A study of the improvement of photoelectric responses on a Langmuir-Blodgett film containing bacteriorhodopsin

In order to improve the photoelectric response of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films containing bacteriorhodopsin (bR), a lipid-soluble proton carrier, FCCP [7] (carbonyl cyanide-p-trifluormethoxy phenyl-hydrazone), was added to a bR LB film. found that the photocurrent of the bR membrane was markedly increased by including FCCP. The influence of the concentration of FCCP (in decane) on the photocurrent of the bR membrane has been studied. An optimum point of the photocurrent of the bR membrane has been found at a bR:FCCP (weight ratio) of 1.6 × 104. The photocurrent of the bR membrane as a function of storage time under room temperature has been found. This reached a constant value after ten days for bR free of FCCP, whereas bR with FCCP required a longer time. After storage the photocurrent of the bR membrane with FCCP was higher than that without FCCP.