Scanning interferometric microscopy for the detection of ultrasmall phase shifts in condensed matter

Journal Article · Wed Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2006 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.73.021802· OSTI ID:20979290

Hwang, J ^[1]; Fejer, M M ^[1]; Moerner, W E ^[2]

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1. Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 (United States)
2. Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 (United States)

We describe a scanning optical microscope based on polarization Sagnac interferometry for measuring ultrasmall phase shifts, and use this method to detect small numbers of absorbing molecules in a solid without the use of fluorescence. The absorption and concomitant optical phase shift of terrylene dopant molecules in a p-terphenyl host crystal are made time dependent by periodic optical saturation of the sample. A detection sensitivity of 8.75x10{sup -8} rad is achieved with a 0.078 Hz bandwidth, and detection of signals from as few as 19{+-}3 terrylene molecules is demonstrated at room temperature.

• OSTI ID: 20979290
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Vol. 73, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.73.021802; (c) 2006 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1050-2947
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ABSORPTION
CRYSTALS
INTERFEROMETERS
INTERFEROMETRY
MICROSCOPES
MOLECULES
OPTICAL MICROSCOPES
OPTICAL MICROSCOPY
PHASE SHIFT
POLARIZATION
SENSITIVITY
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
TIME DEPENDENCE