Single-molecule spectromicroscopy: the door into sub-diffraction refractometry

2015/01/31 by T. A. Anikushina, M. G. Gladush, Anikushina, T. A. +5
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Optics (physics.optics) #physics.optics

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1502.00109

4 pages, 3 figures

arxiv created 2015/02/17 · arxiv updated 2015/02/18

Abstract

We suggest a novel approach for probing of local fluctuations of the refractive index n in solids by means of single-molecule (SM) spectroscopy. It is based on the dependence T₁(n) of the effective radiative lifetime T₁ of dye centres in solids on n due to the local field effects. Detection of SM zero-phonon lines at ultra-low temperatures gives the values of SM natural spectral linewidth (which is inverse proportional to T₁) and makes it possible to reveal the distribution of the local n values in solids. Here we demonstrate this possibility on the example of amorphous polyethylene and polycrystalline naphthalene doped with terrylene.

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