Investigation of Marine Derived DNA for use as a Cladding Layer in Electro-Optics

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) extracted and purified from salmon sperm was investigated for use in electro-optic devices as a cladding layer. DNA was analyzed as a cladding material for two different chromophore systems, Disperse Red 1 (DR1), and Cheng-Larry Dalton 1 (CLD1) in a PMMA guest/host system. A baseline device, comprised only of a 1.7micron layer of PMMA, was tested for non-linearity with each chromophore, with the r33 value increasing with increasing temperature and voltage. Doublestack devices included a 1micron thick DNA film as the cladding layer with the baseline core layer above. The recorded r33 values were accurate within 5 percent of the calculated values with the DR1 chromophore, and within 20 percent with the CLD1 chromophore, hence showing good device reproducibility. In addition to the application of a cladding layer, DNA has possible applications in other electronic devices. This prospect is possible by the relationship of molecular weight to electrical resistivity, with resistivities reaching 1x10e8 Ohm*cm.