction grating based on the K intermediate of the bact eriorhodopsin photocycle has been produced on the nanosecond time scal e. The diffraction efficiency, which would be sufficient for pattern r ecognition for example, was measured and the intensity dependence asse ssed.