Room temperature study of single molecule dynamics on a surface

Conference · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:560344

Ha, T; Enderle, Th; Selvin, P R; Chemla, D S; Weiss, S ^[1]

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1. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (United States)

We report on a variety of dynamical effects in the laser induced fluorescence (LIF) of single molecules adsorbed on a air-glass interface. The molecules were excited by a diffraction limited spot of a far field scanning optical microscope. Spectral jumps, often correlated with dark states, were observed in two different experimental schemes: emission spectrum and two-channel time trace. A small number of single molecules underwent rotational jumps as a result of desorption and readsorption from/to the surface. These events were observed by modulating the polarization of the excitation light. Quantum jumps of single molecules to the triplet state were resolved. A strong inhomogeneity in quantum jumps parameters was found among different molecules. Careful characterization of the intrinsic dynamical behavior of single molecule LIF is necessary before it can be applied to biological studies.

• OSTI ID: 560344
• Report Number(s): CONF-970443--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
EMISSION
EXCITATION
FLUORESCENCE
GLASS
MOLECULES
POLARIZATION