Photomodulation of electrical conductivity of a PCBM-doped free-standing lipid bilayer in buffer solution

The self-assembled bilayer lipid membrane (BLM) is a basic component in cell membranes. BLMs have gigaohm-level electrical resistivities and work as barrier walls for cells. In this study, the electrical conductivities across free-standing, phenyl‑C₆₁‑butyricacid‑methyl ester (PC₆₀BM)-doped BLMs in a buffer solution are investigated to confirm their applicability for electronic biodevices. An apparent increase in the current across the BLM due to exposure to Xe-lamp light with wavelengths ranging from 888 to 300 nm is observed, compared to non-doped BLMs. It is possible that the doped PCBM works as a carrier mediator for electrons and/or ions in the buffer solution. The possibility of making artificial electronic valves using the BLM is discussed in this paper.