Bacteriorhodopsin Films for Sensor Survivability

An advanced laser on the battlefield is no ordinary weapon. Nor is it one that is easily defended against. Intense, coherent radiation from lasers can damage delicate sensors, the so-called "eyes of battle" or blind human eyes in a matter of microseconds -- so quickly that targets are destroyed before they know what hit them. An ideal protection for satellite and battlefield optical sensors would be a protective device equipped with lenses that provides clear transmission of image before and after the threat, but respond in subpicoseconds to block intense laser light during attack by frequency agile lasers. Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) is endowed by nature with the properties needed for such lenses. A biotechnology-drive materials, BR has evolved natural methods for transducing light, protecting against photochemical and thermal damage, and rapid recycling. It is therefore the best candidate for laser protection, but has not been applied to laser protection because large, highly oriented optical films of BR are not available. F-M will apply innovative processes to purified BR, such as electric field deposition, isopotential spin-drying, epitaxially-directed film growth and delipidization to produce high clarity and concentration BR films.