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Norbert Hampp

Publications and source records attributed to Norbert Hampp.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Morphology of dry solid-supported protein monolayers dependent on the substrate and protein surface properties.

The morphologies of dry MrgA protein monolayers on different solid substrates prepared by a three-step procedure (adsorption from an incubation solution, rinsing to remove excess salt and protein, and drying) were investigated using atomic force microscopy. MrgA is a dodecameric iron-storage protein which can form hexagonal, two-dimensional (2D) crystalline monolayers on hydrophilic surfaces at low supersaturation. The formation of such two-dimensional crystals is heavily dependent on the pH and the salinity of the incubation solution as well as on the surface properties. Correlation of surface coverage with substrate charge, ionic strength, and pH indicates the dominance of electrostatic effects in adsorption, with the balance shifting between intermolecular repulsion and protein-substrate attraction. Close to the isoelectric point (pI) of MrgA, adsorption to the surface and the formation of 2D crystals are favored. By preparation of self-assembled monolayers of thiols with different end groups on template-stripped gold, the surface properties can be varied easily from high to very low protein affinity. The resulting patterns of the crystalline protein structures are novel and could be a starting point for further scientific study, e.g., solid-supported cocrystallization with DNA, and indeed developments with technological applications, such as mesostructured deposition of MrgA-caged nanoparticles.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2005

Polarization holographic high-density optical data storage in bacteriorhodopsin film.

Optical films containing the genetic variant bacteriorhodopsin BR-D96N were experimentally studied in view of their properties as media for holographic storage. Different polarization recording schemes were tested and compared. The influence of the polarization states of the recording and readout waves on the retrieved diffractive image's intensity and its signal-to-noise ratio were analyzed. The experimental results showed that, compared with the other tested polarization relations during holographic recording, the discrimination between the polarization states of diffracted and scattered light is optimized with orthogonal circular polarization of the recording beams, and thus a high signal-to-noise ratio and a high diffraction efficiency are obtained. Using a He-Ne laser (633 nm, 3 mW) for recording and readout, a spatial light modulator as a data input element, and a 2D-CCD sensor for data capture in a Fourier transform holographic setup, a storage density of 2 x 10(8) bits/cm2 was obtained on a 60 x 42 microm2 area in the BR-D96N film. The readout of encoded binary data was possible with a zero-error rate at the tested storage density.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Polarization multiplexed write-once-read-many optical data storage in bacteriorhodopsin films.

In polymeric films of bacteriorhodopsin (BR) a photoconversion product, which was named the F620 state, was observed on excitation of the film with 532 nm nanosecond laser pulses. This photoproduct shows a strong nonlinear absorption. Such BR films can be used for write-once-read-many (WORM) optical data storage. We demonstrate that a photoproduct similar or even identical to that obtained with nanosecond pulses is generated on excitation with 532 nm femtosecond pulses. This photoproduct also shows strong anisotropic absorption, which facilitates polarization storage of data. The product is thermally stable and is irretrievable to the initial B state either by photochemical reaction or through a thermal pathway. The experimental results indicate that the product is formed by a two-photon absorption process. Optical WORM storage is demonstrated by use of two polarization states, but more polarization states may be used. The combination of polarization data multiplexing and extremely short recording time in the femtosecond range enables very high data volumes to be stored within a very short time.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Improvement of the diffraction efficiency and kinetics of holographic gratings in photochromic media by auxiliary light.

Holographic gratings recorded in photochromic media often do not obtain the maximally achievable diffraction efficiency because of diminishing the fringe contrast caused, e.g., by a photochemically active readout beam or unequal intensities of object and reference waves. For nonreversible materials this problem causes a decrease in diffraction efficiency that is proportional to the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). However, in nonlinear materials such as photochromic media, for which saturation effects need to be considered, an out-of-proportion decrease in the SNR results. It is shown that an overshooting peak during hologram growth, which then decays to a lower permanent level of diffraction, is an indicator for such a situation. Even a weak readout beam may cause such effects, which significantly affect the hologram kinetics. The observed overshooting diffraction efficiency may even be misinterpreted to be dependent on material properties. Experimental and theoretical proof that with low levels of auxiliary light this type of problem can be eliminated completely is presented. Throughout this research bacteriorhodopsin films were used, but the results are valid for photochromic media in general.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

[Holographic recording properties of BR-D96N film].

BR-D96N was a genetically mutated product of bacteriorhodopsin (BR) with obvious improved photochromic effect. Compared with the wild type BR, BR-D96N had a lifetime of M state prolonged to 5 min, showing obvious saturation absorption and lower light intensity in saturation absorption (0.4 mW/cm(2)). In case of holographic recording, dynamic grating was recorded in the BR-D96N film, its characteristic parameter was not light exposure energy but light intensity. The writing time of the holographic grating depended on the recording light intensity. The higher the recording light intensity, the faster the grating builds up. Under a weak reconstruction light, the recording light intensity resulting in maximal diffraction efficiency was consistent with the saturation absorption intensity. The reconstruction light could partly erase the grating. With lower intensity of reconstruction light, higher diffraction efficiency (1.8%) could be reached, but the diffraction intensity was not high. To get highest diffraction intensity, a properly high intensity of reconstruction light was needed (80 microW/cm(2)). The result of these experiments showed that holographic images could be recorded on the BR-D96N film.

Bacteriorhodopsins↗