We have investigated the terahertz photoresponse of quantum wires in high magnetic fields, employing intense far-infrared (FIR) radiation from the UCSB Free-Electron Lasers. Both GaAs-based and InAs-based quantum wires, with widths ranging from 50 nm to 1 μm, were studied. At high FIR power we observed Shubnikov–de Haas type oscillations in photoresponse versus magnetic field, B, resulting from...

Although several second messengers are known to be involved in invertebrate photoresponses, the mechanism underlying invertebrate phototransduction remains unclear. In the present study, brief injection of inositol trisphosphate into Hermissenda photoreceptors induced a transient Na+ current followed by burst activity, which accurately reproduced the native photoresponse. Injection of Ca2+ did ...

We report on the observation of the helicity-dependent photoresponse of the 20-μm-thick silver-palladium (Ag/Pd) nanocomposite films. In the experiment, 120 fs pulses of Ti:S laser induced in the film an electric current perpendicular to the incidence plane. The photoinduced current is a linear function of the incident beam power, and its sign depends on the beam polarization and angle of incid...

Graphene-based photodetectors have demonstrated mechanical flexibility, large operating bandwidth, and broadband spectral response. However, their linear dynamic range (LDR) is limited by graphene's intrinsic hot-carrier dynamics, which causes deviation from a linear photoresponse at low incident powers. At the same time, multiplication of hot carriers causes the photoactive region to be smeare...

This paper reports the synthesis and UV sensing characteristics of a cellulose and ZnO hybrid nanocomposite (CEZOHN) prepared by exploiting the synergetic effects of ZnO functionality and the renewability of cellulose. Vertically aligned ZnO nanorods were grown well on a flexible cellulose film by direct ZnO seeding and hydrothermal growing processes. The ZnO nanorods have the wurtzite structur...

Photoreceptor cells are remarkable in their ability to adjust their sensitivity to light over a wide range of intensities. Rapid termination of the photoresponse is achieved in part by shuttling proteins in and out of the light-transducing compartment of the photoreceptor cells. One protein that undergoes light-dependent translocation is the rhodopsin regulatory protein arrestin. However, the m...

Photoregulated carotenoid biosynthesis consists of an initiating photoactivation which bestows carotenogenic competence upon photochromogenic microorganisms. Subsequent carotenoid biosynthesis is light independent but requires microbial growth. Experimental systems have been developed for several photochromogcnic microorganisms to separate the primary photoact from the following carotenogenic r...

Metal-semiconductor-metal near-ultraviolet (NUV) photodetectors (PDs) based on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods (NRs), operating at λ ~ 380 nm, were fabricated using conventional photolithography and hydrothermal synthesis processes. The vertically aligned ZnO NRs were selectively grown in the channel area of PDs. The performance of ZnO NR-based NUV PDs was optimized by varying the solution concentrat...

Structural modifications to the surface of active layer hybrid organic-inorganic self-powered broadband photodetectors lead a remarkable enhancement in their photoresponse.