Photoluminescence and electronic transition behaviors of single-stranded DNA

Qiujin Wang, Shuo Lin, Xuan Liu, Wen Xu, Yiming Xiao, Changneng Liang, Lan Ding, and F. M. Peeters
Phys. Rev. E 104, 034412 – Published 20 September 2021

Abstract

Due to the potential application of DNA for biophysics and optoelectronics, the electronic energy states and transitions of this genetic material have attracted a great deal of attention recently. However, the fluorescence and corresponding physical process of DNA under optical excitation with photon energies below ultraviolet are still not fully clear. In this work, we experimentally investigate the photoluminescence (PL) properties of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) samples under near-ultraviolet (NUV) and visible excitations (270440 nm). Based on the dependence of the PL peak wavelength (λem) upon the excitation wavelength (λex), the PL behaviors of ssDNA can be approximately classified into two categories. In the relatively short excitation wavelength regime, λem is nearly constant due to exciton-like transitions associated with delocalized excitonic states and excimer states. In the relatively long excitation wavelength range, a linear relation of λem=Aλex+B with A>0 or A<0 can be observed, which comes from electronic transitions related to coupled vibrational-electronic levels. Moreover, the transition channels in different excitation wavelength regimes and the effects of strand length and base type can be analyzed on the basis of these results. These important findings not only can give a general description of the electronic energy states and transitional behaviors of ssDNA samples under NUV and visible excitations, but also can be the basis for the application of DNA in nanoelectronics and optoelectronics.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 18 April 2021
  • Accepted 31 August 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.104.034412

©2021 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Physics of Living SystemsInterdisciplinary Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Qiujin Wang1, Shuo Lin1, Xuan Liu1, Wen Xu2,1,3,*, Yiming Xiao1, Changneng Liang1, Lan Ding1,†, and F. M. Peeters1,4

  • 1School of Physics and Astronomy and Key Lab of Quantum Information of Yunnan Province, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
  • 2Micro Optical Instruments Inc., 518118 Shenzhen, China
  • 3Key Laboratory of Material Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Hefei 230031, China
  • 4Department of Physics, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerpen, Belgium

  • *wenxu_issp@aliyun.com
  • dinglan@ynu.edu.cn

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 104, Iss. 3 — September 2021

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review E

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×