Low temperature spectral dynamics of single molecules in ultrathin polymer films

Journal Article · Wed May 28 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Journal of Chemical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4879062· OSTI ID:22304366

Naumov, Andrei V. ^[1]; Vainer, Yuri G. ^[1]; Kador, Lothar ^[2]

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1. Institute for Spectroscopy, RAS, Troitsk, Moscow Region 142190 (Russian Federation)
2. Institute of Physics and BIMF, University of Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth (Germany)

We studied the spectral dynamics of single fluorescent dye molecules embedded in ultrathin films (5 – 100 nm) of the amorphous polymer polyisobutylene at cryogenic temperatures and its variation with film thickness. Noticeable portion of molecules in the ensemble shows a behavior which is inconsistent with the standard tunneling model: Their spectral lines are subject to irreversible spectral jumps, continuous shifting, and abrupt chaotic changes of the linewidth or jumping rate. In films thinner than 100 nm, the occurrence of “non-standard” spectral behavior increases with decreasing sample thickness at fixed excitation intensity. In addition, it also increases with laser intensity.

• OSTI ID: 22304366
• Journal Information: Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 140, Issue 20; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-9606
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
EXCITATION
FLUORESCENCE
MOLECULES
POLYMERS
THIN FILMS
TUNNEL EFFECT